Profile

Ulrieke Benner is a textile artist and designer. She works with wool and silk to produce vibrantly colored one-of-a-kind clothing and art.

The fabric for all her clothing and her art is hand made. In her ‘art to wear’ she uses fine merino wool for hats and purses. For the scarves and clothing she felts the wool into silk in a wet-rolling technique. The rich colors she uses produce striking creations that are distinctive and unique.

Her wall art and décor pieces are designed for homes and public buildings. In these pieces she combines painting, collage, stitching, and appliqué on silk and felt.

Ulrieke studied Textile Design in Germany, in Massachusetts and, in Boston, worked with Carter Smith, an internationally known designer. Her work is in fine galleries and exclusive clothing boutiques in Vancouver, New York, Santa Fe, Chicago, and California. She has exhibited in the Philadelphia Museum of Art Show, in Canada, in a variety of shows in Europe and recently, in December 2005, in Tokyo, Japan.

She designs her wearable and wall art in her studio which is located in a natural country setting north of St. Mary Lake. The public is welcome at her gallery, which is part of Salt Spring’s Studio Tour, studio #27.

Her studio is open all year round most days of the week. Special appointments can be made in advance.