Natural Dying & Indigo Workshops DEC 2013

Sign up NOW for 1 day workshops in DEC. 2013

Natural Dyes Colours & SAFE Mordanting!    
$85/class  sample fibres & dyestuffs included
Tuesdays/Mardi    10 & 17 Dec.   or/ou  Thursday/Jeudi   12 & 19 Dec.  11 am ->  3:30 pm    

INDIGO BYOF!  Bring your OWN Friends!!!  & FibresFabrics!!   Dye it Together!!
Bring your belle-mere!! Sisters! Friends!    
byofibres = $45/class  (discount for 2 or more sessions!) 
Various projects available for purchase & dyeing.   100% indigo dye vat included (1 dip)
Choice of 2 evening sessions!
Vendredi/Fri. Dec 13, 20  evenings: 6 – 9 pm (18 – 21 hrs) 
 Samedi/Sat.   Dec 7,   21   evenings:  4 – 7 pm
**DIT gift idea! we have a number of organic cotton baby onesies which can be purchased & are ready for you to make your own custom designs &  then do your indigo dyeing!
of course, with an organic dye vat all Fibres are subject to preparation & approval before dyeing,  some fibres may not be acceptable and recommendations can be made…

Indigo is the perfect natural UP-cycle dye!   These one-of-a-kind workshops will allow you to  learn how to prepare your own fibres for indigo dyeing in an organic natural reduction bath,  create simple Shibori-zome (hand-shaped resist, plangi..) patterns,  dip in a 100% indigo dye bath,  and then finish fibres as you wish!   Unique! Enviro-friendly!! Sustainable!!  Lovely!! 🙂

 

 

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SOUCCS en ville! 4 OCT! 5 – 8 pm 1 seule soirée! 1 nite only!

Valérie shows SOUCCS power to amazed Solar loving visitors at Chromatic 4e, May 2013, Founderie Darling, Vieux Montréal.

SOUCCS en Ville!     Vendredi/Friday 4 OCT 2013   5 – 8pm

a co-production with Studio XX!!     What can Solar power?! LIFE!

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enAvril 2013 26 Avr – 4 Mai @Espace Fibre

Ce à venir…. this to be created… Rêves nomades / Nomadic Dreams
a continuing exploration of the Indigo Griots project
      by:  Valérie d. Walker     

 

 

Après son exploration de l’immensité avec son 2500 pi2 labyrinthe d’installation Indigo Griots – Labyrinthe dans le cadre d’enAvril de l’année dernière, cette année, Valérie étudie les minutiae imprégnés dans les moments de création et l’examen des possibilités ..

Entités …… tenant sur la prise accidentelle…caché dans des espaces liminaires nous sauter par-dessus, sur le chemin de quelque part d’autre…. ce qui se passe si nous nous arrêtons et prenons un long regard sur l’autre? Entités arrêter dans m’atelier, s’arrêtant un instant ou deux … elles me toucher… sur leur chemin vers un autre Ètat  d’Ètre….

After her exploration of immensity with her 2,500ft2 indigo labyrinthe installation Indigo Griots – Labyrinthe in last year’s enAvril,  this year Valérie is examining  the minutiae imbued in moments of creation & consideration of possibilities…

Entities… … holding onto the incidental,  hidden in liminal spaces we skip over,  on the way to someplace else …..  what happens if we stop and take a long look at each other?   Entities stop by my studio, pausing for a moment or two…  touching me….. on their way to some other state of …. Being … 

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Indigo Griots Labyrinth…C:\\

Indigo Griots Labyrinth…C:\\ 

by Helene Brousseau

At the age of the internet we have a different consciousness of the human in some respects. The world becomes a global village. What happens to the Quebec identity in this new paradigm?

With the emergence of a culture that transcends nations, local culture is questioned. What is involved? Immigration, trade, social media? French, in Quebec, represents our roots, but in a society where the pace of technological advancement is exhausting which language takes the lead? Mandarin, JAVA, Spanish, English, C + +?

In the installation C: \ \ we explore aspects of Quebec’s identity through the juxtaposition of traditional crafts to new media. Embroidery, weaving and dyeing rub up against programming language and an interactive sound environment.

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EnAvril – EspaceFibre Activities

ESPACEFIBRE – EnAvril 2012

Galerie Valérie Schedule open
Merc/Weds. – Vendredi/Friday  1300  – 19:00
Sam/Sat  14:00 – 18:00
Dim/Sun  15:00 – 18:00
 by appointment at other times.

All our activities take place at EspaceFibre;  ( artist studios,  dye kitchen and gallery spaces)  located at: 2665 rue Augustin-Cantin,  Montreal, (QC)  H3K 1E2,   2nd floor,    www.espacefibre.com
Metro Charlevoix,   Green Line.

 

Activities Listed by Date:

 

April 4 – 30 Avril 2012

Exposition: Indigo Griots: Tales of an urban dyer – Montréal  by Valérie d. Walker. Indigo Griots: Montréal  is an intermedial (analogue -> digital and back again)  lattice of exhibition, performances, artist talks, workshops,  demonstrations and guided studio visits all taking place at EspaceFibre’s dye studios & exhibition space.

