2012 Maiwa Textile Symposium Workshop. Registration opens June 25th at 10am

2012 Maiwa Textile Symposium Workshop. Registration opens June 25th at 10am

2012 Maiwa Textile Symposium Workshop. Registration opens June 25th at 10am

2012 Maiwa Textile Symposium Workshop. Registration opens June 25th at 10am

$395 (includes $90 lab fee) class limit 12
October 23-26 (Tue-Fri) 10am–4pm
Maiwa Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada



In January of 2011 Jane Stafford travelled to India with the Maiwa Foundation and had the great privilege of observing some of India’s finest Sari weavers. This workshop has been created based on the extraordinary pieces that Jane brought back.

Jane writes: “While there we ate delicious food, but the greatest feast was for the eyes. Everywhere I looked I saw magnificent coloured and textured saris. These magnificent pieces have inspired the menu of fabrics in this workshop.

“The main course will be supplementary warps used to create patterned borders on a bed of plain weave. The stripe is the side dish combined with double weave, and the whole meal is garnished with sequins.”

Come spend four days discovering one of Indias greatest delicacies ... the sari.

Indian sweets will be served daily, mmmm good!

Students in this workshop need to have solid weaving technique and an eight-shaft table loom. During the workshop students will migrate from loom to loom creating samples of six different fabrics. Students will receive their warps, weft materials, and detailed supply list one month prior to the workshop and must arrive with their looms fully dressed and ready to go.

Instructor Bios

Jane Stafford spent seven years at the Banff School of Fine Arts both studying and teaching textiles. In 1988 she moved to Salt Spring Island and opened her own business, Jane Stafford Textiles.

For many years Jane was a production weaver creating limited lines of mohair blankets and silk damask scarves and a line of chenille products. Jane loves to teach, and it has been her main focus for the last seven years. She regularly teaches and lectures throughout North America, sharing the knowledge she has gained over the past 32 years working as both a weaver and an educator. Her love of colour and her energetic enthusiasm shine through in all her classes and demonstrations. Passing on knowledge is her greatest joy.

Jane is also a consultant to Louet North America and with them co-designed the Jane Table Loom. JST also markets a large inventory of quality yarns, looms, books, and accessories for weavers and spinners. www.janestaffordtextiles.com

2012 Maiwa Textile Symposium Workshop. Registration opens June 25th at 10am

$395 (includes $80 lab fee) class limit 16
October 22-25 (Mon-Thu) 10am–4pm
Maiwa East, 1310 Odlum Drive, Vancouver, Canada



In this new and groundbreaking class, students will study the art of preparing natural dyes, tannins, and mordants so that they can be used for direct application.

The ability to mix and thicken natural dyes opens up many possibilities for creating designs on fabric that are simply not possible with immersion dyeing.

This class will unlock the power of ancient methods that have given traditional craftspeople the capability of delivering pattern and colour on fabric. A wide array of variations are also possible through the combinations of different mordants, tannins, dyes, overdyes, and dyebaths. Students will learn how these variations can shift the final colour. These useful techniques are like dye magic: making one dyestuff yield an impressive range of shades.

The workshop will combine direct application with appropriate patterning techniques such as block printing, stencilling, screen printing, shibori, and wax resist. The wonder of natural dyes will be enhanced by our choice of print material: natural fibres such as silks and cotton.

Instructor Bios

Anne Babchuk has been a resident instructor for the Maiwa Textile Workshops for the past 17 years. She has taught classes in a wide range of traditional and contemporary surface design processes. Some specialties are: natural dyeing and printing, indigo dyeing, shibori, block printing, and precision dyeing.

Anne studied fine art at Okanagan University. To fund her education she started her own home-based textile business. She feels her greatest education has come through working for Maiwa Handprints, taking workshops from world-class instructors, and travelling.

Currently she archives and maintains the Maiwa Textile Collection and Library. She is also a trustee of the Maiwa Foundation and co-ordinator for the Maiwa Textile Symposium.

Danielle Bush is on staff at Maiwa Supply and one of our newest instructors. Her career in textiles began with sewing and fashion studies at the University of the Fraser Valley. Upon completing courses in design, drawing, drafting, and construction, she was accepted to Maiwa Handprints to do a week-long practicum in the textile collection. In her words: “It changed my life.”

A veteran assistant for numerous workshops, Danielle is also the Maiwa sample dyer. In 2009 Danielle represented Maiwa at the ISS (shibori conference) held in France, and in 2011 she was a facilitator for the Maiwa Natural Dye Masterclass taught by Michel Garcia in Bengal, India. Showing a natural understanding and aptitude for dye techniques, Danielle is a welcome addition to our roster of instructors.

