Artist Spotlight: Carly Lake
CARLY LAKE creates artwork inspired by and intimately connected to the natural environment where she lives. She says, “Growing up in Southern California, I felt a lack of understanding of and connection to the nature around me. That longing and a drive to create led me to practices like natural dyeing – one of the tangible ways I connect to the landscape and enter into community with others who care deeply for the wellbeing of our environment.”
Carly, tell us about what you do and how you do it.
I am a visual artist whose focus is with the natural world as I continue to learn more about my local landscape of Southern California. I spend most of my time making nature-focused illustrations for editorial and print, exploring weaving and natural dye processes, teaching, and developing public artwork that depicts the stories of the ecosystem around me, as I unravel its history and become more intimate with facets of this living world.
This year I have been very proud to have completed my first public art project for Los Angeles County Arts and Culture in Downtown La Puente, CA. I designed a mosaic featuring native dye and basket plants of Southern California which honors the living cultural practices of basket weaving in local indigenous communities. The mosaic was fabricated and installed by Miotto Mosaics. I encourage you to take a trip to see it at the new La Puente One Stop Development Center at 16005 Central Ave, La Puente, CA 91744.
What led you to this work?
Growing up in Southern California, I felt a lack of understanding of and connection to the nature around me. That longing and a drive to create led me to practices like natural dyeing – one of the tangible ways I connect to the landscape and enter into community with others who care deeply for the wellbeing of our environment.
How can folks find your work and get involved in your activities?
My husband and I just welcomed our first child into the world. So, for the months ahead I am focused on being home and working on personal projects, one of them being a picture book I am writing and illustrating about natural dyes and pigments of the world.
My online shop is open for holiday gifting with a nature coloring book, prints, originals, and natural dyed goods!
I will be leading natural dye workshops in Spring 2025 in the So Cal area, which I will share about to my newsletter and on Instagram. You can sign up for my newsletter at carlylake.com .
