Where did you grow up and where else have you lived? 

Born in NYC and has lived throughout New England, Mexico and Japan 

Did you attend schooling for your art form? If so, where? 

My schooling, while formal to a point, actually has been and still is happening through extensive travel and constant study of art, architecture, and (art) history of many different cultures. When I lived in Japan my study of ancient Buddhist art inspired a series of intricate paintings of mandalas. These paintings opened the door to my first job as a textile designer for a well known company in New York. I learned on the job how to scientifically mix and match colors. As a textile artist I have traveled in India and participated in many workshops to learn the complex printing and dye processes that inform my current collections. 

What initially drew you to the world of art, and how did your location and environment at that time influence your creative path? 

My Mother was an artist and her mission in life was to give her four daughters an all encompassing education in the world of art. This included history of art, architecture, religions, cultures. She was/is a visionary influence. The different countries we lived in offered constant inspiration. From an early age I started to collect books and postcards from museums, churches, galleries, bookstores, etc which now provide a rich source of inspiration. 

How does the natural beauty of Maine inspire your artistic vision? 

Solitude, serenity, mountains, fields and water. The indigo blues I achieve from the different vat recipes are inspired by the ever present ocean. A fructose vat is the sea on a mild summer morning, a henna vat is the dark blue of the deep ocean. Plants, both wild and cultivated offer constant design ideas: a rosa rugosa blooming on a seaside path or a clematis vine blooming in my garden will become a motif for a textile pattern. I grow leaves and flowers for botanical printing on silks.

What is your favorite season here in Maine? How does the shifting landscape and weather patterns impact your artistic practice throughout the year? 

While spring, summer and fall are ideal times for textile dyeing (indigo vats thrive in warm weather), the designing and printing occur throughout the year. I relish the quiet comtemplative winter days when I am in my studio and can work without interruption. 

What artist/makers inspire you? 

There are many influences, well-known and anonymous. Matisse, Italian Renaissance painters.The women block print makers and artists from England (early 20th c) were pioneers in their field. Ethel Mairet, Enid Marx as well as the Bloomsbury artists, particularly Vanessa Bell. 

The early block printed motifs from Gujarat, India ( a highly developed textile center as early as the 9th century) continue to inspire a significant portion of my Antonia Textiles design library. 

How would you describe your artistic style and what drives you in that direction? 

I am deeply inspired by historical patterns and to using the natural pigments which were used for such textiles . To that end, natural dyes offer colors that are from the earth: subtle, ethereal, gorgeous. I am driven in this direction not only because of the natural beauty but so that I may bring responsible methods to my work. Textile dyeing requires alot of water and I have implemented ways to seriously save and reuse water. 

Beyond your artwork, what other passions or interests do you pursue, and how do they intersect with your creative practice? 

I am foremost a painter. My painting which over the years, has evolved towards a learned technique in the style of Indian miniature painting, highly detailed. It has a decorative element as well with repeating patterns, elaborate borders created by my stencils. The jewel like colors come from the natural hand ground pigments. There is a meditative process in this style of painting. Likewise, in the textile printing there is a meditative rhythm which I love. 

How have you seen your work evolve over time, and what do you hope to explore in the future? 

My designs are constantly evolving as i research and am inspired by continuing travel to places` for instance, I recently went to the tile museum in Lisbon and came away with many new ideas. 

The India collection of table linens is a new direction for me. My designs are hand block printed and naturally dyed in Rajasthan under my close supervision. I would like to create new collections to be printed over there. This allows for lower price points with multiple pieces of one design. Thereby reaching a broader audience.

What is your favorite restaurant in Maine? Nina June in Rockport Where is your favorite outdoor location in Maine? 

The view from my studio overlooking the gardens, meadow, pond and distant Mount Megunticook constantly offer a calming influence to my life and work. 

Anything else you’d like to share with me about you personally, your process, your vision for the future of your business? 

I’d love to see a new collection of the India printed table linens takeshape in the next year. I also want to keep making my own one of akind designs in my studio as they definitely have a following, with a much higher price.