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Anisa Matthews

@anisatheaje

937

followers

1222

following

Rootworkin’, Textile dyein’, Canvas-Paintin’, Fashion-makin’, Wordsmith-n’, Conjurin’
Mutha.

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Brown is such an understatement. It's the word we reach for when we don't want to look closer — at the tree it came from, the hands that worked it, the histories folded into it. What does it mean for brown to mean sacred?

New essay is up — full history behind Cutch, the recipe for this dress, and the messier true story behind the color everyone assumes they already know. This new piece started as a contemplation on a color and turned into something closer to a prayer. I craved an alternative to what I'd been offered. Something divine, like the trees. Link in bio.

And if you're new here: this is the first dispatch in ColorWays, a series where I dye my way through colonial history — one plant, one bath, one buried story at a time. Follow along on Substack for the deep dives, and give this post some love! 🤎 by @anisatheaje

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21 days ago

Necessitàvem compartir més de les imatges de la segona sessió del taller de Tinctòries - plantes, tints i colonialitat amb @anisatheaje dedicada al color Blau: els vostres fanzines, les persones que veu venir i l'energia de tot el que vam compartir.
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Gràcies a @laescocesabcn per acollir-nos i a totxs lxs participants.
Aquest taller es realitza dintre del marc de la investigació "Bon Bagay", gràcies a una de les "beques d'investigació artística Barcelona CREA - La Escocesa 2026
Fotos by @soundsbyjali 🩶 by @anisatheaje

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3 months ago

Segona sessió del taller de Tinctòries - plantes, tints i colonialitat amb @anisatheaje dedicada al color Blau. Vam parlar de la potència, màgia i la ofrena que és l'índigo
"El blau dels nostres cels i dels nostres oceans, que només es pot obtenir a partir de l'índigo" 💙
Gràcies a @laescocesabcn per acollir-nos i a totxs lxs participants.
Aquest taller es realitza dintre del marc de la investigació "Bon Bagay", gràcies a una de les "beques d'investigació artística Barcelona CREA - La Escocesa 2026"
Fotos by @soundsbyjali 🩶 by @anisatheaje

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3 months ago

Recap del primer taller de Tinctòries - plantes, tints i colonialitat amb @anisatheaje
La primera sessió dedicada al color Groc. Vam parlar de fibres naturals, plantes i les seves històries.
Gràcies a @laescocesabcn per acollir-nos i a totxs lxs participants.
Aquest taller es realitza dintre del marc de la investigació "Bon Bagay", gràcies a una de les "beques d'investigació artística Barcelona CREA - La Escocesa 2026"
Fotos by @soundsbyjali 🩶 by @anisatheaje

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4 months ago

Tree woman 🌳🤎

Thinking of making it a tradition to wear something I made for my birthday every year. Making clothes for yourself as hard AF. But/and what better form of magic is there than to make clothes that reflect your divinity?

This tree woman dress was hand dyed and painted by me, with beeswax, cutch, and iron 🤎

thank you @sofiaarcherlab for guiding me on the sewing process! It would’ve never became a dress without your help 🥹🫰🏾 by @anisatheaje

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4 months ago

Happy Hoodoo heritage month! Hoodoo runs through my veins, and informs literally everything I do. So, I thought this would be a good time to reintroduce myself and my work. In true Gemini fashion, I got a lot going on, so bear with me!

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I’m Anisa — artist, root worker, conjure woman, and mama to an amazing 2yr old named Selah.

I’m also the founder of Àjé Textile Studio (Àjé for short), and am co-mothering Radical Muthas with my mama-bestie Jenna.

🪻 Àjé Textile Studio is a crossroads where conjure meets craft. Here is where I’ll be sharing educational resources on natural dyes, and create heirloom-quality pieces meant to be passed down for generations.

As a rootworker and natural dye artist, I acknowledge and honor the personhood of the plants I work with. I see them as allies and collaborators in liberatory practice, each carrying their own histories of resistance and ancient wisdom.

🦋 I also co-steward Radical Mamas with my best friend and collaborator Jenna Perez. It’s a companion space where we explore motherhood as a rite of passage and as a portal to radical healing. A lot of my writing on Black motherhood, astrology, and radical ritual work will live there.

My work celebrates indigenous wisdom, the divinity of nature, and the transformative power of mothering. I believe that the revolution begins with the radical act of care: caring for our children, for each other, and for the planet.

