Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: The Botanical Reclamation Project

Today, June 18th, we had such a special FEEDBACK FRIDAY treat with Guelph, Ontario based artist Anita Cazzola. Anita not only played banjo and sang our FEEDBACK FRIDAY theme song with her partner Sam, we got to hear her talk about her Botanical Reclamation project. Anita just launched her project which celebrates the resiliency of wild plants through naturally dyed textiles. The project also offers the community a chance to learn about local plant life, and the natural dye process through self-guided walks, weekly scavenger hunts, project livestreams, workshops, question and answer sessions, and artist talks with the help of … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Weaving Hand

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with Weaving Hand Founder, Cynthia Alberto. An artist, designer, and founder of the Brooklyn-based Weaving and Healing arts studio Weaving Hand, Cynthia Alberto seeks to bridge traditional and contemporary weaving techniques, drawing inspiration from ancient communities of Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Her artwork, performances, and public weaving projects honor traditional and artisanal techniques while also incorporating unconventional materials and a zero-waste philosophy. Throughout her artwork and teaching, Alberto continuously explores the many intersections between weaving and healing, as well as craft and sustainability. Watch the video here. NEXT WEEK: Join us June 18th, … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Mixed Color

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with Mixed Color Founder Christi Johnson. Christi’s textile studio is based in the foothills of the Catskills in New York. The studio provides functional pieces that are thoughtfully made, as well as serves as a platform to teach skills in sewing, embroidery, and natural dyeing so that others may do so themselves. Her book, Mystical Stitches, explores embroidery as a tool for personal empowerment and magical embellishment. Her online workshops explore stitching, clothing, and fibers as an opportunity for creative expansion and expression. Watch the video below: Check out the Mixed Color website here. And … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Alabama Chanin

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with Alabama Chanin founder and creative director, the amazing Natalie Chanin. We talked about Natalie’s design journey, a sense of place and Alabama Chanin’s seed to shelf/cottage industry business model, the design process and working with natural dyes, as well as thoughts on the future of making. Watch the video: With a background in environmental and industrial design, Natalie has worked for 20 years building sustainable practices and community values into the design and making process through her business. You can follow along with the storytelling behind all of this on the Alabama Chanin Journal … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Keith Recker

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY had us all captivated by the storytelling of color (and how we perceive it), with Keith Recker. In addition to sharing some of the natural dye and pigment stories included in his book True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes, Keith talked about how the human eye perceives color, and how color terms enter human languages around the world. Watch the video recording below: Keith Recker is President and co-founder of HAND/EYE magazine, a multidisciplinary journal of global handmade creativity. He is also a board member and Creative Director of the International Folk Art Market in … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: EILEEN FISHER Renew

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with Lilah Horwitz, Creative Director at EILEEN FISHER Renew about their amazing take back program. Did you know they have rescued over 1.5 million pieces of clothing since 2009, to be resold, donated or remade into new designs? We’re proud to have partnered with EILEEN FISHER Renew every Earth Day since 2014 on an indigo collection. This collection helps to support our business that uses nontoxic, biodegradable dyes and responsible dyeing practices and partners us with another sustainable business working to do good for both people and planet. It’s a win win. We were so … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Katrina Rodabaugh

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with artist, natural dyer and writer Katrina Rodabaugh who is just launching her third book Make, Thrift, Mend. Watch the recording here: Katrina gave inspiring insight into her path as an artist and natural dyer, how life becomes part of the process, (and how mendingoften represents that), ways we can rethink our clothing, and how natural dyes have been a big part of her Make, Thrift, Mend project. Links: Katrina’s website Katrina’s Instagram page Get her Make, Thrift, Mend and Mending Matters books here on our site. From the Katrina Rodabaugh Studios site: “I’m a … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Jennifer Steverson

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with Jennifer Steverson is a multidisciplinary artist, independent scholar and writer based in Austin, Texas. The agricultural and craft traditions of Black American culture is at the heart of her practice. Watch the video recording here: Jennifer’s site is newly up with lots more info to come but shop these beautiful risographs she talked about during her presentation. How can you find out more about The Great Migration and your town or city’s story? Start with local historical museums! The Sanborn Maps Jennifer used for research Interesting projects, books, film and organizations Jennifer said to check … Read more

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Ice Dyeing with Cara Marie Piazza

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY, (our 50th episode!) was on ice dyeing with natural dye high priestess Cara Marie Piazza. Watch the video recording here: Cara Marie Piazza creates one of a kind textiles only using natural dye stuffs such as botanicals, plant matter, minerals, non-toxic metals and food wastes. She treats her fabrics through alchemical dye sessions, ancient shibori techniques and bundle dyeing, transforming each textile into its very own story. She works with both designers and artists to realize their natural dyeing needs as well as creates custom pieces for private clients. Cara teaches workshops on natural dyeing (including … Read more

Construction Techniques with Aboubakar Fofana: Create a Pair of Stripcloth Trousers

Video From LIVE FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Indigo Master Dyer Aboubakar Fofana

This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with indigo master dyer and multidisciplinary artist Aboubakar Fofana. Aboubakar is based in Mali and France and updated us on his latest projects including cotton cultivation in Mali. He also talked about his indigo farm, exhibits and the workshops he is teaching with Botanical Colors this spring and summer. Watch the video recording here: Shop the Finimugu (Malian Strip Cloth) Aboubakar talked about and showed us beautiful images of here. If you don’t know indigo master dyer Aboubakar Fofana, he is a multidisciplinary artist and designer whose working mediums include calligraphy, textiles and natural dyes. … Read more