About the artist
Wendy produces her silk pieces one by one. Each is uniquely considered and designed at each stage of the process. They are never replicated. All work is done by hand, entirely by Wendy Smith-Wood.
Wendy designs the texture in her silks by experimenting with unorthodox
folding, and combining unusual color combinations. She is often inspired by her natural surroundings and the seasonal colors of the dramatic Alaskan landscape (many pieces resemble natural phenomena), but in contrast, she also likes regularly to pull out an edgy, urban feel to her work. Variety and constant change punctuate the work.
Bio:
Wendy Smith-Wood resides in a rustic log cabin in remote and beautiful
mountains beside the Matanuska glacier in Alaska. A British national,
Wendy spent fifteen years as a mountain guide in high altitudes on four
continents, guiding on the old silk routes in the Pamirs and Karakorum
mountains, and in the Himalaya, Atlas, Alps and Pyrenees. Each winter
she traveled to Alaska to mush huskies in her favorite wilderness.Always fascinated with fiber and fabrics in the exotic places she visited, Wendy found when she finally settled down with her Alaskan husband that she had a desire to work with fiber. With the encouragement of local artists and the enthusiasm of the Alaskan community, she has built a silk dying business in this remote place. Wendy is dedicated to continuously improving her work. She is always exploring new techniques in silks and textiles, looking for innovation and greater quality to offer in her collection.
As a mountaineer, Wendy was committed to exploration and maximum effort to achieve a summit. With silk dying and shibori the journey is the same….
Wendy Smith-Wood
shibori artist and silk painter
