Feedback Friday Archives - Page 5 of 26

Video: FEEDBACK FRIDAY Hari Baru’s Japanese Zabutons

Our last FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with Godelieve Keulen, the founder of Hari Baru Paris. Godelieve’s background is as a fashion designer specializing in knitwear but all of her designs are inspired by natural dyes. We found her through Instagram and fell in love with her beautiful zabutons, Japanese sitting cushions traditionally used for sitting on the floor. Watch the video recording here. From Godelieve: “I became interested in natural dyes during my sabbatical leave of 9 months in Kyoto, Japan. My husband was working at the university there. I immersed my self in the local artisanal crafts which one of … Read more

Video: FEEDBACK FRIDAY Q&A With Botanical Colors’ Founder Kathy Hattori

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had Botanical Colors Founder Kathy Hattori. Kathy answered as many of your natural dye questions as she had time for (there were many)! Watch the recording below. FEEDBACK FRIDAY If you are not familiar with FEEDBACK FRIDAY, every week we speak with dyers, artists, scientists and scholars about our favorite topic, natural dyeing and color. Curated by Amy DuFault, Botanical Colors’ Sustainability and Social Media Director and presented by Botanical Colors’ Founder Kathy Hattori. We even have our own theme song thanks to musician Jimmie Snider (click here to hear more of his music)!

Video From Live FEEDBACK FRIDAY: MAIDA

This week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY, we welcomed Maida Branch, founder and director of MAIDA, a collective that supports the growth of Indigenous artists and preservation of their homelands through sustainable business practices. Watch the recording below. Maida Branch was born and raised in New Mexico and is of Pueblo, Ute, Genízara descent (Dilia & Mora, New Mexico) – her family has been living on Pueblo Territory since time immemorial. Inspired by her family and the land from which they came, she founded MAIDA in 2017 – a collective of Indigenous and Indo-hispano artists. Artists stories are told by Maida Branch … Read more

Video From Live FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Donna Brown of the Janice Ford Memorial Dye Garden

Our last FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with Donna Brown of the Janice Ford Memorial Dye Garden. Donna is a textile artist, natural dyer and teacher of natural dyes and it’s multiple possibilities for the past 30 years. Donna will tell the story of the Janice Ford Memorial Dye Garden at the Denver Botanic Garden which is a natural dye garden that she started in 2014. Watch the recording below. Donna has taught natural dyeing internationally and at institutions based in the United States, such as Penland School of Crafts and John C. Campbell Folk School. She is also a member of … Read more

Video From Live FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Sara Goodman

Our last FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with textile artist and natural dyer Sara Goodman whose textile background is pretty prolific including helping to get the Symplocos Project off the ground in Indonesia, serving on the Board of Directors of the Goodweave Foundation and teaching for decades the art of weaving and natural dyeing. Sara talked about her work and travels in pursuit of textiles around the world and now as Dye Studio Manager at New Hampshire based Sanborn Mills Farm’s being part of a team teaching traditional crafts and farming methods. Did we mention she also just co-founded the Northern New … Read more

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: In Baltimore’s Blue Light Junction Studio With Kenya Miles

Our last FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with Kenya Miles. Kenya is the artist and alchemist behind Traveling Miles Studio and founder of Blue Light Junction, a natural dye studio, alternative color lab, retail space, dye garden and educational facility in central Baltimore. In January 2022 Blue Light Junction opened its inaugural Ibura Art & Research Residency to support 6 individuals investigation and praxis in botanical color and medicine. Founded by textile artist, farmer, and natural dye practitioner Kenya Miles, Blue Light Junction focuses on growing, processing, and preserving the history of natural dyes and their artistic, practical, and commercial applications. Watch the … Read more

VIDEO From FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Jason Logan of Toronto Ink Company

Last week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had Jason Logan, Founder of The Toronto Ink Company. Jason looked at the many layers of meaning that ink can be and how that definition relates to the larger world of natural color and finding color in unlikely places. He also talked about working in, and with, and as a part of nature as an urban color forager. We also got to see some great sneak peeks of a film he is working on. Watch the recording below. Jason says: “Most importantly, this hour aims to embrace the opportunity to get a bunch of … Read more

Video From Live FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Artist Yasuna Iman

Our last FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had artist Yasuna Iman who uses art as a vessel for reflection. Based in Berlin, Yasuna (b.1995) is a multidisciplinary artist developing a visual abstract language on natural paper and wood, using handmade botanical pigments, rust, plants, and other raw materials sourced in the natural world. Yasuna says “We can learn to embrace our own fragility and fleetingness in the same way we are accustomed to celebrating them in the natural world.” Watch the video here: Links to connect with Yasuna: Website Mailing list sign-up Spotify profile with monthly playlists, music that inspires her work … Read more

Q & A: Round Up of Scouring + Mordanting 101

Mordanting and scouring should be at the top of your things-to-do list before natural dyeing. Botanical Colors Founder Kathy Hattori recently took on as many questions as was humanly possible to clarify the processes. Before reading, also please see our How-To Scour and How-To Mordant pages. Scouring Questions If I use untreated and unbleached fabric, is it a must to scour the fabric or is washing it enough? If you mean by “untreated” that it has never been scoured, then you should scour. If untreated and unbleached means it is also prepared for dyeing (PFD or RFD), then you can … Read more

Video From Live FEEDBACK FRIDAY: Making Green With Natural Dyes

This week on FEEDBACK FRIDAY we had Botanical Colors President Kathy Hattori show us how to make green with natural dyes. Using powdered fustic, weld, and as Kathy calls it, “a new crazy chlorophyll mixture,” she showed the versatility of our dyes to achieve colors maybe you’ve only dreamed of. Watch the video here: Recipes and suggestions -Dye mordanted wool and silk fibers in 10% fustic, then transfer to another dye bath with 10% Saxon Blue to get a vivid lime green -Dye mordanted cotton or linen fibers in 10% fustic, then transfer to another dye bath with 0.5% iron … Read more