The University of Liechtenstein's Architecture and Economics departments give their undergraduate and graduate students a chance to participate in a week-long course not related to their fields of study once a year. (Liechtenstein is a small Principality sandwiched between Austria and Switzerland. The Prince lives with his family in a castle above the main town.) There were ten other guest workshop leaders. A shoe maker, toy designer, a ceramist , furniture designer, print maker/archiver, and other very talented cool designers from other European countries taught. I was short on concept and words and we basically got straight to work indigo dying. The students were all exceptionally creative and it was pure pleasure to see what great ideas they came up with. Scarves, work-belts and book covers were obligatory and then they brought in their old clothes to dye with indigo. It was simply a wonderful time. I want to thank the students and other workshop leaders and the University folks for a very memorable time.
Living in a small mountain village just outside of Tokyo, I grow a crop of indigo every year and process the leaves into dye using traditional methods. I also breed silk moths, raise the silkworms and then reel/spin the silk from the cocoons. The silk is then dyed with natural dyes and finally woven on traditional Japanese looms. I run several ten-day live-in workshops a year at the old farmhouse here in Japan focusing on the Japanese use of indigo. Contact me for information.
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Workshop in Europe
The University of Liechtenstein's Architecture and Economics departments give their undergraduate and graduate students a chance to participate in a week-long course not related to their fields of study once a year. (Liechtenstein is a small Principality sandwiched between Austria and Switzerland. The Prince lives with his family in a castle above the main town.) There were ten other guest workshop leaders. A shoe maker, toy designer, a ceramist , furniture designer, print maker/archiver, and other very talented cool designers from other European countries taught. I was short on concept and words and we basically got straight to work indigo dying. The students were all exceptionally creative and it was pure pleasure to see what great ideas they came up with. Scarves, work-belts and book covers were obligatory and then they brought in their old clothes to dye with indigo. It was simply a wonderful time. I want to thank the students and other workshop leaders and the University folks for a very memorable time.
Dear Bryan. I just discovered this blog and I am following it. Can't wait to hear from you. Mo-
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