Tag Archives: shibori

indigo dyeing, Mary Hark, shibori

Indigo and Shibori Workshop

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Deb Ketchum-Jircik and Mary Hark, at Circle of Life Studio.
Deb Ketchum-Jircik and Mary Hark, at Circle of Life Studio.

Last weekend I was at a basic indigo and shibori workshop. Taught by Mary Hark, a professor in design studies at UW-Madison, WI, she is also a paper artist and proprietor of Hark! Handmade Paper Studio, also in Madison (http://maryhark.com). The workshop was held at Debra Ketchum-Jircik’s Circle of Life Studio outside Eagle River, WI (http://circleoflifestudio.com).

Mary Hark (foreground) and artist Louise Engelbrecht (background).
Mary Hark (foreground) and artist Louise Engelbrecht (background).

There were five people participating in the workshop including Louise Engelbrecht, artist/painter/weaver; her friend Eugenie, a felter; Ann, a batik artist; Tim, a new UW-Stevens Point graduate and paper maker; and myself (weaver).

Deb and Tim.
Deb and Tim.
Indigo vat with arashi shibori.
Indigo vat with arashi shibori.
L to R, Eugenie, Ann, Deb. and Louise.
L to R, Eugenie, Ann, Deb. and Louise.
My samples drying at the fence.
My samples drying at the fence.
Arashi shibori silk scarf.
Arashi shibori silk scarf.
Linen, that was folded and clamped between pieces of wood.
Linen, that was folded and clamped between pieces of wood.
Cotton that was folded and clamped with pinch clamps.
Cotton that was folded and clamped with pinch clamps.
Examples of shibori, many from Ghana.
Examples of shibori, many from Ghana.

 

Mary Hark shared with us about her travels and living in Ghana and her work there.  The photo above and the next two are examples of shibori she brought with her most (or all) from Ghana.

Shibori from Ghana.
Shibori from Ghana.
More shibori from Ghana.
More shibori from Ghana.

The workshop ended with a powerpoint presentation of Mary Hark’s experiences in Ghana as well as her beautiful handmade paper art.  She may return next summer for another workshop.

The weather cooperated on Saturday and we had a beautiful day to work outside, exploring a few basic forms of shibori and indigo dyeing.  A nice workshop and a wonderful group of artists!