Saturday (Dec4): Indigo Lecture w Barbara Shapiro, Asian Art Museum SF

The Magic of Indigo
 with Barbara Shapiro
for the Society of Asian Art
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco

When: Saturday, December 4

Time: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Place: Education Studio
, Asian Art Museum
Fee: $15 members, $25 non-member


Note: Registration required

This richly illustrated lecture explores the history and importance of indigo as a dyestuff the trade of which has had widespread ramifications and has touched many aspects of life in diverse cultures. The story of indigo is a fascinating way to look at world history. Called the king of colors and the color of kings, indigo has a strong Asian connection as a commodity traded worldwide and as a revered dye with Asian artisans. We will explore cultural and contemporary applications in Asia and around the world and shed light on the mysteries of this most magical blue dye. Contact: (T) 415.581.3701 or saa@asianart.org

Barbara Shapiro is a textile artist and long standing member of the World Shibori Network. She is a Board Member of the Textile Society of America and the Textile Arts Council of SF. Her artwork has been widely exhibited and published locally and internationally. A specialist in indigo dye, her teaching venues for weaving, dyeing, and basketry techniques include San Francisco State University and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

Anthropologie "Ice Wine" Shibori Clutch

National retailer Anthropologie, known for their vintage-bohemian-girly looks, is getting in on the shibori train with their "Ice Wine" clutch (described as "frozen silk grapes'). Also some ikat inspired beaded clutches on offer -- quite chic, actually.

Recap: Yoshiko's NZ teaching tour

Wow, New Zealand has a lot going on!

Yoshiko recently returned from a 1.5month teaching tour through Australia and New Zealand where she was able to reunite with many longtime textile friends and had opportunities to meet new ones. Thanks to everyone for creating a wonderful teaching itinerary and setting up such fulfilling social events.

Special thanks to Deb Donnelly for her coordination efforts in NZ and for sharing these great photos and recaps. Check out the full NZ set on flickr


Meisen Kimono Art Moderne show at Expressions Gallery
18 Sept - 18 October 2010
Curated by Yoshiko, mounted by Rebecca Pubben and Expressions Gallery

The advertised floor talk on 30 September drew in a capacity audience at Vectra Gallery to hear a detailed description of works, its provenance and ways to identify this particular design movement in silk materials and techniques not always apparent on first glance. Yoshiko fully explained the rise of a more liberated Japanese consumer with lifestyles never before experienced in Japan. Meisen were popular just prior to the decreased supply of kimono post WW 2 up to late 1950s when western clothing became more widely accepted for workers, schools, manufacturers and general consumers alike. The Meisen Kimono Art Moderne exhibition was sponsored by Whitireia NZ and its response drawn from local artisans in possum merino felt, dyes on scarves, buttons and netsuke carvings including Owen Mapp, Hanne Eriksen Mapp, Clare Smith, Deb Donnelly, Rosemary Mortimer and Barry Young who attended the floortalk. (recap by Deb Donnelly)



Visit to Stansborough Textile Weaving Mill

Famous for their textile designs for films; Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Narnia chronicles, owners Cheryl and Barry Eldridge produce Stansborough fleece of unique lustre and high tensile strength on their family sheep farm in Wairarapa near Wellington. Specially woven lengths of naturally coloured material from Stansborough sheep were supplied to students enrolled on the New Material Transformation workshop at Whitireia Polytechnic NZ from 27 Sept - 1 Oct.
The results of the cloth explorations and Yoshiko's rigorous conceptual and technical teaching is being documented by textiles tutor Deb Donnelly for future classes and industry design developments. A deeper understanding of the cloth's potential will enable NZ designers to carry on producing unique visions of this NZ icon. (recap by Deb Donnelly)


Boro Workshop
Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology

Joan Morris Solo Show (Oct 14- Nov 21, VT)

If you're in New England during the next couple months, do yourself a favor and make your way to Big Town Gallery in Rochester, Vermont to see the exceptional work of artist JOAN MORRIS (see that artwork cover on your "Memory on Cloth: shibori now" book? That's Joan's). "Merging Continuums," Joan's solo show featuring all new works, will open Oct 14 with a reception on Saturday (16th) and artist talk. The exhibition will be up until Nov 21. Go!

