Tuesday, November 29, 2011

WSN blog has moved!

We're tying up loose ends around here (end of year cleaning?) and moving the blog over to the website. This blogspot will remain alive, just not maintained.

Please bookmark the new blog address
www.shibori.org/blog
*not sure if it has RSS feed, but will activate if available

Thanks for following us over here all these years! We hope to see you at the new site =)


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

"New Beat" student artists selected

Curator Dr. Jooyoung Shin and the selection committee have announced the names of students selected for "New Beat: International Student Concours" exhibition

The exhibition will be held in conjunction with the 8th ISS: HK
Fashion Gallery, Hong Kong Polytechnic University 5 Dec 2011 - 18 Jan 2012 * traveling to Foshan ShiJin Yi r Museum, Feb 2012


CONGRATULATIONS to the selected students!

click here for more

  • Gillian LAVERY, Australia “Written, Remembered”
  • Kim KOKOSZKA, Canada “Silver Moon”
  • Guoxiang YUAN and Yidan ZHENG, HK ”X=Y+tt”
  • Upasana DIVAKAR, India “Punched Monologue 1″
  • Shou DEGUCHI, Japan “Bosa Bossa (Circle)”
  • Asumi HASEGAWA, Japan “Fossils”
  • Mariko KOBAYASHI, Japan “God of Fox”
  • Miho SUZUKI, Japan “Vegeit”
  • Sashiko TERAMURA, Japan untitled
  • Lillian BAKER, New Zealand “Te aro hau”
  • Ga Young AHN, Korea “With the Wind”
  • Sang-a SEO, Korea “The Nature”
  • Mustafa KULA, Turkey “Rusted Love”
  • Angela JOHNSTON, UK Textile Composition
  • Katie JONES, UK Exploratory Garment Pieces
  • Carly SLINGO, UK Printed Silk Piece
  • Christine TEELING, UK Textile sample
  • Katherine TROTMAN, UK Textile Composition
  • Christina CONKLIN, USA “Ancestor”
  • Harrison JOHNSTON, USA “Functional Origami Style”

Monday, November 21, 2011

WSN Oz-NZ Newsletter from Joan

Our indefatiguable Secretary General from Australia, Joan James, has published the most recent newsletter with great features, including:
  • an interesting trip synopsis from Annette Brereton (Slow Fiber Japan, May);
  • lovely story by Philomena Hali with Sarah Hill that chronicles the journey of CasArts artists;
  • profile of Margaret Barnett (who shares indigo recipes);
  • Cathy Moon's upcoming workshop;

and wonderful words about the Out of the Box DownUnder exhibition, which is en route from the Barometer Gallery to Hong Kong for the 8th ISS.

A hearty thanks to you, Joan!

download the pdf for all the interesting details.

Friday, October 7, 2011

"Greenest" Indigo & Basic Shibori Workshop (Nov 13, CA)



The 'Greenest' Indigo & Basic Shibori
with
"Sustainable Natural Dyes” DVD launch

Short, hands-on workshop with
Yoshiko Iwamoto Wada, co-author and author of 2 definitive publications on Japanese and Contemporary textiles. View demonstrations of how to set up an indigo dye bath with totally organic elements commonly found, safely and inexpensively. Learn simple shibori techniques to use with natural indigo, a perfect combination for achieving charming blue and white patterns. Students will dye their own bandana scarf, using a sustainable vat.

This workshop is based on sustainable, natural dyeing methods of Michel Garcia as revealed in his new DVD, “Natural Dye Workshop by Michel Garcia: Colors of Provence Using Sustainable Methods," produced by Yoshiko I. Wada, founder of Slow Fiber Studios.
www.yoshikowada.com

Sunday, Nov. 13, 10am to 12pm
$25
Beginners or novices welcome

Class size limited, please enroll early to ensure your spot.
Call Dharma Trading Store
415-456-1211

Friday, September 23, 2011

8ISS Workshop Registration Opens 26 Sept 9am PST


Workshop Registration for the 8ISS will open 9am PST on Sept 26, Monday.