$195 (includes $40 lab fee) class limit 16
FIRST TIME October 19, 20 (Fri, Sat) 10am–4pm
SECOND TIME October 21, 22 (Sun, Mon) 10am–4pm
Maiwa Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada



Jan and Laxmi Duclos arrive from Hampi, India, to teach this workshop in the traditional embroidery technique of the Banjara. Known for bold colours, forceful designs, large mirrors, and the incorporation of lead, silver, and cowrie shell ornaments, Banjara stitchwork is easily identified. It is powerful work that reflects the strength of the culture that makes it.

In this two-day workshop students will learn mirror binding (fixing the mirror to the cloth), decorative stitches, border stitches, and running stitches. Participants will also be guided through geometric motifs, layout, and colour choices. Laxmi, a member of the Banjara community, will explain the significance of these elements and the part they play in the fabric of Banjara culture.

Jan and Laxmi run the Surya’s Lambhani Women Welfare Trust (Surya’s Garden) in Hampi, India. This may be the only opportunity in North America to work directly with a member of the Banjara community.

$225 (includes $80 lab fee) class limit 14
October 19-21 (Fri) 7–10pm, (Sat, Sun) 10am-4pm
Maiwa East, 1310 Odlum Drive, Vancouver, Canada



This intensive three-day workshop is the perfect entry into the fascinating art of achieving colour on fabric. It is designed to be a clear and thorough introduction to the (sometimes intimidating) world of dye types and procedures.

Through a series of complete hands-on projects, students will be guided through the dye process and will gain an understanding of scouring, assists, and resists. They will also learn the advantages and strengths of the different dye types such as fibre-reactive, acid, and natural dyes. A key component of this workshop will survey the different types of fabrics, and special consideration will be given to the understanding of natural fibres.

Bio

Natalie Grambow has an extensive background in design, teaching, and textile arts. An accredited Interior Designer, she spent many years in Ottawa working within the architectural design field and teaching Design Theory. Natalie’s first deep exploration of textiles began during her Visual Arts/Photography studies at the University of Ottawa when she experimented with non-silver techniques of transferring photographic imagery onto cloth. She subsequently studied at the École d’Impression Textile à Montréal and later travelled to Asia and Latin America where she spent six months learning to weave with local Mayan weavers in Guatemala. Shortly after completing the Textile Arts program at Capilano College in 2001, she was awarded the BC Craft Association’s Award of Excellence. Natalie has developed a line of naturally dyed and printed fabrics and has been commissioned by such clients as the city of North Vancouver (to present an artist’s vision of North Vancouver on fabric).

$175 (includes $10 lab fee) class limit 18
October 18 (Thu) 10am–4pm
Maiwa Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada

Photo Chris Court

Join international stylist, designer, and author Sibella Court for a full day of intimate conversation. Sibella returned to her native Australia after a 10-year stint in New York where she opened a new store, The Society Inc., and began work on her bestselling books. She has most recently published her third title.

Sibella will introduce herself, her work, and her projects. She will outline and discuss her process of imagining and designing a space—including the editing process of addition and subtraction. Sibella will also teach her 10-colour palette.

Sibella will show you how to create your own palette using your own inspiration and your travels. Through demonstrations and discussion she will show how to display the things you love–but are not sure what to do with! Sibella will introduce and explain how to create a story board or story box and translate a colour palette into interiors, product lines, or other areas.

Bio

Sibella Court is an interior stylist and creative director: from vision and concept through to direction and creation. Her most recent spaces include El Loco, 30 Knots, Upstairs at the Beresford, MsG’s, York 75, Bistrode CBD, and Private Dining at Ivy.

After 10 years living and working in New York, she returned home to Sydney, Australia, to launch her brand and shop: The Society Inc. Her store is home to hardware, haberdashery, and treasures collected while adventuring into terrains less trodden.

In New York she has styled for Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, Saks on Fifth Ave, Pottery Barn, Target, Anthropologie, and West Elm. Publications showing her work include Gourmet, Marie Claire, and Vogue Living. Her other projects include a nail polish line, hardware design, and a 110-colour paint range.

She has accumulated over twenty years of global inspiration from frequent trips to South East Asia, India, Europe, the Middle East, the United States, Central America, and Australia. She travels alone and with the Anthropologie inspiration team.

