Juli Rae is a Portland-based textile artist specializing in natural fabric dyeing. Her primary body of work consists of nature-inspired art quilts. She is a self-taught quilter and has been sewing for nearly fifteen years. Committed to an art practice that both celebrates and cares for the Earth, she is committed to a sustainable art practice that includes use of organic fibers and repurposing scraps and leftover dyes. Juli has shown her work at various art shows and markets around Portland, including Jeni Lee Showroom and Gallery, Tender Loving Empire, Portland Open Studios, and the Wild Arts Festival. She also teaches classes and workshops on quilting and natural dyeing. She is currently completing a chemistry course through Maiwa School of Textiles and is planning an artist residency for July of 2026.
Statement
I am a textile artist specializing in naturally-dyed art quilts. My work is grounded in a deep love and appreciation for the natural world. I attempt to capture the simple beauty of both the grandiose and the mundane through a muted color palette, organic lines, and minimalist expression. I love exploring line, shape, and color in unique ways that go beyond the straight lines and geometric shapes traditionally found in quilts. Each quilt is constructed with organic cotton or linen that is naturally dyed from plant elements, including flowers, seeds, leaves, bark, and roots. Taking raw materials from the Earth and transforming them into something new connects to something deep and ancestral for me, and invites me to consider my place in the delicately interconnected web of all things. My highest goal is for my work to evoke the feeling of connection to the land and to each other, to remind us that we are not separate from nature but rather are an integral part of it.