About the Artist
Colleen Connolly is a fiber artist whose work is rooted in the landscapes of western North Carolina. Based in Spruce Pine since 2010, she uses natural materials—grown, gathered, and foraged—to create one-of-a-kind ecoprinted textiles and prints that reflect the beauty and complexity of the Appalachian Mountains.
A longtime gardener and land steward, Colleen’s Flattoad Farm studio sits on a protected ridge surrounded by dye and flower gardens, forest, and native plantings. She works seasonally, using botanicals from her gardens as well as nearby wild areas. As she prepares fabric, arranges compositions, and steams bundles in large pots, Colleen moves between her indoor and outdoor workspaces depending on the stage of the process.
Her finished work includes table runners, garments, pillows, wall hangings, framed art pieces, paper prints, and stitched pieces made from upcycled materials. Visitors are welcome to schedule an appointment to view her gallery, which features a rotating selection of finished pieces and fabric yardage.
Artist Statement
My work with eco printing is a way to appreciate small moments in the natural world around me. Each piece captures something that cannot be repeated—from the season and climate to the individual chemistry of a specific plant. I use processes learned through years of trial and error to bring those plants into contact with cloth and paper, allowing their shape, structure, and pigment to leave a direct mark.
Most of the materials I use are ones I grow myself, often native plants I’ve encouraged to thrive on my land. But I let curiosity guide me—I often find myself saving blossoms from a gifted bouquet or leaves picked up on a road trip, just to see how they’ll print.
Eco printing appeals to me because, like nature itself, it’s unpredictable and always changing. The results are never exactly the same, even when using material from the same plant. That uncertainty feeds my sense of wonder. I open each new bundle with anticipation, not knowing exactly what I’ll find.
Tillie is always ready to help in the garden (especially digging holes).
Flattoad Farm is on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails.