Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Evans.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I come from a family of craftspeople. My father is a woodworker and my mother quilts. I grew up going to art and craft fairs with them. In college at the University of Kansas I majored in textile design. I also took a lot of history, science and math courses. The most influential class I took was in environmental history. This focus on how land affects people and how people affect land has stuck with me as a theme for my work today. I also worked for the National Park Service at Isle Royale National Park for 5 summers around the same time. I fell in love with the place – its history and the culture of the UP. I also used maps in navigating around the archipelago.
Since leaving college I have been making work that combines my interests – history, land use, science, design, color, and craft. Currently in my work, themes of agriculture, mining, recreation, climate change, and development are most common. I am pushing more towards using salvaged materials in keeping with the quilting tradition of re-use.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Being a crafts person committed to making all the work myself is sometimes a struggle. I try to educate people on the difference between studio craft made in this country compared to something designed in this country and made overseas.
Leah Evans Textiles – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Simply put, I am the business. I make all of the work and the process is slow, super small scale, and intimate. I choose to search out second hand clothing (the detritus of fast fashion) and clean and deconstruct them. Then I hand dye, layer, embroider, piece, draw, stitch, cut away bits by hand. That’s on the construction end. There is a lot of research and emotion put into the themes and messages. I am most proud when I see someone really connect with the work and have an emotional reaction. Keeping materials out of landfills comes in a close second.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Mutual respect with artists and craftspeople I admire. Financial success feels like success because it allows me to continue doing what I love.
Pricing:
- My typical range in pricing is from $80-$8,000.
Contact Info:
- Website: leahevanstextiles.com
- Phone: 6082446786
- Email: mordicai77@yahoo.com
Image Credit:
All photos of art to be credited to Larry Sanders
Head shot credit to Amie Heeter
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