Sibella is also a best-selling author. Her award-winning titles include: Etcetera: Creating Beautiful Interiors with the Things You Love, The Stylist’s Guide to NYC and Nomad: A Global Approach to Interior Style. She has written extensively for publications such as CountryStyle, Grazia, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vogue Living.

$295 (includes $75 lab fee) class limit 16
October 17-19 (Wed-Fri) 10am–4pm
Maiwa East, 1310 Odlum Drive, Vancouver, Canada



This workshop presents an ecologically sound, non-toxic way to work with indigo. It is not about how to get the famous blue dye to yield the colour green!

Discover the magic and delve into the mystery of indigo, one of the oldest and most influential dyes. Participants will set up an indigo dye bath using a simple ecological formula suitable for studio use. Barbara will introduce basic indigo dyeing procedures and resist techniques. Students will prepare cloth for dyeing and experiment in resist dyeing and printing (or painting) with thickened indigo. By the end of the workshop, students will have a set of dyed and printed indigo samples, several sustainable-indigo-dyed objects, and the knowledge to use this magic dye with a “green” formula suitable for the home studio. Alternate recipes will be discussed.

The class will introduce students to the historical, economic, and cultural significance of indigo’s long history, from its beginnings in India and the ancient world to the role it played in the spice trade and on the Silk Road.

Suitable for all levels of experience.

Bio

Barbara Shapiro has been creating textile art for decades. She combines a rich knowledge of historical and ethnic textiles with broad technical experience in weaving, dyeing, and basketry. After being involved in the San Francisco Art to Wear movement in the ’70s and ’80s, Barbara shifted her focus to textile art. She teaches frequent workshops and classes at San Francisco State University. A board member of the Textile Society of America, she also serves on the Textile Arts Council of the Fine Arts Museums of San Franscisco and is a docent at the Museum of Craft and Folk Art. For many years she has specialized in indigo dyeing and has taught many students the “Greener Indigo” formula that is safer and more ecological than common chemical formulas. She is a frequent contributor to textile publications, and her wall pieces and baskets have been widely exhibited throughout the USA and in Canada, France, England, Ireland, Japan, and Israel.

$150 (includes $30 lab fee) class limit 14
October 16 (Tue) 10am–4pm
Maiwa Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada


“Do you want to understand the creative process better or learn to see your work in a new way? Through a slide lecture of my own creative process and development, three creative hands-on projects, and class discussions, we will explore what moves us, what we are attracted to, and how that influences the work we do. Our aim is greater and more personal artistic creativity. Each of us works intuitively in a different way, and when we learn to better know our likes and strengths, our artwork blossoms. Inspiration can come from materials, techniques, or concepts. We will explore each of these in turn and share what we learn about the artist within us. The class will include one exercise in plaiting, but no previous experience is necessary.”

Bio

Barbara Shapiro has been creating textile art for decades. She combines a rich knowledge of historical and ethnic textiles with broad technical experience in weaving, dyeing, and basketry. After being involved in the San Francisco Art to Wear movement in the ’70s and ’80s, Barbara shifted her focus to textile art. She teaches frequent workshops and classes at San Francisco State University. A board member of the Textile Society of America, she also serves on the Textile Arts Council of the Fine Arts Museums of San Franscisco and is a docent at the Museum of Craft and Folk Art. For many years she has specialized in indigo dyeing and has taught many students the “Greener Indigo” formula that is safer and more ecological than common chemical formulas. She is a frequent contributor to textile publications, and her wall pieces and baskets have been widely exhibited throughout the USA and in Canada, France, England, Ireland, Japan, and Israel.

$250 (includes $50 lab fee) class limit 18
October 15, 16 (Mon, Tue) 10am–4pm
Maiwa East, 1310 Odlum Drive, Vancouver, Canada



Dyers can spend years mastering the quirks and personality of a specific indigo dye vat. Indigo has a reputation for being the master of the dyer and sometimes it keeps its magic to itself.

Michel Garcia comes to the vat with a fresh perspective. A background in botany and chemistry and an intense knowledge of colourants combine with his eagerness to share information. During this workshop, some new possibilities for making a natural vat will be presented using henna, dates, figs, pears, or grapes as reagents. Students will be able to easily establish a fast natural vat that can be used to dye any natural fibre.

The natural or organic vat can be fed and maintained with many things. The vat can also be maintained and revitalized through natural ingredients. Students will gain an appreciation of the mechanics of the vat and move beyond any single recipe. Students will leave with a thorough knowledge of the indigo process and will be able to select the appropriate vat to match their technique.