"Everywhere, color proclaims its consonance with energy, and the effect is of textiles that refuse to hold still." - "Joan Morris: Master Dyer" by Glen Brown, American Craft Magazine, Summer 2008

Merging Continuums
- new works by Joan Morris -
14 October - 21 November 2010
Big Town Gallery
Rochester, VT
*opening reception 16 Oct @ 4-7p
www.joanmorrisartist.com

Safekeeper Vest Trunk Show (Oct 15,16 @ Berkeley)

If you're in the Bay Area next weekend Oct 15/16,
stop by Yoshiko's house and check out
The SAFEKEEPER VEST Fall Trunk Show
Beautiful, one-of-a-kind vests designed by Marion Gartler
for unencumbered traveling and everyday purse-free living
www.safekeepervest.com

October 15, 16 Fri & Sat
696 Hilldale Ave
Berkeley, CA
12-5:00p
see flyer for directions

intersections5: Colors_Concepts_Contours (13 Oct-Dec, San Francisco)

Lucy Matzger, "Bat Caf", used coffee filters

fiber/DIMENSIONS presents:
intersections 5 :
Colors_Concepts_Contours
Oct 13 - Dec 19
Presidio of San Francisco Officers' Club
50 Moraga Ave

*Opening Reception 17 Oct @1p*
FREE demos offered (see schedule below)
www.fiberdimensions.com

fiber/DIMENSIONS is a Bay Area art organization that has achieved international recognition. They are celebrating twenty years as a very effective and supportive arts collaborative. Their fifth biennial group show, Intersections 5, will represent over 35 of their amazing artists who bring a diversity of disciplines to their work from weaving, felting, quilting, and paper making to painting, woodworking, printing, and welding. Though many of their artists mix mediums and materials into forms that transcend definition, it is the vitality and potential of fiber that connects the group in the unique fiber/DIMENSIONS collaborative.

FREE demos & lectures
Friday @ 1:30 to 2:30, beginning October 29th. Venue: Presidio Officer’s Club. See website for details

October 29 Regula Allenspach Weill – Gift Wrapping
November 5 Allegra Burke – Prodded Rag Rugs
November 12 Emily Dvorin – Coiled Basketry
November 19 Lucy Matzger – Coffee Filter Collage
December 3 Jeanette Carr – Machine Made Lace
December 10 Melissa Woodburn – Pine Needle Baskets

Lecture: Yoshiko on "Art & Design: case studies from Japan"(23 Sep, NZ)

click on image to enlarge

"Scarf" shibori exhibition (12 Sept, Paddington NSW)

Members of WSN Australia and New Zealand (WSN A/NZ) invite you to "SCARF, an exhibition of shaped resist dyed scarves and shawls held at Barometer Gallery. Opening reception is Sept 12, @4:00p. Yoshiko Wada, President of WSN, will be in attendance.

8th ISS in HONG KONG! (Dec 2011)

We're taking it to HONG KONG!
Check out the latest on our beta site: 8iss.wordpress.com

Our 8th International Shibori Symposium is now in the planning stages. We are excited to announce our collaboration with the Institute of Textiles & Clothing of Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

If you'd like to get involved at the ground level, or you have some suggestions to give the Programming Committee, and/or you're interested in Presenting, Exhibiting, giving a Workshop, or making any proposals (venues, exhibition themes, etc)-- let's hear it. We're ready.

(photo credit: hong kong skyline, by flickr:kevinpoh. Courtesy of creative commons license)

Buy It! Le Tissage Aux Cartons dans L'Egypte Ancienne (Cardweaving in Ancient Egypt)

If you have any interest in cardweaving, do yourself a favor and get your hands on a copy of this book.

Cardweaving in Ancient Egypt is the English translation of the 1916 publication Le Tissage Aux Cartons dans L'Egypte Ancienne. This English edition, translated by Barbara Shapiro - a TSA Board member and longtime WSN member - is available in handsome book form and includes helpful illustrations and color images to accompany a very comprehensive text.

ABOUT. Le Tissage Aux Cartons by Arnold van Gennep and Gustave Jequier was originally published in 1916. Some of its conclusions—including those about the Ramses sash—created considerable controversy. The book describes and categorizes many decorative motifs from Egyptian tombs, statues, and paintings; considers whether the patterns represent cardwoven bands; and provides instructions for creating many of the designs with cardweaving.

Cardweaving in Ancient Egypt. Illustrated with 6 color plates of cardwoven bands, 6 black and white plates, and 135 line drawings. Includes translation of entire original text, including extensive footnotes and notes on plates. 160 pages. $29.95. Available for purchase here

A serial translation of Le Tissage Aux Cartons originally appeared in the TWIST Journal in 2001–2003. Newly revised, the translation is now available as this book.