Instructor
Mary Ann Woolery-Bussey
I am a native of Richmond, KY and received a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Kentucky University, studying painting and metalsmithing. I am currently working as a fiber artist with the eco-dying process, creating wearable fiber artwork with vivid colors that capture the patterns and impressions of organic objects. The medium combines fiber art with the color and composition techniques I learned from painting.
The natural surroundings of Kentucky have had a profound influence on my life and work. Some of my earliest memories are about digging in the soil of the family garden, or walking through the trees with my mother, who made sure I learned each one and how to identify them. My work recreates such formative experiences. Each piece captures a unique imprint of the world around me, using plants, dyes, and patterns to tell an individual story. I feel that each person is drawn to a particular piece because of that story.
I currently live on a small hobby farm in Berea, KY with my husband, a host of chickens, 5 cats, and one energetic dog. I operate Blue Lick Hollow Farm and Studio from my home studio. The leaves, ferns, and other botanicals utilized in my art are all gathered from my home and the surrounding Appalachian foothills of southeastern Kentucky.