For more information follow this link

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April 7 Avril:  Guided artist-talk in gallery exhibition by Valérie D. Walker & Helene Brousseau.

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April 11 Avril 15:00 – 19:00:  Demonstration of natural indigo dyeing using various resist techniques by VDW or another Indigo Collective member, dye-vat studio space open to viewers,  (by donation).

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April 14 & 28 Avril, all day 9:00 – 17:00: Shibori & Indigo dyeing ateliers en Français by Nathalie Tremblay (see description). By reservation only,  cost  $120 (per workshop). 

 

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April 19 Avril, 16 – 21:00: Vernissage  ou  Moitissage  (jeudi / Thursday) ** Exposition opens at 4pm that day!

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April 21 Avril, All day  10:00 – 18:00:   Atelier,  Natural Indigo dyeing with silk & wool given by Valérie D. Walker, bilingual (see description of workshop).   By reservation only,  cost  $110 (plus silk&wool materials).

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April 25 Avril (this Date still To be Confirmed)   Atelier/demonstration of simple shiboro folding and indigo dyeing  for elementary school children given by Art Education student. 

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April 29 Avril:  Guided artist-talk in gallery exhibition by Valérie D. Walker & participating artists.

This Sunday is essentially our closing day, although we may take reservations for Monday, it’ll be back to reality after that!  Regular natural dyeing workshops begin in May!!


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Natural Indigo Dyeing with silk & wool Workshop by Valérie D. Walker

April 21 Avril, All day  10:00 – 18:00:   Atelier,  Natural Indigo dyeing with silk & wool given by Valérie D. Walker, bilingual (see description of workshop).   By reservation only,  cost  $110 (plus silk&wool materials).

 

 

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Indigo Griots: Tales of an urban dyer – Montréal by Valérie d. Walker

EspaceFibre:  En Avril 2012
April 4 – 30 avril 2012 / Exhibition: Indigo Griots: Tales of an urban dyer – Montréal  by Valérie d. Walker

Indigo Griots: Montréal  is an intermedial (analogue -> digital and back again)  lattice of exhibition, performances, artist talks, workshops,  demonstrations and guided studio visits all taking place at Espace Fibre’s dye studios & exhibition space, in Pointe Ste. Charles;  2 blocks from the Charlevoix metro, 1 block from the Lachine canal bicycle path.

The central threads of our presentation are the dyer’s obsession with the magic of colour and pattern;  how magic and personal stories are entwined with collective memory.   Our binding power is Indigo, elemental power, a diety so love-filled,  once Indigo grabs a’hold of a heart it never lets go.  Blending residue of Fire (Ash), Plant cakes, Water and Heat we try to catch Magic on our Cloth.

Valérie d. Walker in collaboration with Espace Fibre Artists Helene Brousseau, Natalie Tremblay and Jessica Lemus-Coto,  presents an immersive, large scale, Labyrinthine installation of Indigo dyed cloth-panels embedded with layered meanings.

In the labyrinthe are projections, onto cloth, of video extracts from the Indigo Griots, Minneapolis 2011,  performance featuring shakuhachi flute and “tellings” by Mr. Douglas Ewart, mixed with griots experiences in Montréal around the dye pots.

Galerie Valérie Schedule open
Merc/Weds. – Vendredi/Friday  1300  – 19:00
Sam/Sat  14:00 – 18:00
Dim/Sun  15:00 – 18:00
 by appointment at other times.

 

Overview:

The  Indigo-rooted natural dyeing experiences presented at EspaceFibre include:

⁃ An  exposition of Indigo dyed panels creating a sensorially immersive labyrinthe in the gallery

⁃ The labyrinthe performative videos which explore the power indigo-based stories and alchemy to hold cultural memories;

⁃  A total of three (3) Indigo dyeing workshops will be offered in EspaceFibre’s Sun-filled Dye-Kitchen.   The Indigo dyeing workshops will introduce various types of Indigo such as:  Japanese sukumo or Polygonum Tinctorium,  Bengali Living Blue Indigofera Tinctoria, and 100% micro-perl,  all using enviro-friendly, non-toxic methods of reduction and creation of an alkaline environment.   All natural dyes are sustain-ably produced and obtained via fair-trade relationships.

All activities take place at EspaceFibre;  ( artist studios,  dye kitchen and gallery spaces)  located at: 2665 rue Augustin-Cantin,  Montreal, (QC)  H3K 1E2,   2nd floor,    www.espacefibre.com
Metro Charlevoix,   Green Line.

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Indigo Dye Workshop with Valerie Walker:: Atelier de teinture avec l’indigo par Valerie Walker


Atelier de teinture avec Valerie Walker

Coût : 110 $ (tout compris excepté la laine)
Date: 
le samedi 26 novembre de 9h à 17h

Lieu : 2556 rue Augustin-Cantin, 2e étage

Détaille : chaque participant doivent amener 1/2 yard de laine naturel (‘Door Wool’ est préférable divisées en 3-4 pièces). 



