“Colour is a power which directly influences the soul”-(Wassily Kandinsky)
Painting colour onto fiber is my passion!
UMBALA is the Zulu word for colour.
My name is Karen De Klerk. I live in the horse country estate of Beaulieu Kyalami Johannesburg. I have a studio at my home where I spend my happy time dyeing natural fibers in small batches of 6-8 skeins. Some colourways are repeatable and some are once off, one of a kind, unique yarns.
Most of my yarns are sourced from local mills but i have imported some bases. The quality of our local Merino/Mohair and Alpaca and Cotton is of a very high standard and we need not look further than South Africa.
My inspiration comes from whats around me. I recently visited the Western Cape coastline which is a feast of colour if you are looking for it. Gorgeous oranges and pinks, bright seas greens and blues, misty purples and mauves and the more neutral shades of sand and rock.
As a fiber artist I take in colour wherever I go. There is nothing better than to have these images in my head and transfer them onto natural fibers. You start with a blank canvas and its exciting to see what comes out of the dyes pots.
