Michele Wipplinger is president of Earthues Inc., an
international color and design consulting company specializing in ecology
and the artisan. She has over 30 years experience in the field of natural
design and ecological process, with an emphasis on natural dyes. She lectures
worldwide and creates an exclusive line of hand-painted silk shawls with
natural plant dyes.
Michele has been a consultant in Nepal for the development of color and natural
dye processes for the Tibetan hand-woven carpet industry. She has developed products
and consulted on color for Aveda, Origins, Martha Stewart Living, Esprit, Terra
Verde, and Nature Conservancy. Michele is on the Executive Board of Directors
for Color Marketing Group and received the United Nations award for her environmental
stewardship on the development of an ecological natural dye process for the American
textile industry. |
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She has authored two books: Natural Dyes for Artisans of the Americas
and Color Trends (a book on dyes, color and design for textiles). She lectures
worldwide and creates a limited line of hand painted silk shawls with natural
plant dyes. Four months of the year Michele is traveling the world, working
throughout Asia and the Americas on color, dye sand textile collections to
be exported to the United States. She leads biennial textile tours throughout
Asia. Michele is on the Executive Board of Directors for Color Marketing Group
(Secretary) and has been an active member for twelve years. She received the
Colorlink Award for her extraordinary accomplishments in improving CMGs ability
to provide international color marketing information. She has been a consultant
in Nepal for the development of color and natural dye processes for the Tibetan
hand woven carpet industry, for the development of naturally dyed nettle products
and to ascertain the economic feasibility of producing natural dye extracts
in Nepal. She was an invited guest at the DOBAG Symposium in Turkey on the
occasion of their 15th anniversary of the production of naturally dyed hand
knotted carpets. She has developed products and consulted on color for Aveda,
Origins, Martha Stewart Living, Esprit, Terra Verde and Nature Conservancy.
She received the United Nations award for her environmental stewardship on
the development of an ecological natural dye process for the American textile
industry. As well, Michele has consulted for various governmental and non-governmental
agencies on color and naturally dyed product development globally. Specifically,
she has worked for USAID in India and Nepal, for the Organization of American
States (OAS) in Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Peru and on an ongoing basis
for Aid To Artisans with previous assignments in Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Michele participated in a UNESCO-sponsored regional training seminar in Vietnam
(Nov.-Dec., 2001) entitled, Vital Traditions, Revival and Innovation of Traditional
Textiles. Michele completed a 25-day consultancy for the Vietnam Veterans
of America Foundation at their silk weaving project in Preah Vihear, Cambodia.
Michele has recently provided natural dye training in Laos for Aid to Artisans. "What
comes from the earth shall not harm the earth".
For the past five years, Michele has been researching the dye properties
of muds from around the world with a special emphasis on Africa.
Painting Variegated Yarns
For Knitting Workshop, July 7-9, 2006
Surface
Design with Plant Dyes and Earth Pigments,
July 11-13, 2006
