The vat of indigo dye starts off as a delicious hot chocolate brown with dark purple froth. When the fabric first enters, it is dyed a deep emerald green that literally shimmers in the light. As it contacts the oxygen in the air or water, it transforms into a beautiful clear blue. The more times it is dyed, the darker the blue.
Truly, it is like MAGIC!!!!
This is how it all starts. It's hard to believe such a plain looking material can produce such amazing results! Goes to show you shouldn't judge a dye by it's ingredients!
Doesn't it look DELICIOUS?! Blueberry Chocolate....YUM!
My first attempt at Shibori - a Japanse form of tie-dye.
Into the indigo vat it goes. The anticipation is thrilling. Who knows what the result will be?
It's like unwrapping a present with a wonderful surprise inside!
Caught BLUE handed!
I am absolutely in love with indigo - its ancient past and deviation away from the harsh chemicals used today.
Indigo blue can be the color of the sky on a clear day,
the frothy waves on the seashore
as well as the deepest depths of the ocean.
The smell reminds me of hay, sunshine, nature and animals;
I am transported back to my childhood spent in the stables among the horses I love.
The idea of natural dyes has fascinated me for a long time but always seemed out of reach. This experience is a taste of the reward at the end and I am determined to learn more about working with the ingredients I find all around me. My work often references my love for the environment and I refuse to be a hypocrite by poisoning the Earth with my art. I want my artwork to not only speak of the environment but be in harmony with it also.
Japanese indigo dyeing is incredibly special and different from all other countries. Read more about it here: http://www.kosoen.com/index.html
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