Megan Samms

Live Textiles

What’s your story?

I came to textiles as a very young person. I learned to spin yarn from my godfather when I was about 8 or 9 years old. I learned to knit from my mom and godmother as a teenager and lost interest for a while.

When I was in my early twenties a family friend gave me a loom when I was on the lookout for a second hand spinning wheel -- I suppose I felt that I had a responsibility to learn how to use this heirloom tool and I fell into weaving from there. I lived and worked on a wildfire lookout in Treaty 8 at the time and brought that loom with me. I had a lot of time to figure out how things worked, how to read drafts, how to warp by myself; I also had a large garden there and was dipping my toes into natural dyes (foraged in the Boreal or cultivated in said large garden) at the same time. My weaving and dye practice took form at the same time and were inherently tied to (welcome) isolation as well as my garden and farming work.

After a few years of figuring things out, I did studio time at the Kootenay School of the Arts in Sinixt, Ktunaxa, Syilx territory in Nelson, BC where I had a greatest pleasure of deepening my practice with Coby van Der Gaast. I don't hold any degrees or diplomas; I do hold a certificate in Indigenous Community Based Research from Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning in Denendeh.

Since then I've learned that many generations of people in my family web were weavers. I am in possession of my great-great grandmothers hand built loom. The Mi'kmaq women on the north side of the river, where I am from and live too, were known widely as basket weavers and then hand weavers, although there aren't any others practicing here at this time; I've never really been far from textiles, natural dyeing and farming as a practice and a life-way. I'm looking forward to reinvigorating textile practices here in the Valley through my studio and our farm.

When I felt confident that my work was where I wanted it to be, both in terms of expression and quality, I started selling and trading my textiles. I wanted to produce work that would last many generations, was technically strong and which met my aesthetic and sustainability ideas or standards. All of the work I make is minimally naturally dyed, made from organic or natural fibre and when possible, local fibre.

I also teach workshops, exhibit work, give talks, etc.

Where are you located?

Katalisk Sipu, Ktaqmkuk, Kanada /

Codroy Valley, Newfoundland, canada

What are your values?

Intimacy, sustainability in all ways, community involvement, longevity, generosity, joy, comfort, well-formed craft, integrity, decolonial love, full circle-ness. I cannot possibly separate my personal life, practice and values from my business practice.

I want my textiles to be used everyday, to find a place in a persons life and home and day-to-day goings ons.

What can you find at Live Textiles?

Through live textiles I sell my woven work as it comes off the pressing board, I teach natural dyeing, take custom orders and commissions.

In toq'aq/autumn 2022 we will be receiving an Artist in Residence at my studio for a month or two -- through this AiR I will offer the space to develop work or learn technique, the artist will have full access to all studio tools and space as well as a well stocked library of books, the dye garden and kitchen.

We also organize quarterly Makers & Gardeners Markets here in Codroy Valley through our small farm, Katalisk Sipu Gardens. We sell our produce, cut flowers, eggs, honey and my textiles at our market stall at these markets.

Where can we learn more about you and your work?

Website: www.livetextiles.online | Instagram: @livetextiles