Dyeing with plants has been the main thing I've done these last few months. It seemed necessary for me to colour my own large pieces of cloth so that they reflect where I live. My first tries in natural dyeing in 2010 were tough going. I was disappointed with the wide variety of brown I managed to get. I love red. 
At any rate, I tried a bit harder this fall and feel that it was a successful time. I learned so much, every day.I learned to use silk and wool fabrics because they accept the dye so well. I learned where to source those fabrics and am glad for internet shopping. Now, its funny, but I prefer the browns, yellows and greys that I get with the plants. I love that they all ‘go‘ together. They never clash.
Most of all I love that it is a slow process. I love that time is a material. This idea about time is one that I have been exploring for a while with hand stitch. Now that the cloth itself holds time before the months of hand stitch mark it, ... even better.
9 comments:
it seems when we colour our world our own way, that our touch becomes more our own as well, less reactive, more reflective-- i can't imagine not dyeing my own fabrics now--and who knew these soft colours could become so evocative, so personal and so idea inflammatory :)
..and over the last year it has very much become a trend.
I've been following your blog for a while, quite enjoying your take on making work and the creative life in general. Once had a place on Manitoulin and showed at the Gore Bay Museum. Now, I am preparing a lecture on Creativity and Aging. Your comment on time as a material is striking to me. I imagine that it will be woven into the presentation at some point. Hope that's OK with you. Best regards, Victoria
I really love the work that you are doing here Judy and particularly that you favour natural colours and materials and use them in such beautiful ways. Layers and layers of intent from beginning to end. penny
and time will slowly cause them to continue to change as well, to become even softer and more ethereal.....
I LOVE the statement you made "cloth that reflect where I live". Perfect. Gives even more meaning to dying our own cloth.
judy, your experience with slow dyeing, developing color reminds me of my experience doing just that in '78-84 when i began. then there were years and now my "natural dyeing" is richer in that pattern and color is a part of it all. i love how you wrote about color. colour. i may start an american trend, a richer word.
the process becomes something different and takes on other meanings... a lovely post.
Time is a material..........i never thought about it that way althought it is so true.
XXXm
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