Bio

Michel Garcia is a French national born in Morocco. He was nineteen when he first discovered natural dyes. Since then he has followed his love of both plants and pigments. In 1998 he formed the association Couleur Garance (Madder Colour). The association hoped to connect young ecologically sensitive artisans with the substantial expertise of an older generation of dyers. Under his direction, Couleur Garance produced over twenty monographs on natural dyes and dye plants.

In 2002 Michel founded the Botanical Garden of Dye Plants at the Château de Lauris. In 2003 an international forum and market for natural dyes was added. A year later a resource centre was established.

In 2006 Michel handed over leadership of Couleur Garance so that he could further pursue his interest in colour and dye techniques. He has published three titles on natural dyes showing the range of shades available and how to obtain them.

Michel teaches and advises internationally on natural colours and dyes.

$395 (includes a $75 lab fee) class limit 18
October 12-14 (Fri-Sun) 10am–4pm
Maiwa East, 1310 Odlum Drive, Vancouver, Canada



This class was the most talked-about workshop of 2011. Michel Garcia’s deep knowledge of dye chemistry is communicated in metaphor, humour, and wit. Students learn not only what happens with dyes but why. A founder of the Botanical Garden of Dye Plants in Lauris, France, Michel returns to share some special techniques for dyeing and printing with extracts.

The difficulties of using powdered dyestuff (such as a high concentration of madder root) can be avoided altogether if the dyer makes an extract. An extract also presents a wealth of opportunities as it can be applied directly to a piece. In this workshop students will make different soluble extracts and use them to immersion-dye natural fibres both as a primary colour and as the basis for a second over-dyed colour. The class will use extracts to print directly onto cotton using blocks and paintbrush.

Printing with extracts can be expanded to mordants and mordant/dye combinations. Thickening techniques will be covered so that the student learns to make the dye the right consistency for the technique.

Bio

Michel Garcia is a French national born in Morocco. He was nineteen when he first discovered natural dyes. Since then he has followed his love of both plants and pigments. In 1998 he formed the association Couleur Garance (Madder Colour). The association hoped to connect young ecologically sensitive artisans with the substantial expertise of an older generation of dyers. Under his direction, Couleur Garance produced over twenty monographs on natural dyes and dye plants.

In 2002 Michel founded the Botanical Garden of Dye Plants at the Château de Lauris. In 2003 an international forum and market for natural dyes was added. A year later a resource centre was established.

In 2006 Michel handed over leadership of Couleur Garance so that he could further pursue his interest in colour and dye techniques. He has published three titles on natural dyes showing the range of shades available and how to obtain them.

Michel teaches and advises internationally on natural colours and dyes.

$50 class limit 25
October 11 (Thu) 10am–4pm
Maiwa East, 1310 Odlum Drive, Vancouver, Canada


Michel Garcia’s workshops and lectures generate many questions—both for seasoned dyers and for the non-specialist. And so this year, by popular demand, we have introduced a special one-day question and answer workshop.

Michel Garcia arrives from France to explore a wide range of topics all related to natural dye botany and chemistry. Looking for more information on the role of tannins and mordants? Wondering why intense and brightly coloured things like beet-juice and flower petals can’t be used as dyes? Curious about the role that dye molecules play in the life of the plant? Or do you need more information on a topic that Michel has touched on in a previous workshop? This is the time and place to get answers from one of the sharpest minds working with natural colourants today.

Prerequisite: Students must have attended one of Michel Garcia’s workhops.

Bio

Michel Garcia is a French national born in Morocco. He was nineteen when he first discovered natural dyes. Since then he has followed his love of both plants and pigments. In 1998 he formed the association Couleur Garance (Madder Colour). The association hoped to connect young ecologically sensitive artisans with the substantial expertise of an older generation of dyers. Under his direction, Couleur Garance produced over twenty monographs on natural dyes and dye plants.

In 2002 Michel founded the Botanical Garden of Dye Plants at the Château de Lauris. In 2003 an international forum and market for natural dyes was added. A year later a resource centre was established.

In 2006 Michel handed over leadership of Couleur Garance so that he could further pursue his interest in colour and dye techniques. He has published three titles on natural dyes showing the range of shades available and how to obtain them.

Michel teaches and advises internationally on natural colours and dyes.

$250 (includes $65 lab fee) class limit 14
October 12- 14 (Fri-Sun) 10am–4pm
Maiwa Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada


Due to intense demand the Creative Studio has been expanded to a three-day workshop.