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Image descriptions, and why I chose pictures of adire textiles and indigo vats, will be in the comments.

If any of these threads sparked something in you, follow me along on my journey! links in bio 🤗 by @anisatheaje

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a year ago

🤎 I AM MY ANCESTORS’ WILDEST MF DREAM! 🤎

Over the past six weeks, I had the joy of bringing my vision to life with the help of friends and family—a beautiful reminder of the power in community. From my friend and talented dressmaker @sumgoodchi_studio who constructed these pieces, to my husband, @jordanmalik___ , who captured them on camera and has been my rock throughout—this collection was built from love.

For me, motherhood is not something separate from my work; it is the very foundation upon which this collection was built. Working within the nurturing space of the Mater Art Residency @base_o_bcn and sharing it as a featured artist on @halittaart, this collection embodies my dreams as an artist, designer, and mother.

This first collection is not just about clothing – it’s a seed.

In a world where women’s bodies are under constant attack, this collection is my act of defiance and a statement of love and freedom—a seed that I pray will grow into something greater. My hope is that Àjẹ́ becomes a beacon for women like me—those in search of connection, healing, and a celebration of our shared heritage. An ecosystem of support for women and femmes to flourish together, as our mothers and grandmothers dreamed.

I need your help to make this vision grow! Please share, tag, and help @daughtersofaje reach more people.

With gratitude,
Anisa 🤎 by @anisatheaje

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2 years ago

🌟 Introducing the Ancestors Sling 🌟

More than a baby wrap—it's a timeless piece of wearable art. Designed with love for mothers and their little ones, this versatile sling effortlessly transforms into a skirt, dress, or sleeveless jacket, bringing style and functionality together.

Created from 100% organic cotton sateen, it’s soft on your skin yet durable enough for babywearing. This piece is hand-painted with emblems inspired by African mask symbolism and dyed using traditional Indonesian batik techniques, creating a stunning palette of cochineal pink, weld yellow, madder orange, and earthy cutch.

This isn’t just a garment; it’s a celebration of cultural heritage and a legacy to be passed down for generations. 💛

Available now at Halitta.Art ✨

#WearableArt #CulturalHeritage #SustainableFashion #AfricanTextiles #Babywearing #supportartists #MotherhoodJourney #SlowFashion #ArtAndMotherhood #FunctionalStyle #blackartist by @anisatheaje

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2 years ago

✨ Week 3 of my Mater Art Residency ✨

Here’s a little #behindthescenes glimpse of the process for my boubou gown—one of the signature pieces for my first collection under Àjẹ́.

🌿 Working with natural dyes, organic fabrics, and a lot of love, I’m excited to bring my visions of ethereal garments for mamas to life. Big thanks to @base_o_bcn for the space to create alongside my little one 🌱✨

More details coming soon on this journey, and the official drop! But for now…we snack 🍓✨

#bts #textiledesign #slowfashion #momlife by @anisatheaje

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2 years ago

✨ The first time I ever shared Àjẹ́ with the world…
I was nervous. I wasn’t sure I had the right words.
But I knew the story wanted to be told.

This clip is from Episode 2 of From Pencil to Production, where we pitched our brands for the first time. Àjẹ́ was still just a seed.

Thank you to everyone who’s been walking with me as she blooms. 🌿

🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube (link in bio)
👁 Follow @daughtersofaje for more behind the scenes by @anisatheaje

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a year ago

“ Six weeks postpartum, Teresa N. Washington’s book ‘The Architects of Existence’ introduced me to the concept of Àjẹ́... I didn’t fully explore this newfound concept until a friend gifted me an African wrapper that transformed my experience of motherhood. This versatile garment not only facilitated baby-wearing but also reignited my sense of sensuality and creativity. As I wore this wrapper, I connected to the long traditions of women around the world, who have ingeniously used mere yards of fabric to carry their children and style themselves.” - Anisa Matthews

Anisa’s collection, Àjẹ́, is available exclusively on Halitta.art ✨ by @anisatheaje

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2 years ago

🎬 The countdown continues! We’re just DAYS away from the premiere of Season 4 of From Pencil to Production!

Meet our next contestant: @diasporicsol, aka Anisa Matthews! ✨ She’s sharing a behind-the-scenes peek at what it was like being on the show.

💥 Don’t miss her journey! From Pencil to Production premieres Tuesday, May 20 at 11AM EST exclusively on the 383 Design Studio YouTube channel. by @anisatheaje

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a year ago