From an early age, Kiva Motnyk knew she wanted to be an artist. Her parents, who were in creative fields, nurtured her own free spirit. She remembers trips to museums and exhibits to view countless works, but her time at home was the most impactful. “Spending time painting with my father in his studio left a lasting impression on me,” she says.
Motnyk studied at Rhode Island School of Design, where she discovered her love of fabrics as a medium. She readily embraced the challenge of working with different textures, and moved beyond the four corners of a canvas. She learned to construct weaves, translate drawings into silkscreens, and make her own colors for dyes.
Kiva Motnyk \ Photo: Courtesy of Kiva Motnyk
The artist splits her time between Manhattan and Upstate New York, where she brings painting and handmade textiles together in her multimedia practice. Foraged, archived, and collected, each material is a visual tool that she uses to convey personal and social histories.
Elements for site-specific environments are designed by Motnyk to heighten a viewer’s sense of presence, while her workshops invite participants to experience tactile processes and sculptural forms in a new way.
The switch from work to personal mode is an easy one for Motnyk, and she often finds the most interesting ideas come to her during down time. When she does get back to her art, she relies on favorite customs that help the routine feel special. “I like to be in the studio for certain hours of the day, or drink a cup of tea to get me started,” she explains. “Those small rituals help me stay focused.”
Today, Kiva Motnyk joins us for Friday Five!
Photo: Kiva Motnyk
Peony Season
I spend a lot of time at my home in Upstate New York, where I love gardening. Peonies are my favorite flowers, they bloom in early summer, just as everything else is beginning to grow.
Photo: Kiva Motnyk
Early Fall Mornings
Early fall mornings are my favorite, when the green grass is covered with a light frost before the sun melts it away. It’s such a beautiful time of year. September and October have a vibrant energy that is very refreshing after a quiet August.
Photo: Kiva Motnyk
Foraging with Sammie
I usually start my creative process by making natural colors from plants I gather upstate. My dog Sammie is always by my side, helping me forage. We have lots of fun collecting plants together.
Photo: Kiva Motnyk
Natural Palette
My favorite palette is made from natural colors, dyed from plants and other natural materials. These colors have more dimension than manufactured colors. It’s a long process, but I enjoy it, and I like working through all the seasons to create the different shades and tones.
Photo: Kiva Motnyk
Sonia Delaunay
I enjoy collecting books, and some of my favorites are on Sonia Delaunay. Her paintings and designs are a constant source of inspiration for me. She made only one quilt in her lifetime, and it remains one of my favorite pieces.
Works by Kiva Motnyk:
Afternoon Light Impression, 2001 \ Framed piecework fabric panel made from silk, naturally dyed and hand woven linen, cotton velvet, African mudcloth, and botanic appliqued antique textiles \ Photo: Courtesy of Kiva Motnyk
Lake Study No. 3, Title: Lake Study No. 3, Sept 2024 \ Belgium linen, silk faille, antique printed and woven japanese linen, African mud cloth, open weave yarn dyed linen and plant dyed silks. Pieced with mixed topical embroidery and hand painted linen & Silk \ Photo: Courtesy of Kiva Motnyk
Tree Study, April 24, 2025 \ Belgium linen, silk faille, antique printed and woven japanese linen, African mud cloth, Pieced with mixed topical embroidery and hand dyed fabrics using walnut, Acacia, Sequoia and Eucalyptus Wood \ Photo: Courtesy of Egg Collective
Halcyon, 2020 \ Naturally dyed fabric remnants, mixed antique Japanese linens, silks, yarn dyed European linen and organic cotton remnants. Pieced patchwork with applique, embroidery and hand quilting \ Photo: Courtesy of Kiva Motnyk
Light Reflections, April 2023 \ Quebracho & Cochenille hand dyed silk, Marigold dyed silk, Indigo dyed cotton, Goldenrod dyed silk wool, hand spun floral printed antique Japanese katazome cotton, Antique Japanese naturally dyed pineapple fibre, european linen, double faced silk organza, yarn dyed belgian linen \ Photo: Kiva Motnyk
Blue Topaz, 2024 \ Naturally dyed fabric remnants, mixed antique Japanese linens, assorted silks, yarn dyed European linen and antique African Mud cloth \ Photo: Courtesy of Kiva Motnyk
Tourmaline, 2024 \ Naturally dyed fabric remnants, mixed antique Japanese linens, antique French silk jacquard, assorted silks, yarn dyed European linen \ Photo: Courtesy of Kiva Motnyk
