Cara Marie Piazza
Calyx Studios
Textile dyer
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Recommended by American Craft Council
In conversation with natural colours
- Cara's approach to dyeing is contemplative and personal
- Collaborations and workshops are hallmarks of her practice
- She works with natural dyes and a range of surface design techniques
Cara Marie Piazza is a natural dyer based in New York City. "My dyeing practices are devotional work, an ongoing conversation with place, ecology and the stories that live in cloth,” she says. Cara primarily works with plant and insect-derived dyes such as indigo, madder, weld and cochineal. She experiments with a variety of techniques to build pattern, texture and tone. Her work is multidisciplinary, combining studio practice with collaborations, teaching and consulting. Through her studio, Calyx Studios, Cara works with designers and fashion brands to integrate natural dyes and color stories into their products. She also offers workshops, retreats and mentorships, using dyeing as a framework for inner work and healing.
INTERVIEW
I encountered natural dyeing while studying for my BFA in textiles at the Chelsea College of Arts in London. Learning how to derive colour directly from plants, minerals and insects completely shifted how I understood materials and making.
My core practices include immersion dyeing, as well as tannin-based processes and iron modification to shift and deepen tones. I work with a range of surface design techniques including bundle dyeing, shibori, clamp resist and paste resist, and different printing approaches and experimental processes.
Alongside hosting workshops, retreats and one-on-one mentorships, I create custom naturally dyed textiles and colour stories for designers, brands and individuals. I provide consultations and creative direction for brands and institutions looking to integrate natural dyes, environmental responsibility and bespoke palettes into their projects.
I worked on a project called Ni En More alongside a women's collective in Ciudad Juarez on the El Paso border. Together, we created a natural dye workshop that provided them with a safe space for creative expression and a means to earn a living.
