08/28/2026
Meet Nancy Bird, one of the seven talented artists featured in this year’s stART program.
Nancy Bird is a self-taught weaver living in rural Saskatchewan, drawing inspiration from the colours, rhythms, and landscapes of prairie life. While managing a large veterinary practice on her family farm and raising cattle, Nancy began experimenting with natural dyes using garden flowers and natural three-ply wool. Working with a slow cooker and successive dye baths, she discovered a rich palette of vibrant colours and subtle gradations that harmonized beautifully together.
After transforming a farm building into a dedicated weaving studio, Nancy now creates her work on a Saskatchewan-built floor loom. Her slow and deliberate process allows her to design directly on the loom, creating patterns inspired by her rural lifestyle, agricultural roots, and appreciation for the everyday beauty of the prairie.
Discover Nancy’s artwork at the Saskatchewan Craft Council booth throughout the Art Now Fine Art Fair.
Website: https://saskcraftcouncil.org/project/nancy-bird/
Learn more about the stART artists at https://www.artnow.ca/start
Artwork shown:
Nancy Bird, “Over The Fence”, 2026
Inspiration for this piece arose from the daily task of checking cattle on pasture. I enjoyed gazing over the fence at the wildflowers growing on the other side.
Flowers and plants grown in my Saskatchewan garden were used exclusively to dye the three-ply wool. A Saskatchewan made, four harness counterbalance loom was employed to weave a pointed, weft faced, 2/2 twill pattern.
