Maiwa On The Road

by - Friday, January 21, 2011

1:30 am Team Maiwa hits New Delhi, India.
 (L-R) Sophena Kwon, Charllotte Kwon, Dani Bush, Jane Stafford and Gale Anderson-Palm.
Behind the camera Tim McLaughlin.

In January 2011 we packed our bags for six weeks in India. On this trip Maiwa staff (Charllotte, Sophena, Dani and Tim) will be joined by a number of special guests.

 We flew out of YVR with Jane Stafford who runs Jane Stafford Textiles on Salt Spring Island. Jane has worked with Louet to design a portable loom and Louet has named it in her honour. The “Jane.” Jane has also taught a special workshop Weaving in the Maiwa Tradition for two years. This will be her first trip to India and she is particularly keen to meet some of the weavers from Bengal.

In Heathrow 5 we meet up with Gale Anderson-Palm. Gale is a weaver and indigo dyer who lives close to the B.C. Alberta border. On the day she left for Calgary to catch her flight it was -20 C.

In New Delhi we meet French natural-dye specialist Michel Garcia. Michel brings formidable knowledge of botany and dye chemistry. He is also a great resource for trouble shooting the dye process.

Michel Garcia looks through the garden at a road-side Dhaba.
There are a surprising number of dyeplants in this simple garden.

A quick six –hour drive down the India highways and we are at the Maiwa studio just outside Jaipur. Here we meet up with Mahesh and some of our Maiwa India artisans. At the studio are blockprinters, dyers, sewers, embroiderers, bandhani dyers and others. A bit of rest, some fresh-lime soda and we will soon be ready to begin work.
Make things as colourful and as ornate as possible - this seems to be the Indian motto.
A goods carrier truck with a hand painted sign requesting you to sound your horn as you pass so that he does not accidentally crush your car.




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2 comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 22, 2011 at 11:25 AM

    Wow! This is so fascinating! I can't believe I'm reading about everyone in India from Jane's studio here on Salt Spring. Very very excited to follow your posts and travel vicariously with you.

    Charlotte H.

    ReplyDelete
  2. india flintJanuary 22, 2011 at 7:37 PM

    the simple salt-lime soda, one of India's great delights...

    ReplyDelete

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