Writing/Essay/Journal
Fiber artist Nancy Mackenzie finds herself inspired by the garden and how things grow. She does a lot of pieces with nature elements such as leaves. What inspires you? Are there common elements in your art? What do you find yourself drawn to artistically for inspiration? Also, what in Mackenzie’s background led her to this type of work? How does her art incorporate problem solving?

Activity
Mackenzie says that growing up on a farm requires you to be a generalist. She creates art from the things that are around her; in one case, onion bags and baling twine. She says that she gets excited to experiment and see what she can do with different materials. Create your own fiber art that incorporates some elements of a found nature. Try to use things that you wouldn’t normally think of being incorporated into fabric or clothing.