Some really amazing instructors so be sure to mark your calendars. Class size is limited, first come first reserved. Registration is online here

Monday, August 8, 2011

ECO Vision: Surface Design Assoc European Conference (Oct'11, Tilburg, NL)

“Ecovision," 2nd SDA European Meeting 18-28th, 2011, in Tilburg, Netherlands

ECOVISION, the second meeting for the European membership of the Surface Design Association, will be presented by Karina van Vught (SDA EU representative) at Studio Zijdelings and the AUDAX Textile Museum in Tilburg, Netherlands on the following dates.

Pre-Conference Workshops (2): Tuesday, Oct. 18 – Thursday, Oct. 20.
Fiber Study Tour: Thursday October 20.
Conference: Friday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011.
Design Academy Graduation Show
& Dutch Design Week: Sunday October 23.
Post-Conference Workshops (5): Monday Oct. 24 – Friday Oct. 28.

The conference and accompanying events will provide a setting for textile artists, teachers and practitioners to meet in an informal way, and to share information under the umbrella of the Surface Design Association*.
The theme is Ecovision, inspired by a similarly titled issue of the Surface Design Journal.

click image to enlarge



Workshops with AnaLisa Hedstrom (Oct '11, Netherlands)

Announcing TWO shibori workshops with Ana Lisa Hedstrom this October at STUDIO ZIJDELINGS in Tilburg, Netherlands.

These workshops - one on ARASHI / ITAJIME / PIECING / QUILTING and another focusing on ARASHI / STITCH RESIST/ CLAMP RESIST are related to ECO Vision – the 2nd Surface Design Association (SDA) conference for the European membership. (October 18-28, 2011 in Tilburg).

click images to enlarge









Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Review of Fiber Celebrated 2011, Durango CO

image courtesy R. Mezoff // source: rebeccamezoff.blogspot.com

Check out artist Rebecca Mezoff's blog for a worthwhile recap (with lots of great images!) of Fiber Celebrated 2011 held in Durango, Colorado this last weekend of July. "Fiber Celebrated 2011," in which Rebecca was showing two pieces, opened at the Intermountain Weaver's Conference. Yoshiko I Wada was honored as a Keynote Speaker of this 4-day conference.


For more info about the Intermountain Weaver's Conference, visit the links above.
Thanks, Rebecca!
CHECK OUT MORE OF REBECCA'S WORK HERE: http://rebeccamezoff.blogspot.com



Wednesday, July 20, 2011

"Wrapping Traditions: Korean Textiles Now" Docent Tour by Barbara Shapiro, MOCFA - SF (7/28)

Reminder for TEXTILE ARTS COUNCIL members:

PRIVATE DOCENT GUIDED TOUR of
"Wrapping Traditions: Korean Textiles Now"
Museum of Craft & Folk Art, San Francisco
July 28, 2011 – 1 PM

TAC Advisory Board member and MOCFA docent Barbara Shapiro will lead a small group through this remarkable exhibition. Curated by Chungie Lee, the exhibition looks at traditional Bojagi(Bo-Jah-ki) wrapping cloths and the ways this craft is interpreted today by contemporary artists from Korea and ten other countries (including work by Ms. Shapiro). Traditionally used in formal ceremonies and many daily activities, and fashioned from pieced cloth or paper, contemporary Bojagi varies in medium, size and function. These inspired reinterpretations have transcended borders.

The cost for this special members’ event is $20.00, which includes admission to the Museum of Folk and Craft Art. A portion of your fee benefits the Textile Arts Council.

For reservations, please contact Trish Daly in the TAC office: 415 750-3627 tac@famsf.org

Space is limited


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Michel Garcia featured in GoodLife magazine (chinese)

read article here

Thanks for the tip, Edith Cheung!

