Being a multi-passionate creative means that Margaret Byrd is curious about different mediums and always on a quest to experiment and see what inspiration trickles in. Byrd’s fascination with raw material and color extracted from organic matter has been a constant in her art practice, so working with fiber has been an exciting way to further probe the subtle beauty found in nature’s palette.
The variation of natural hues that Margaret Byrd has brewed from botanicals in Iceland, Mexico, and her own backyard have provided a rich inventory of hand-dyed fiber that has inspired a series of texturally dynamic works on canvas and paper. Each piece has a unique history embedded in its fiber– based on the soil where its color was grown and harvested– and is a living memory of the lands Byrd has been lucky enough to explore. Through this practice, Margaret Byrd is honoring the symbiotic relationship she nurtures with Mother Earth, and quietly giving thanks for her delightful bounty.