Homemade Harvest 2014 Artist - Blue Heron Dye Artworks

Next weekend is my 8th Annual Handmade Harvest Open House. I'll have three returning women business owners and three new entrepreneurs joining me in a makeshift pop-up shop in my living room.

Last year I thought it might be fun to get to know the talented artists that will be sharing their handmade harvest.  I asked them all interview questions before the show so guests get to know them.

I wanted to carry on this tradition by introducing you to Liz from Blue Heron Dye Artworks.

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Tell us a bit about yourself? Apart from being ‘creative’ what do you do?
I'm a stay at home mom of three teenagers husband, 5 chickens, 3 cats and 1 dog. I enjoy making healthy meals, supporting my youth in their sports, music and academics, gardening (I love to grow sunflowers and hops), sailing with my husband and children, and volunteering with my church, University Unitarian Church.

What inspires you to do the kind of work you do?
I've always enjoyed creating art with my kids. Over the last 10 years at our Unitarian Universalist summer family camp at Seabeck, Washington, I learned how to and later teach tie-dye. Over a year ago I decide to open my business Blue Heron Artworks selling my hand dyed scarves and clothing. I love playing with the colors and developing new ways they swirl together.

Do you look up to anyone? Who? Why?
I've always admired Eleanor Roosevelt. She advocated for the poor and disadvantaged all her life.

What other passions do you have in your life?
Working with color has always been a passion. I've created many baby quilts while my friends were having babies, knit sweaters and mittens in my 20's, made ink prints with my kids, and now dye clothing. What unifies all these crafts for me is the playing with color. I'm often inspired by things I see in nature to create new color combinations.

How do you promote your work?
I've just begun trying to figure out how to promote my work. Mainly I've gone to various festivals, craft fairs, art shows, and private fundraising parties. Lately I'm trying to develop my Etsy store. This Thanksgiving I'm advertising in the Seattle Times Gift Guide. It will be interesting to see if that drives customers to my Etsy shop.

In the future I’d like to be…
My hope for my future is to be healthy, active and engaged in activities and relationships that feed my passion for playing with colors and being in community with my family and friends.