Suzanne Dekel, an internationally recognized expert on artisanal dyeing, creates the most vibrant of hues from the most natural of sources
Now in her mid-forties, Suzanne has become a recognized expert on the process, sought out by art and textile students, and the author of numerous guides to the craft. In addition to producing her striking fabrics, she gives workshops all over the world.
Suzanne speaks to me from her house in Shoham, where she lives with her husband, their four children, and a puppy. The choice of Shoham was siyata d’Shmaya, she says; a friend happened to mention the house to her, and it was in an affordable community with shomer Shabbos families. She rented a workspace nearby when it became clear her business had outgrown her kitchen.
But so much in her life has come about through siyata d’Shmaya, and now, from her kitchen table, she fills me in.
Suzanne is extremely articulate, yet English — which she speaks with barely any accent — is not her first language. She was born in Amersfoort, Holland, a small town about 45 minutes from Amsterdam.
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