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.
Tuesday, 30 July 2013
Ten-Day-Workshops for Autumn 2013 and Spring are Full
Thank you for so many enthusiastic emails concerning the ten-day textile workshops and the longer term stays. I had to start turning people down yesterday. I originally figured I would have ten members per workshop but eight is a much easier number to handle. The logistics seem to hit the difficulty curve suddenly around seven. When talking to a group of people it is easier to make it interesting and keep the story going if you can keep eye contact. It is tough with twenty eyes.
The ten-day workshops are a lot of fun. I enjoy them and having the members as guests in my house. I want to enjoy the people and the teaching and not burn out. The basic content remains the same. Up until now the workshops have been fresh due to new faces and the different energy and hopes each participant brings. I don't want to strangle the fun out of it through over repetition.
The rainy season starts in June in the mountains here in Japan. This old farmhouse keeps me fighting to keep it looking fresh in good weather. Damp tatamis and stinky monsoon indigo make it impossible to win the battle. That makes tagging on an extra spring workshop tough. (And although I am dropping the ball my Florentine friend, I am praying I find the energy to get it bouncing again for June!)
OK. Thank you friends.
Bryan
PS. The lotus at the front door are blooming. I used some of Snoopy's bones when they came back from the pet crematorium for bone meal. Snoopy is paying us a visit. :"^.
Good, I started to worry...Love the lotus, and the memory of Snoopy.
ReplyDeletei will hopefully get some of those seeds:).
ReplyDeleteplease watch that burn out
the lotus is gorgeous, thank you Snoopy. do we get to see the flower when it opens?
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to believe that beautiful lotus has flowered from the muddy, watery pot ( especially as Geiger liked to drink the water! ) A lovely memorial for Snoopy.
ReplyDeleteIts so good to read your post on the happenings at the house. It almost feels like I'm there visiting for one of your classes.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered why Geiger continued to drink from the lotus pot then start to cough over and over. I guess that's his way of visiting and saying hi to snoopy.
Fabulous on the full classes. You rock, Bryan.
ReplyDeleteThere was no question where
Snoopy landed...back in your fold. Lovely.