Feuer Und Wasser is a unique experimental textile art studio, created by multi-medium artist Yekaterina (Katia) Mokeyeva.
Yekaterina graduated from the Moscow State University of Arts and Industry in 1995. Her exploration of various methods and mediums has led to a development of a more specific direction that sparked love in the realm of textile and fiber art.
As an extension to her education, she completed the junior and senior years at California College of the Arts in San Francisco, focusing on clothing design and textile. Participating in a short summer study abroad program in London's Central St. Martins College of Arts and Design gave her a new spectrum of inspiration.
Established in 2008 in San Francisco, the Feuer Und Wasser studio relocated in 2016 from the busy Bay Area to the Vermont's Green Mountains.
Yekaterina has been exhibiting and teaching internationally throughout the US, Australia, the UK, Netherlands, and Canada since 2012. Her latest shows and exhibits include the Wool Ways 2016 show in Amsterdam, the Sea States 2016 exhibition (duo with Fiona Duthie) at Timeless Textiles in Newcastle, Australia, and the Sea States 2017 (duo with Fiona Duthie) at the Dyeing House Gallery in Prato, Italy. In 2017, Katia received the Tradition in Technique Award from Surface Design Association International Exhibition In Print.
Katia's works have been represented in many magazines, books, and blogs around the world.
Why Feuer und Wasser? The primary source of Yekaterina's works is the wilderness theme and its organic connection to humanity's symbiosis with nature. Her ideas are going beyond just the exploration of the vast variety of colors and textures of natural objects. Humans like to perceive themselves at a competition with the natural world around them when they should see themselves as a part of it no less than any other living being. In nature, we should find comfort, protection and continuous evolution of ourselves, for our progress lies in mimicry and adaptation to the surroundings of that world, much in a chameleon-like way. Fire and water are not mere elements of nature but were always, and still are the essential skills acquired by humankind for the necessity of life and following skills. Felting is among the most primal and sacred of such skills, being born of the combination of water heated by fire to alter the form of wool, rendering the most minimal use of resources, but with the most versatility and interaction between human and nature. Therefore such interaction deems us as a part of our actual biological environment. The creation process involving wool, another animal and plant fibers, and woven fabric combinations uncovers a myriad of creative design and potential. Intricacy and simplicity in these compositions are equally important in the artist's perception. Shape, color, texture, patterns all play a role in the final completed work and are manifested as physical instruments to the imagination.
A nuno felted outfit composed of wool fabric, silk chiffon, merino wool, and embroidered with silk yarn. Created by Yekaterina, as one of the finalists of the National Arts of Fashion Foundation Competition 2005 in San Francisco.