my work
wild foraged and homegrown natural dyes, clothing and textile design, and more
01. collaboration with Lu Dale
inspired by a handmade patchwork vest from the Lu Dale archives. Each piece is one-of-a-kind, crafted from vintage denim scraps and naturally dyed with locally foraged and homegrown plants.
Photos and styling by Keely Degenhart
02. community quilt project
handmade quilt made with naturally dyed squares collected from natural dyers all over the country, auctioned for charity
03. costume design and choreography for “Coexist”
Coexist is a modern dance piece that explores our present-day relationship with wolves and the wilderness of our psyche.
Coexist, 2023. Dance perfomance at Tinworks. Dancers: Sara Mannheimer, Dorothy Burns, Ellie Oakley, Mariah Palmer, Dana Terzi, Blair Bodie, Naomi Worob. Choreographers: Mariah Palmer and Sara Mannheimer. Photo: Blair Speed. Costumes: Sara Mannheimer, Mariah Palmer and Meghan Purcell. Styling: Celeste Johnson
Coexist, 2022. Dance film. Dancers: Sara Mannheimer, Dorothy Burns, Ellie Oakley, Mariah Palmer, Blair Bodie, Cathy Werner. Choreographers: Mariah Palmer and Sara Mannheimer. Film: Nathan Norby. Costumes: Shauna White Bear, Sara Mannheimer, Mariah Palmer, and Meghan Purcell. Watch the full film here.
04. local color story
locally foraged and homegrown natural dyes: st john’s wort, sunflower, alder, sage, yarrow, dock, hollyhock, coreopsis, tansy, dyers chamomile and more
05. feature in Surface Design
We are honored to be featured in the Hunter/Gatherer Spring 2024 edition of the Surface Design Journal.
Grief, 2021. Dance film. Dancers: Anna Allen, Sara Mannheimer, Dorothy Burns, Ellie Oakley, Mariah Palmer, Dana Terzi. Choreographers: Mariah Palmer and Sara Mannheimer. Film: Nathan Norby. Watch the full film here.
Informed Source: Resensitizing Ourselves Through Dance by Mariah Palmer & Sara Mannheimer: “The performance engages with the tensions and dualities around land use through costumes, filming location, and choreography. We dyed the fabric for our costumes using St. John’s wort, a plant that can be invasive but is also a valuable herbal treatment for depression. We filmed on an area of land that is partially protected as wilderness and partially open to motorized four-wheeler recreation. And through our concept and choreography we explored feelings of both sadness and joy. In the sections below we discuss each of these aspects of the performance: costumes, location and choreography.”
06. textile design
eco printing, screen printing and painting using natural dyes