On va expérimenter avec 2 cuves : un naturel et une biofermentation synthétique
Trois techniques seront montrés :

  1. La teinture basic
  2. Les motifs ‘Sitch’
  3. Les motifs acquirent par les plissages

Pour inscription ou information, contactez Valerie Walker, 514-794-1459 or indigo.val at gmail dot com.

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‘Enchantment’ Silk Paintings by Sekaï :: ‘Enchantement’ peintures sur soie de Sekaï

‘Enchantment’ Silk Paintings by Sekaï :: ‘Enchantement’ peintures sur soie de Sekaï

Exhibiton – 19 November to 26 November
Exposition – 19 novembre au 26 novembre

Opening Reception – Sat. Nov 19, 2011, 1pm-4pm
Vernissage – samedi, 19 novembre 2011, 13h à 16h

ESPACE FIBRE: 2665 rue Augustin-Cantin – second floor/2e étage (metro Charlevoix)

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Indigo Griots Colours Confluence!!

Surface Design Association 2011 International Conference in Minneapolis,  Minnesota, USA  started Tuesday 7  June 2011!!!

Tuesday 7 June:  1st day:  2 Hours after landing (thanks Bal-Kaz search team!!) in MSP (Minneapolis/St.Paul),  I was standing in Ceci’s lush and lovely garden!    Visited the pond,  baby plants, trees and territorial blackbirds drew a line in the lawn!   103F/39C heat ahhh!

Weds 8 June:   2nd day of Indigo Griots – Tales in Making an indigo vat celebrated with Cecile Margaret Lewis.   Big Day of Indigo Vat preparation, discussion, education,  colour samples and collection of hard wood ash from the Turtle Bread Company,  great space and food visit if you’tre in Minneapolis!      Collecting ash from a local business means we are able to re-use a valuable potential resource in what is considered a waste stream to the dump.   Turtle says money by having their trash reduced and we cleaned up the area, triple  win for them and the Indigo goddesses!

Creation of Natural wood ash alkaline proceeds well thanks to lots of stored rainwater around the garden!   pH 12!?   That’s good Asshh! 😉

What is a Griot some wonder?    Griots:  (gree-oh!): n.  A western Africa traveling  poet, performer, musicians  or storytellers whose function is to keep & perpetuate the oral traditions and history of a village or family.   Traditionally this oral history was the cultural knowledge repository of a community.  In the Mali Empire’s Mande Society this role is called jali.

Now what is this all for??

japanese indigo (polygonum tinct.)  in bloom

indigo from garden on cloth plants in Ceci's garden of colours

Indigo Griots features hands-on creation in a natural, local site entwined with story-sessions and dye-pots.   This unique exploratory installation & interactive performance will be presented for the first time in South Minneapolis, visit during Confluence’s run on Saturday June 11th &  Sunday June 12th at 4308 Oakland Ave. South,  Minneapolis.

Blending Ash, Plant-cakes, Water and Heat we catch Magic on our cloth.  Indigo is an elemental which grabs a’hold of a heart in search of perfect love and never lets go.    We meld dyer’s arts with plant-bacteria symbiosis, stirring, laughing, singing, breathing earth and fire.  We will share stories of magic & life as Urban North American, Multi-cultural artists, chanting primordial songs of community, transformation and joy.

Valérie d. Walker & Cecile Margaret Lewis, are creating an improvisational Indigo dye-shed immersive art experience featuring natural Indigo dyeing & story-sessions around the dye pots, at 4308 Oakland Ave South, Minneapolis MN 55407, USA. We will also explore the pond and natural environment across the road in this multi-ethnic Urban locale. We warmly invite all Confluence attendees and the public to visit and take part in creating new colorful stories.

Coaxing nature’s colours onto cloth in the old-ways, we re-learn how to care for and heal our Earth and transform our future. We will celebrate with surprise visits from sound artist & teacher Douglas Ewart  http://douglasewart.com/home.cfm during the public performance times.

Public Schedule for Indigo Griots :

Saturday 11 June:  11:30 am – 12:45 pm   & 5 – 7pm,  (watch us care for the indigo vat, share your stories!).

Sunday 12 June:  Dye-installation open to public from 2pm -> sunset (8:30pm).   Bring a well-washed, small amount cloth made of (cotton, silk, linen, hemp, rayon) to dip if the vat is ready for sharing!

Sunday is the final public presentation event,  the experience will continue on Monday morning with a closing ceremony of thanks.

Directions: From Radisson:  take 35W (south) to 46th street exit, turn Left onto 46th (easterly direction), go ~4 blocks then turn Left onto Oakland, 4308 is 3 blocks north.  Follow the cloth!

Indigo Griots thanks the Concordia University/CUPFA Professional Development Grant program for their support of this project.
Photo credits:  all photos by Cecile Margaret Lewis.

dye plants from Ceci's gardenindigo dyed, stitch-resisted images of hands and skulls, indigo dyed

 


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