There are changes coming for the Aya Fiber Studio space at The Fish House Art Center and I am so excited about them that I can hardly wait!

Everyone who knows me , knows that I had my dream studio in North Carolina. Leaving my Saxapahaw Studio was hard enough, but having to put 60% of my studio contents into storage here in Florida was terrible. Even though I did not create art on a daily basis there, I still managed to stockpile and hoard fiber materials. Now that I am in creative mode, I am always thinking about all the items and equipment that have been stored and what I can do with them. Trying to find things stored in boxes stacked on top of each other in a dark storage locker is almost impossible.

Finally everything will be taken out of storage and into a new space of the studio  that I am calling The Aya Fiber Studio Dyehouse.  The Dyehouse will be mostly for wet space.  Plenty of sink space and a washing machine just for rinsing dyed materials.  I have plenty of equipment that I am no longer using and I plan to "share" it with other fiber artists who might just want to try it out before making the investment on their own. The space will be available for rent by the hour, the day or the week.

We will have hot plates, pots, stirring tools, sinks and clothesline for dyeing fabrics. A steamer for steaming acid dyes.  There will be a dedicated washing machine for rinsing your fabric.  You can make a mess here and not worry about getting dye in your kitchen or home machine. We will have cutting tables, sewing machines, ironing area, a serger and dress form for designing art-to-wear or laying out quilts. There will be a research library and a computer- also wi-fi if you want to bring your  own laptop and a nice outdoor area to sit and relax. There will also be some specialized weaving and tapestry equipment available for rent. Artists may use the space to create only, this is not a place to sell your work!

The space is open and airy and sits right on The Manatee Pocket waterfront in  the historic Port Salerno fishing village. We will have great music playing and a waterfront view! It doesn't get much better than this! We will be offering an expanded selection of classes and workshops in several different areas of fiber and textiles. I am hoping that in the not to far future, I can invite many of my fiber friends and teachers from North Carolina to teach and share their  vast knowledge of textiles and fiberarts with us. ( Marbling, Silk painting, Screen Printing, Natural Dyeing,Eco-Dyeing, Organic Dyeing, Felting and Joom-chi and Sewing) There will be classes in all levels, from beginner to experienced fiber artists who want to hone their skills .

This is exciting!  When I left the Art Gallery business, I had no idea what I was going to do or how I was going to do it. Little by little things just fell into place and by going back to doing what I love doing, I was able to reinvent myself. Closing the gallery left a huge hole that I didn't think I would ever fill. I love sharing my craft with people and teaching them new skills. I love being around other fiber artists.  Stay tuned for more information as this exciting studio space unfolds! If there is anything you might want to learn or if you are someone who might want to teach a class,  please let me know!