Like a bus!

........you know, you wait and wait and then two come along at the same time!

Workshops for March are ON! 

Dates are: 

Sunday 16th March

Saturday 22nd march

Sunday 23rd March

Saturday 29th March

Sunday 30th March

Naturally Dyed Workshops

  

Explore the art of natural dyeing using locally sourced plant materials in this eco-friendly experimental workshop. In this workshop, we will share knowledge and investigate

·       Which fabrics dye well and why

·       How to get dye from natural sources

·       How to mordant (fix) the dye to the fabric.

Most importantly you will gain the knowledge to continue experimenting at home.

When                                                                     Sunday 16^th March

                                    Saturday 22^nd March                 Sunday 23^rd March

                                    Saturday 29^th March                  Sunday 30^th March

                                   

How much       $100

Where              My Studio in Upwey

Contact                 judecraig@naturallydyed.com.au

www.naturallydyed.com.au

What to bring

·       100% silk or wool light coloured fabric - preferably second hand but new is okay too.

·       100% linen and cotton will dye but to a lesser degree.

·       Fabrics can be in small pieces or long lengths

·       Interesting bits of old metal (eg, copper, iron) up to 30cm long - rust is great, as is texture

·       Cord, thick wool or metal wire to bind pieces Thread, assorted needles, bulldog clips

·       An apron, gloves, notepad and pen

Dyes, mordants and some suitable fabric will be provided. This list is not exhaustive.

If you feel inspired to bring anything else, please do... sharing and swapping of items encouraged!

This is a one day workshop running from 10.00 to 4.30.

Classes are limited to 5 students

Arrangements for payment will be offered once classes are consolidated

Tactile Pleasure

My thanks to Janet Knoop and Bernadette Marriner for inviting me to be part of Tactile Pleasure in Apollo Bay. The exhibition runs from Friday 7th March until Sunday 23rd March in the Anglican Church Hall.

It is a group art exhibition featuring 30 artists, exhibiting a diverse mix of eclectic artwork in the medium of jewellery, painting, papier mache, photography, sculpture, textiles and woodwork. All artwork will be for sale. 
There will also be a "Gallery Shop" selling original, hand crafted art pieces each priced under $100. Open daily 10am to 4pm

Have a look here for more visual stimulation   

Just a few pieces by me!

End of the Line Festival 2013

Wow!
Just coming up for air, second time this event has been organised in Belgrave by those alarmingly adrenalin packed folk from Limerence plus their nearest and dearest co-ordinating friends, so many to mention, such a great job done...thank you!
Wow!
Did I just say that? .... well it's deserves emphasis.

It was, yet again, one of the best days in the hills, both meteorologically and passionately, celebrating all the local talent and enticing those shy and retiring out of their comfortable havens of tranquillity.

Photo by Lyn Forrest...thank you so much

I had the fortune to chat with many; some fellow creatives visiting for the day, some patrons who have purchased my work and with whom I have a deep connection; stallholders, peddling their wares like me and immersed in the benevolent vibration of the festival, friends, photographers documenting the day and children form the scout stall asking if I wanted a sausage!

 

I'll be there next year and I can't wait to see what is in store for End of the Line then. Anyway, enough about me, pop over the the End of the Line link and experience the day in hyperspace.

Live Website

Its taken a concentration, focus and love mixed with a moments of frustration to get to this stage...but I think I've done it, can I go back and play in the studio please?
The website is live and kicking and I'm hoping fully functional (really don't mind and moreover would appreciate you telling me if a link isn't working). My gratitude goes to the amazing Jacqui Christians for her help in getting started and her continued support during this process, everyone needs a mate like Jacqui in their life!

The 'albatross around my neck' is now free to bother someone else who is procrastinating!

www.naturallydyed.com.au

Bogalanfini

Many years ago, 1996 to be exact, I spent some months travelling around West Africa. From Dakar, Senegal my trusty companion and I caught the train through the desert to Bamako, the capital of Mali.

Plans were afoot, to visit the mysteries of the desert, names like Timbukto and Djenne fuelled our peregrinations.

Unfortunately the intensity of the Saharan heat beat us back; plans to continue further to Mopti and Timbuktu to visit the locals producing textiles were dashed and fresh air was sought by boarding a bus for a bumpy 24 hour ride to Abidjan...the solace of a sea breeze was the new goal. Hastily, I had a couple of days to explore the markets of Bamako and select a few pieces from the market vendors. I made the most of it but I always wished I could have gone further into the desert, that I had missed a opportunity in life to connect with an art form that I loved.

Last weekend, I was blessed to have this slight ache of regret tramsmuted as this 'missed opportunity' presented itself to me in a new form; the chance to have a workshop with Aboubakar Fofana and learn this skill from a master at Beautiful Silks in Melbourne.

After 17 years I was finally going to learn how to create Bogolanfini or mud cloths, I had never been as excited about mud in my whole life!

Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th November 2013

First a demonstration by the master

The cloth has been dyed with leaves from the N'gallama tree. The tannin from the crushed, boiled leaves turns the cloth a pleasant warm, yellow after the first dipping. Then the fermented mud from the river bed is applied and the cloth is left to dry in the warm African sun...or in my case on the grafitti-ed step of inner Fitzroy, whose tones, I thought complimented the drying mud very well. Once dry, the mud is washed off and the oxidisation process turns the images black. Then another dip in the tannin to intensify the colour and apply more mud to deepen the black.

Simple, time consuming, rewarding and unique to the Niger river in Mali (except when you have the privilege to have a workshop with a master dyer like Aboubakar who had brought all the leaves and mud from Mali)

Then it was time to experiment for two days....

I have to say, this workshop far exceeded my expectations. Aboubakar is very generous with his knowledge and very humble about his achievements. He is inspiring with an integrity about textiles which is highly infectious...and he doesn't mind being harangued by over zealous students for a cheesy photo....

In 2009, I did a workshop with India Flint and have kept her on a pedestal ever since. She is my Textile Goddess, her work never fails to quicken my spirit and touch me with a sense of 'other worldliness'...and now a have my Textile God to perch on that pedestal next to her. 

Thank you Mr. Aboubakar Fofana, it has been honour and a joy to spend a weekend with you and your fermented mud and I hope our paths cross another day; there is still the question of indigo!

What a difference a day makess

Well, sometimes days just don't eventuate the way you had imagined. I was happily setting up for my Sunday workshop, when part of the group call to change their date.

That's alright, Nat's friend has so been looking forward to this day and Nat is always one of the most enthusiastic and giving students, we will still go ahead.
I woke up at 1.30 on Sunday morning, wide awake...was it the Summer equinox? ...was it something I ate?...or is it this tickley cough which arises at the most inopportune times?
I checked my phone.
Poor Nat is sick and can't make it.
I doze back to sleep, knowing we must reschedule this class and pondering on the thought that I now have a free day....ummm, what to do?

Well, cover chairs of course, a 'project' that has been a concept for too long is now a reality......

....And I like it very much!

one more space..

Just a quick post to express my excitement at the thought of workshops starting up again and my gratitude that the weather will be kind to us.

One space left for this weekend, Sunday 22nd but many more to follow during the Summer months.

Contact judecraig@gmail.com for more details