Monday, July 18, 2011

"Stories in Cloth" (thru 7/31, Loyola U Chicago)

















Chicago friends, take a weekend to visit The Loyola University Museum of Art's current exhibition: "
Stories in Cloth: The Threads of Daily Life," a fascinating and diverse exhibition of textiles from the May Weber Collection in Chicago.
Textiles decorate and signify, disguise and protect, depict stories and enrich ceremonies. Dr. May Weber examines how textiles have been essential to the rituals and traditions of everyday life through objects in her own collection. www.luc.edu/luma.

Docent tours of the exhibition may be arranged by contacting Ann Meehan, Curator of Education, at 312 915-7604

img: child's cradle (detail), Anatolia, collection of Dr. May Weber

"Extreme Shibori: Ori-kume series" book by Sue Cavanaugh

Sue Cavanaugh has published, “Extreme Shibori: the Ori-Kume Series”, a 60-page (8.5” square) artist portfolio about her current work, inspiration and process. Available for purchase at the Ohio Craft Museum

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Joan Morris, solo show (June 18-July31, NH)


You've seen her work grace the book cover of Yoshiko's "Memory on Cloth" -- now go see Joan Morris' inspiring works in person. The Aidron Duckworth Museum in Meriden, New Hampshire, is hosting a solo exhibition of Joan's recent textile works. The exhibition opens this Saturday, June 18, with a reception from 3-6p.

The show will have in it work from 2009-2011, including 3 new, never before exhibited pieces.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Sue Cavanaugh, Zanesville Museum of Art, OH (thru July 14)


Some news from fellow textile friends:


Sue Cavanaugh recently received the Lynn Borgman Goodwin Award for Surface Design at Quilt National ’11 for Ori-Kume #20. Her largest (164” x 94”) whole cloth stitch resist shibori piece, Ori-Kume # 22, is on exhibit at the Zanesville Museum of Art, Zanesville, Ohio, through July 14, 2011. www.suecavanaughart.com


Congrats, Sue!



If you're interested in studying shibori with Sue, sign up for her workshop at Art Quilt Tahoe, November 6-11, Lake Tahoe, California. More information and registration may be found at www.artquilttahoe.com.



Monday, June 6, 2011

ISS Registration opens June 11


8iss.wordpress.com

Registration for the 8th ISS in Hong Kong
will open JUNE 11!

Starting June 11, we will be opening up registration for the SYMPOSIUM and accepting reservations for our six PRE / POST TOURS to mainland China and Vietnam.* We are excited to streamline the process and manage everything online - from contact info to payment process. Registration is a first come, first reserved process so when a tour is full, it will register as "Sold Out." (We also will still accept payment for the Symposium via check by mail for those not used to paying online).

On June 11, we will also be accepting submissions for the OPEN CALL for "Animal Fibers: Art Informs Shibori" curated by Jean Cacicedo and Jorie Johnson at Hong Kong Design Institute. Deadline is Oct 15.

Registration for Workshops, Daily Excursions, and Calls for Trunk Show, Demos, and Short Talks will open later during Phase 2.


* tours are very limited capacity; reservations require refundable deposit; see website for details


Thursday, May 19, 2011

"Liaisons" with Rebecca Cross, (May-10 Jul 2011, OHIO)




Rebecca Cross wrote in to tell us of her exciting exhibition, "Liaisons," at the FAVA GAllery in Oberlin, Ohio. The exhibition showcases collaborative work created over the past two years with painter Annette Poitau. The exhibition will be open until July 10.

Rebecca and Annette will be speaking about their work during the Oberlin College commencement weekend on Sunday, May 29 at 4:00p in the gallery.

Everyone should go see it if they're in Ohio!

