Shibori Indigo Dyeing Class

Kentaro’s background as an artist:
I am actually a stone sculptor by training. But, because my father was a student of natural dyes, I was exposed to the art from a early age. Also, my mother was a weaver and had studied Guatemalan weaving extensively, so that had influenced my aesthetics as well. It didn’t hurt that I grew up in Guatemala, where the traditional weaving is very active and people wear their huipils daily.

My father was instrumental in bringing back Indigo growing as an industry in Salvador. After years of teaching, sometimes 100 classes a month, and balancing the demands of the crafts people and the farmers, he had put together a natural dye conference of sorts in Salvador. Years later, when he was visiting me in Seattle, he asked if I could contact Kathy, the most prominent natural dyer in Seattle at the time. Fast forward several more years and Kathy calling me to see if I could help Botanical Colors with Indigo dyeing. After I started with Botanical Colors, I realized that natural dyes were FASCINATING! I still can’t put my finger on why I find it so intriguing, but it is and I am running with it.

Shibori is a traditional Japanese method of dyeing fabric with indigo after folding and binding the fabric in particular ways to reveal really beautiful patterns.

‍The Instructor, Kentaro Kojima, will provide all the materials needed for the class, except for what you want to dye.