Fabric, Dye, and Serendipity
March 5 - April 18, 2026 // Gallery 2
Fabric, Dye, and Serendipity brings together the vivid worlds of two contemporary textile artists—Gabriele DiTota and Ellen Lindner. Their distinct yet complementary approaches will be showcased in this two-person exhibition in which fabrics, colorful dyes, and experimental techniques transform familiar materials into something striking and totally unexpected.
Exhibition Statement
Fabric, Dye, and Serendipity brings together the vivid worlds of two contemporary textile artists—Gabriele DiTota and Ellen Lindner. Both artists create extraordinary works by manipulating, dyeing, and stitching fabrics to produce dynamic compositions. Their distinct yet complementary approaches will be showcased in this two-person exhibition in which fabrics, colorful dyes, and experimental techniques transform familiar materials into something striking and totally unexpected.
DiTota’s work is known for its intricate, organic forms and hand-dyed fabrics that create a rich, painterly quality. The artist uses various methods of resist dyeing to build intricate patterns that evoke nature’s rhythms. The inclusion of the photographic process of cyanotyping highlights the ties with the natural world. DiTota’s compositions involve layering fabrics, stitching, and dyeing multiple times to create depth and texture, inviting the viewer to look more closely.
Lindner, on the other hand, creates striking abstract compositions with vivid colors, strong contrasts, and lots of energy. She does not plan her designs, but relies on serendipity and inspiration as she arranges fabrics on her design wall. As one fabric begins to “talk” with another, Lindner’s adrenaline starts to flow, knowing that the resulting artwork will be greater than the sum of its parts. Her final stitching adds both line and texture.
“Refuge” by Gabriele DiTota
“Adrenaline Rush” by Ellen Lindner
About the Artists
GABRIELE DITOTA: Born in Northern Germany to a seamstress mother, Gabriele DiTota’s earliest memories are rooted in fabric and making. As a young child, she played beneath the sewing machine, carefully keeping clear of the treadle as cloth and thread came to life above her. Though her path would lead through two distinct careers, this early intimacy with textiles never faded.
Now based in Central Florida, Gabriele has rekindled her lifelong relationship with fabric through textile art. Her initial work focused on precise seams and exact piecing, but over time evolved into an organic, raw-edge approach to art quilting that embraces texture, spontaneity, and movement. A profound sense of continuity emerged when Gabriele discovered that her great-grandfather was a professional fabric dyer—a legacy that resonates deeply in her own exploration of dyes and surface design to create original fabrics.
Gabriele’s work draws inspiration from imagination, personal experience, and social issues that shape contemporary life, resulting in pieces that balance narrative, materiality, and emotional resonance.
Gabriele’s work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the United States, Europe, and Australia, and is held in private collections worldwide.
ELLEN LINDNER is a textile artist living in Melbourne, FL. A former flight instructor, Ellen didn’t try her hand at art until her forties. After learning the basics, she quickly began to experiment, and over the course of years, developed her own techniques. More recently, Ellen has been printing all her own fabric and working abstractly. She finds abstract design to be very challenging, which is exactly why she likes it. Ellen’s art skills are completely self-taught.
Ellen is recognized as a talented teacher in the world of art quilts. She has shared her skills on TV and online shows, and has taught at prestigious venues. Ellen has also written two Books and several articles.
The same inherent confidence that made Ellen decide to take up flying gives her the courage to experiment and try new things in her art. The process frequently produces Adrenaline surges and it’s all a wonderful adventure for her!
See more of her work at AdventureQuilter.com
Related Programming
- FRI March 6, 5-10pm // First Friday (meet the artists!)
- SAT March 7, 10am-11am // Artist Talk with Gabriele DiTota,Ellen Lindner, and Jo-Ann Morgan
Purchase a piece from the exhibition! Several pieces in this show are available for purchase. For purchase inquiries, please visit Artspace or contact info@artspacenc.org.