This is one of our most inspiring and creative workshops. So much so that we have students who have taken it more than once. Students come to answer the question: How can creativity be tapped, mined, or made to flow when we need it most? In this original workshop, students will travel on an exploratory adventure, discovering techniques and letting go of assumptions that may hold them back.

The class will provide a wealth of images, sounds, and sensory inspirations. These will be combined with a variety of studies exploring the elements and principles of creative design. Such ideas as balance, symmetry, harmony, contrast, unity will provide a toolbox that may be opened to understand both what we like about an artwork and what we want to work toward in our own work.

Using collage, image deconstruction, mono-printing, writing, and drawing, students will learn to narrate their stories incorporating personal references and applying design principles. Students will leave the workshop with a creative journal, the beginning of their ongoing artistic journey, as well as a series of small textile art pieces.

BIO

Natalie Grambow has an extensive background in design, teaching, and textile arts. An accredited Interior Designer, she spent many years in Ottawa working within the architectural design field and teaching Design Theory. Natalie’s first deep exploration of textiles began during her Visual Arts/Photography studies at the University of Ottawa when she experimented with non-silver techniques of transferring photographic imagery onto cloth. She subsequently studied at the École d’Impression Textile à Montréal and later travelled to Asia and Latin America where she spent six months learning to weave with local Mayan weavers in Guatemala. Shortly after completing the Textile Arts program at Capilano College in 2001, she was awarded the BC Craft Association’s Award of Excellence. Natalie has developed a line of naturally dyed and printed fabrics and has been commissioned by such clients as the city of North Vancouver (to present an artist’s vision of North Vancouver on fabric).

$75 class limit 18

October 11 (Thu) MORNING 10am–1pm or
October 11 (Thu) AFTERNOON 2am-5pm
Maiwa Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada



In this workshop, American filmmaker Mary Lance will show excerpts from three of her documentaries, Blue Alchemy: Stories of Indigo, Agnes Martin: With My Back to the World, and Diego Rivera: I Paint What I See. With location photographs and some outtake footage, she will explore three main ideas:

1) How a documentary project begins: Knowing the difference between a subject that interests you and one that you will spend years exploring.

2) How the project moves from inspiration to production: Development, research, finding people and locations, shooting.

3) How the story develops and comes to life in editing.

Images from her work in Mexico, Japan, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria, El Salvador, and other countries will be used throughout.

www.newdealfilms.com

As a Symposium Event Blue Alchemy will be shown at the Ridge Theatre.

$195 (includes $50 lab fee) class limit 16

October 9, 10 (Tue, Wed) 10am–4pm
Maiwa East, 1310 Odlum, Vancouver, Canada



Blockprinting is an efficient and artistic means of applying repeat elements to both fabric and paper. The process introduces slight variations that add character with each impression. The fluid and easy placement of imagery allows the personality of the artisan to shine through.

Join us in this fascinating workshop as we explore the design potential of blockprinting with Setacolor fabric paints. The exploration of positive and negative space and complex repeat patterning is a strong focus. For inspiration we will bring in Maiwa’s large collection of blocks and blockprinted textiles.

Students will have the opportunity to print with exquisite hand-carved wooden blocks from India. Experience the intricacies of their complicated repeats and learn about overlaying blocks. Enjoy this opportunity to connect with craftspeople and traditions that have existed for centuries.

Students will also design, carve, and print with a versatile material called “Speedy Cut” as well as create blocks out of found items. Students will complete a project and a comprehensive reference book filled with creative ideas and samples. Anne will discuss the difference in approach between printing with natural dyes and synthetic dyes.

$395 (includes $100 lab fee) class limit 16

October 1-4 (Mon-thu) 10am–4pm
Maiwa East, 1310 Odlum, Vancouver, Canada



What magic does the dyer use to coax colour from nature? Throughout the world this knowledge was guarded carefully, and learning the art often involved elaborate ceremonies and traditions. To this day, natural dyeing retains the same air of mystery and exotic intrigue that has compelled artists and craftspeople for centuries.

Charllotte Kwon’s passionate study of natural dyeing techniques has led her to visit and work with cultures around the world. In this workshop she shares her vast knowledge of natural dye history and use. In addition Charllotte offers insight into her own in-studio processes and demonstrates how to get the most from a range of dyes and fabrics. The student will obtain a good technical understanding of the mordanting processes and the varied uses of such dyes as indigo, cochineal, madder, fustic, and many others. Gorgeous Turkey reds, indigo blues, and Indian yellows are just a few of the colours achieved as students work on cotton, silks, wools, and linen.

