Clare Dawn Fowler

My work in Sealskin and Seal Lather is exploratory. I’m not afraid to use colour, texture, and to pair it with different materials. I’m compelled to be bold and unapologetic in my designs. I see truth in the material. The resiliency, hard work, the beauty produced by harsh conditions. It is successful evolution; it is a smart textile. Anything a synthetic textile would try to emulate, Nature has already perfected in this fibre. The creative potential I see in sealskin is nurtured by my emotional relationship to it. It embodies so much of what the world needs right now. It is local, sustainable, humane, and possesses the most wonderful combination of durability and biodegradability. You can wear it a life time, and it will then return to Mother Earth. I’m inspired to push the limits / boundaries / properties of what the material can do. I’m inspired by the sealers themselves and their strength in the face of adversity. I encourage people to check out my website (www.claredawncouture.com) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/ claredawncouture) or Instagram (clare_dawn) or to drop by the Quidi Vidi Village Plantation to see me at work.