Lisa Souza – Fiber Artist Placerville, CA Portrait Session Photos

January 14th, 2009

This post has been a long time coming since these images are from back in November when Erik and I visited his parents in Placerville, CA. I am finally feeling rested and recharged from our “holiday break”, which consisted of watching TV, getting reacquainted with World of Warcraft and the new expansion, and knitting! Knitting has become one of my secondary passions – something that I love to do in my spare time to relax. Lisa taught me to knit a couple of years ago, and I feel so lucky to have been taught but such an extremely talented artist and knitter. As you may know, I LOVE color, and Lisa creates the most amazing colorways, it makes me want to create something just as fabulous! Since Erik and I started dating 6+ years ago (now THAT sounds crazy to me), I have been fascinated by Lisa’s process for creating yarn. I saw her website pretty early on and was blown away that someone actually “makes” yarn. I still really couldn’t comprehend the extent of it, and just like any creative art, there is SO much more that goes into it than just buying some fiber and dunking it in some colors. As a photographer most people think we just show up for a wedding or portrait session and we are done. Yes, we have amazing jobs, but that is just a small piece of what we actually do! I will get into that in another post, but I will say that I foolishly didn’t realize the amount of work and creativity involved in creating what Lisa creates. She makes it look easy!

In the past year since our visit from last Christmas, the Souza’s added a “little house” or “mini-me” as I call it. It is a studio space / guest house, and a smaller version of their “big” house. This was where Erik and I stayed for our visit – and it was heaven. It was almost like staying at a bed and breakfast. Placerville is extremely quiet, and we spent most of our vacation being more relaxed than I ever remember being. We took a drive up to Lake Tahoe, stopping to take in the beauty along the way, we spent some time in small-town historic Placerville, and we re-watched the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. And, I got to spend some time shadowing Lisa as she worked her magic.

Here is a glimpse of part of the studio/guest house where we stayed.

Everyday I would look at all of this amazing yarn and I had the urge to pick them all up and put them in my bag to take home with me. Lucky for me I got a “care package” for Christmas with some of this very yarn.

One of the spinning wheels that Lisa sells and uses herself. Isn’t it pretty?

Here is Lisa in her studio, arming herself with rubber gloves.

Some of the many jars of dyes

Lisa explained that there are MANY techniques involved in applying color to fiber. I got to see 3 different techniques.
Painting:

Pouring:

Soaking:

Neat, huh?
And of course I had to get a picture of her husband Rod, helper-extraordinaire. He reminds me a bit of Erik ; )

Those are my in-laws. I’m pretty lucky, wouldn’t you say? Check out her website if you are in the market for some amazing yarn!

11 Responses to “Lisa Souza – Fiber Artist Placerville, CA Portrait Session Photos”

  1. Robert J. Trenske Says:

    Wow Vicki! This is such an interesting look into your mother-in-laws art. What a great place they have there and some really beautiful yarns. Thank you for sharing!!

  2. Holly Says:

    Hi Vicki, I just love the photos you took of Lisa’s workshop. They are wonderful and made me feel like I was right there in the studio.
    Holly
    (aka Lisa’s webmaster)

  3. Erik Maziarz Says:

    now that is cool!

  4. Vicki Says:

    Thanks Everyone! It is pretty darn cool ; )

  5. Val McCormick Photography Says:

    I know exactly where Placerville is :-) The drive to Reno is beautiful too. You are indeed lucky to have such a talented, creative, artistic mother in law. That studio is amazing. This is right up Robin Dini’s Ally. She would LOVE this!. Can’t wait to get together and knit. (Psssst. I don’t remember how to so I will have to learn all over again)

  6. robin dini Says:

    Yet another thing we have in common. Were we seperated at birth?? So cool. Next time I want to stow away in your suitcase.

  7. Vicki Says:

    Ha ha Val! I thought I forgot to knit too – from last year – until I started again recently and realized its just like riding a bike!

  8. Vicki Says:

    Seriously Robin – it is UNcanny!! Looking forward to the knitting charity thing ; )

  9. Amanda Herzberger (Orchard Cove) Says:

    Robin put me onto this post as I am becoming a big knitter and these photos are just incredible – her website is beautiful and those colors are good enough to eat! Are they carried in stores around here or is it just an order online thing? Looking forward to seeing you at the knit along!

  10. Vicki Says:

    Thanks Amanda! She is mostly on the web – but she does shows around the country. I think she will be at a show in Hartford sometime this year. I will let you know when I know! Really looking forward to the knit along!!

  11. Adrienne Says:

    Lisa is one of my favorite indie dyers. I do a bit of dyeing too, and I had to laugh at the mason jar labeled “Vermillion”. I have one *exactly* like it. I suspect we have the same label-maker!

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