Three Sisters Weaving
A conversation with a dedicated homesteader and fiber artist.
Photography by Jennifer Morgan
Anne: Phylleri, your work as a fiber artist is intimately tied to your work as a homesteader. You raise your own goats, process their wool and then naturally dye the fibers. That’s just to get your base of materials. Next, you begin the process of setting up a loom to weave for many long hours. Your work is obviously a labor of love. What about working in this way inspires you and how do you keep it going?
Phylleri: My connection to Mother Earth, her plants and animals is paramount to me. My childhood fostered my love and respect for nature. Sustainably farming 100 head of sheep & goats, raising food organically and harvesting herbs to support the health of my family & livestock deepened my roots in the Earth. Being a part of the interconnected web of life nourishes me and gives me the strength & wisdom to care for the Earth. What keeps me going are the plants and animals that I care for; they reciprocate by feeding me, both in body and soul. Milking my goats is sacred for me, as their gift of milk sustains me and many others. My creative drive is an inherent force in my life. Creativity flows through my veins and is expressed by my playing music, weaving rugs, shawls and baskets, dyeing my own yarn and reed, making soap, gardening and cooking. Being creative centers me in the moment and inspiration simply flows through me.
A: Your work is so connected to the land, the animals and I know you as very connected member of our community. Could you speak to how your work as an artist connects to your surrounding community?
P: My focus has changed since reaching retirement age and with Covid. I no longer attend a show circuit where I marketed my work. I now weave and create things for my own artistic expression, without concern whether I can sell my goods and receive adequate compensation for my materials or time. I still sell & trade my work, but I’m no longer promoting my business. This change of focus allows me to be generous and gift my work. Whether giving my goat milk soap to a friend or donating a handwoven shawl to a survivor of the Marshall Fire, it warms my heart to be able to share my artistry with others.
A: As a fiber artist and homesteader, what is your vision for the future generations of like-minded artisans?
P: When artists find the medium that connects to their soul, whether it is clay, paint, wood, metal, fiber, etc., their creative flow nurtures them and everyone who connects with their work. Artistic expression is healing. The future depends on how we live on the planet. Choosing to live harmoniously with ourselves, the plants, animals and all people is the future. If artistic expression is your modality to promote healing, then walk that path and art will guide you.
See more of Phylleri’s work and follow her on Facebook here. And check out another article with Phylleri, Raising Goat in the Mountains.
