In this episode of Design in Service of Humanity, host Yael Ksander brings together fiber artist Rowland Ricketts and merchandising professor Mary Embry to examine the full lifecycle of textiles, from soil to studio to global supply chains. Ricketts reflects on his farm-to-gallery practice, cultivating indigo in Bloomington and using historical dyeing methods to create immersive works that link agriculture, craft, and contemporary art. Embry broadens the lens to the global apparel industry, exploring how labor, environmental impact, and consumer behavior shape what we wear. Together, they consider how materials, making, and manufacturing intersect in a world of finite resources and how design education can reconnect people to the true cost and meaning of cloth.
Rowland Ricketts utilizes natural dyes and historical processes to create contemporary textiles that span art and design. Trained in indigo farming and dyeing in Japan, Rowland received his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2005 and is a Provost Professor in Indiana University’s Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. A recipient of United States Artists and Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowships, his work has been exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Seattle Art Museum.
Mary Embry is a Teaching Professor in Merchandising and Fashion Design at the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. Her work centers on materials, global supply chains, labor rights, and sustainability. She is a recognized practitioner of high-impact pedagogical practices, particularly community engagement and active learning, receiving multiple IU Trustees Teaching Awards and the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Yaël Ksander is director of communications and marketing for the Indiana University Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. Previously, she served as director of communications and the mayor's spokesperson for the City of Bloomington, Indiana. Yaël is a regular host, producer, and narrator at Indiana Public Media and serves on the board of the Lotus Education and Arts Foundation.