Congratulations, Rebecca.
www.rebeccatextiles.com
favagallery.org


Thursday, April 7, 2011

Mantra exhibition, Michelle Griffiths (13 April-14 May, London)



MANTRA

Work by Michelle Griffiths

Lesley Craze Gallery, London UK

13th April - 14th May 2011

*Gallery open Tues to Saturday, free admission. Free parking Saturdays after 130p

Michelle Griffiths creates decorative textile works by utilising the various actions found within the ancient Japanese textile dyeing technique of shibori

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

"Bojagi and Beyond" coming to Bay Area, works by Barbara Shapiro (June-Sep, San Francisco)

"Bojagi and Beyond," a traveling exhibition curated by Chunghie Lee that celebrates the traditional Korean wrapping cloth, will be coming to the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco this June. Local Bay Area artist Barbara Shapiro will be featured in the show with woven work and also indigo dyed wrapped baskets.
www.barbara-shapiro.com

Bojagi and Beyond (working title)
June 16--September 18, 2011
51 Yerba Buena Lane
San Francisco, CA 94103
Organized by internationally recognized artist, teacher, and writer, Chunghie Lee, who has studied traditional Korean wrapping cloth extensively, this exhibition is accompanied by a rich public program to include an international symposium, a workshop, a gallery tour, and numerous educational activities.

Bojagi (Bo-Jah-ki) were once used in formal ceremonies and daily activities in Korea. Similar to American patchwork, traditional Bojagi was made from simple pieced cloths or papers, which were elaborately embroidered together. Although this folkloric custom continues in the country, now the craft of Bojagi has had a great influence on contemporary artists from Korea and around the world. Bojagi and Beyond brings together contemporary artists from Korea, and ten other countries that are inspired by this Korean folk art. Unlike the traditional form, contemporary Bojagi varies in medium, size, and functions to create a new meaning that transcends borders. Bojagi and Beyond explores both traditional Bojagi, and its multiple reinterpretations in contemporary art.

More events where you can catch Barbara Shapiro:

July 16 & 17, 2011 "Greener Indigo" 2-day workshop with Barbara
Walnut Creek
http://www.walnut-creek.org/cae/

July & August, 2011 "Greener Indigo" 4-week Saturday Studio Class with Barbara
San Francisco at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, SF State University
Be sure to read Barbara's article on Columbian textile artist Olga De Amaral featured in the current Spring 2011 issue of Fiberarts Magazine

Mame shibori explained (video)


(click image to redirect to video clip)

Mame ("beans") shibori is a classically Edo design, a pea-dot pattern most common for tenugui (hand towel).

Harisho, the only remaining itajime master continuing practice of this traditional Edo period technique, demonstrates on video how to fold fabric several times into very small strips then put in between carved wooden boards (for mame, the boards are grooved). Recently, Harisho collaborated with popular Japanese fashion brand SOU.SOU, providing fabrics for their contemporary tabi collection.

Mame fabric created by Harisho is available in Yoshiko's online shop.

Thanks for sharing, Barbara Shapiro!

Monday, March 21, 2011

SCARF exhibition by WSN-Australia + NZ photos!

Back in August we blogged about SCARF, a traveling exhibition featuring shaped resist dyed scarves and shawls created by members of WSN Australia and New Zealand. It's now made its way to Strathnairn Arts Association (thru April 3) where Barbara Schey gave a talk at the opening reception on March 11. I sneaked a peek* at a couple snapshots taken by our indefatigable Secretary General of WSN Australia, Joan James. Here are a few photos:

*thanks to good old Facebook

(top) Barbara Schey gives remarks at opening reception, Kevin Schamburg stands nearby;
(middle, bottom) pieces from SCARF exhibition at Straithnarn Arts Association.
All photos courtesy Joan James



Inspiring & humbling: a letter from Sendai, Japan

A bit of inspiration from the disaster in Japan. This is a personal account written by Anne Thomas, who lives in Sendai. Thanks to Masako for forwarding to us. (Originally published online at Ode magazine)


A Letter from Sendai

Anne Thomas 3/14/2011

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend’s home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out a sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.

It’s utterly amazingly that where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, “Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another.”

Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.

We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun. People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening at the same time.

Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.

They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off than others. Last night my friend’s husband came in from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.

Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don’t. Rather, I feel as part of something happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet magnificent.

Thank you again for your care and Love of me,

With Love in return, to you all,

Anne