Boro Sampler Book Workshop - and more to come

I completed another season of workshops at Wishi Washi Studio with my Boro Books workshop.

Preparing my materials and tools for teaching

 

This is quickly becoming one of my favorites to teach since Japanese textiles are becoming a favorite subject of mine, particularly Boro textiles. 

I'm trying to learn everything I can about Japanese textiles since the history of Boro textiles is intrinsically linked to the history of Japan and the textiles created there.

Boro textile from my personal collection

 

In my Boro Books workshop (a.k.a. Boro Sampler Book) I share my modest but growing collection of Boro and other Japanese textiles so we can examine the stitching techniques up close.

My Boro Book pages in progress

Then we work on "pages" to re-create mending and strengthening techniques seen in Boro textiles. Students are encouraged to bring materials meaningful to them that can include fabric, paper, and other ephemera.

My completed Boro Sampler Book

The finished product is a book, bound with the Japanese side-sewn binding, that can be referred back to for future art or mending projects. It can be added to over time and even used as a needle book! (See post on a previous Boro Books workshop here)

Detail from my current series: KEEP: Modern Library

The Boro aesthetic has inspired my current series: KEEP: Modern Library that will be in my Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship exhibit at the end of this year. I look forward to sharing more of this series in the coming months.

I'll be teaching this workshop twice this summer at Cameron Marks in Santa Cruz on July 11th, and at Handcraft Studio School in Emeryville on July 18th. Come and join us for a day of learning and making!

Summer Teaching

So many opportunities popped up for me to teach outside of Wishi Washi Studio this Summer that all the dates got used up!

 So, there will be no Summer 2015 schedule in the studio but you can find me teaching out and about at the following venues:

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The Stitcherly Book at Cabrillo SummerArts

The Stitcherly Book

June 5, 6 and 7th

10:00 - 4:00 each day

Cabrillo College Extension SummerArts Program, Aptos, CA

Crossed Structure Binding at Platetone

Crossed Structure Binding

June 20th
10:00 - 3:00

Platetone: Printmaking, Paper and Book Arts, Nashville, TN

e-mail Lesley Patterson-Marx ( lesleypatterson@bellsouth.net ) to sign up and for more information

(also, there will most likely be a free talk the night before the workshop so following them on Facebook here is a good thing if you're interested)

Boro Sampler Book

Boro Sampler Book

July 11th
10:00 - 4:00

Cameron Marks, Santa Cruz, CA

Boro Sampler Book

July 18th
10:00 - 4:00

Handcraft Studio School, Emeryville, CA

and, if you have kids check out this art camp at the Tannery Arts Center - I'll be teaching a project during both sessions:

Camp Tannery Arts

July 13th - 17th

August 3rd - 7th

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I will be working on a Fall 2015 schedule soon and will probably post that mid-July.

Also, I am available for private lessons or special workshops for small groups in my studio if you are flexible with dates - so let me know if you or your friends are dying to learn something - we'll work it out!

As always like me on Facebook and follow me on Instagram for current and constant updates and happenings!

Hope to see you out there!

surface design with iron and tannin

I got to be a student this past Sunday! Always such a treat for me. I love learning.

Since I have been working textiles into my work more and more this workshop on Direct Application: Patternmaking with Iron at Handcraft Studio School popped out at me and I signed up.

one of my pieces after iron application, before tannin

The workshop was taught by Kenya Miles and she led us through the process of decorating textiles with a liquid solution of iron.

After showing us how to prepare the solution we spent most of the day applying it to our fabric by painting it directly on or painting it on a block that was then stamped on the fabric:

applying the iron solution to fabric

The iron turns this light brown color and has to dry completely before moving on to the next step:

class pieces drying on the line after iron application

 

After the fabric was dry we were able to "set" it and then dip it in a tannin solution made from oak gall. This was the big "oooooo" and "ahhhhhhh" moment as the tannin turns the iron to different shades of gray and black depending on the concentration of the solution applied:

class pieces on the line after dipping in tannin

This is one of my pieces after applying the iron but before dipping it in tannin:

 

And, this is the same piece after setting it and dipping it in tannin:

Some of the pieces turned a bit lavender or purple-ish depending on the original color of the fabric. Since I'm not crazy about purple-ish hues I am going to try to over dye them by tea staining  and see if I can get them to look more brown and black.

Very fun day and I look forward to more play with this process!