ARTISAN CRAFTED — Hand-Dyed Nature's Diary Silk Scarf - Sangre de Cristo Blue — By Sara Griego

"No one ever sees a flower, really; It is so small it takes time. We haven't time, and to see takes time, like to have friend takes time."

— Master American Artist Georgia O'Keeffe

"...I do what I do because I witness people have visceral reactions when they see/feel the garments.

"It seems to awaken something inside of them, something that needs awakening. I am happy to be a sort of conduit in the process of bringing Mother Nature into their lives, re-igniting that connection..."

— Nature's Diary Silk Scarf Artist Sara Griego

I think Sara Griego's lovely and divinely unique fine silk scarf is a very wearable antidote to missing out on the rich bounty of Nature's beauty that is right in front of us because of the increasing number of manufactured distractions in today's world. 

We love — and so agree with — Sara's commitment to making her scarves a very wearable and beautiful way to reconnect people with Nature. 

Season to season, she forages the land in her breathtaking "backyard" along the Rio Grande River in the mountains of Northern New Mexico for Mother Nature's multi-shaped, many-hued "jewels". She then curates and crafts the flora she finds into a piece of art that makes it impossible to ignore Nature's work.   

The scarf was born as a contemporary application of plant dyeing. In that process, raw plant materials are bundled together with natural fibers (e.g. fine silk, virgin wool) wrapped tightly around iron rods, steamed to extract their pigment and tannin and to capture a defined print.

All color, pattern and texture are created from the plants themselves, and chemical dyes are never used. Each print is an expression of Mother Nature, Nothing more, nothing less.

Plants for the scarves are harvested throughout the seasons, mainly from artist Sara's orchard along the Rio Grande River where flora is in abundance, and high in the Sangre de Cristo mountains nearby. 

In every piece she creates, there is a memory attached: An Autumn walk with her son; a Spring trek in the high mountains; A bring Summer day; or a forgotten leaf beneath an early Winter frost. As such, each creation is like a Mother Nature diary that Sara is ever grateful to craft by hand to share with others.

Just like in Nature, no two pieces are the same, as the color can only be extracted once from each plant. The result is a stunning, truly one-of-a-kind, Nature-made wearable work of art — one that you and others will slow down and take the time to see.

See more of Sara's scarves here and here.

THE DETAILS:

Material: 100% silk

Dimensions: 55" inches long X 10" inches wide

Care: Please hand wash items in cold water with a mild detergent and lay flat to dry. As needed, you can use a iron set to a Warm or Silk setting. 

ABOUT THE ARTIST — SARA GRIEGO

Sara Griego is an artist, massage therapist and mother. She grew up outside of Taos, New Mexico, and spent her early adult years living in Hawaii.

Longing for New Mexico's unique landscape, Sara returned to New Mexico where she lives on a river-front orchard property that has been in her husband's family since the 1700's. It is here that she creates her pieces, and searches for perfect leaves with her son Joaquin.

We love Sara's Artist's Statement, and think you will to:

"I grew up in the high mountains of northern New Mexico. My world was filled with nature, my senses loaded with clean air, flora and fauna.

During my life's journey I have lived in many places, but the one thing that always helps me feel grounded and nurtured is nature. Without it, I simply do not thrive.

It is my belief that we all need this connection to our natural world, and that it is becoming ever more difficult to access it. As such, I spend my days creating pieces that can help reconnect others.

I do what I do because I witness people have visceral reactions when they see/feel the garments.

It seems to awaken something inside of them, something that needs awakening. I am happy to be a sort of conduit in the process of bringing Mother Nature into their lives, re-igniting that connection.

I see eyes become brighter, cheeks become pinker, a person feel BETTER, simply from wrapping themselves in this art.

I do what I do for you. Because you're beautiful and powerful , and you deserve to know it."