The full spectrum of more than 80 rich colours dyed in class will form a source book for each student. These books are a great inspiration and reference for years to come. Students will also complete several natural-dye projects. A variety of shibori techniques will be used and then dyed with natural indigo.

This popular class has now been expanded to four full days.

This is a practical workshop with many vats and some lifting. As we like to put it: if you can get your suitcase on an international flight—you should be fine.

$595 (includes $150 lab fee) class limit 16

October 1-5 (Mon-Fri) 10am–4pm
Maiwa Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada



A full five days devoted to the in-depth study of colour will release your creative genius. The Colour Institute will cover colour perception, aesthetics, dynamics, theory, and use. Working from diverse historic and cultural sources, this class moves through classical concepts of colour to ideas of contemporary artistic and designer practice. The workshop will conclude with insight into the world of colour forecasting and the development of colour trends.

Michele joins us from Seattle to explain how methodologies such as colour bridging, composition, and creation may be learned and mastered. Colour systems such as NCS and Pantone will be presented. Theories developed by Johannes Itten, Josef Albers, and Albert Munsell will provide the tools to understand the chromatic realm with specific reference to textiles. Students will learn how colour functions in various environments and how it interacts both with other colours and with components such as texture and lighting. The Colour Institute will include exercises performed on yarns, cloth, colour chips, paintings, and drawings. Students will learn how to problem-solve colour mistakes and develop a deep understanding of value and saturation and how these affect finished work. As sessions progress, the focus will shift to student design problems and challenges. Students will apply the concepts of the class to their own work.

This inspired class is a must for designers, artists, or anyone interested in the complex world of perception, meaning, and interpretation behind the use of colour.

Bio

Michele Wipplinger is president of Earthues Inc., an international colour and design consulting company specializing in ecology and the artisan. She has over 30 years’ experience in the field of natural design and ecological process, with an emphasis on natural dyes. She lectures worldwide and creates an exclusive line of silk shawls hand-painted with natural dyes.

Michele has been a consultant in Nepal for the development of colour and natural-dye processes for the Tibetan hand-woven carpet industry. She has developed products and consulted on colour for Aveda, Origins, Martha Stewart Living, Esprit, Terra Verde, and Nature Conservancy. Michele is on the Executive Board of Directors for Colour Marketing Group and received the United Nations award for her environmental stewardship on the development of an ecological natural-dye process for the American textile industry.

www.earthues.com

$395 (includes $100 lab fee) class limit 12

September 28-30 (Fri-Sun) 10am–4pm
Maiwa East, 1310 Odlum Drive, Vancouver, Canada


Encaustic—the use of heated beeswax mixed with pigments—opens up a vast new territory for exploration when combined with textiles.

In this mixed-media encaustic workshop students will gain a thorough knowledge of the encaustic technique. Participants will learn the basic materials and formulas used in encaustic, proper safety procedures, and the preparation of appropriate supports and grounds.

Techniques will be taught sequentially and build upon one another. Demonstrations include: image transfers, metallic leafing, collage, line, edge, and three-dimensional work. This workshop is an exciting opportunity to expand your visual vocabulary with wax.

Encaustic has texture and translucency beyond your wildest dreams! It is an amazingly versatile art medium and is truly the glue that will allow you to use all the materials you’ve been collecting for years.

All skill levels are welcome.

Daniella arrives from California where she is a principal of Wax Works West, a school for the encaustic arts.

daniellawoolf.com/

$295 (includes $70 lab fee) class limit 12

September 27-29 (Thu-Sat) 10am–4pm
Maiwa Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada


One of our most popular classes—the demand for professional bookbinding instruction has been overwhelming. As more people have seen the exquisite books created in these classes, interest has grown considerably.

On the first day students will practice fundamental binding techniques, including Japanese stab binding, corner treatments, the pamphlet stitch, the use of book cloth, and single signature procedures.

As the workshop progresses, students will be taken through the steps of making a 6” x 7” hardcover book using more advanced techniques: cloth covers, sewing signatures, interleaf pages, hinges, linen tapes, and headbands. The books become personalized through add-in techniques such as sewn-in envelopes, specialty papers, block printing, insertions, and pockets. A wide variety of handmade and commercial papers will be used for the final project.

Bio

Gaye Hansen is the maker of books of exceptional beauty that contain intriguing wonders. She has an extensive background in bookbinding and the textile arts and has taught our popular bookbinding courses for the last five years. She is also a master weaver who has taught weaving workshops for over 30 years. In 2002 she was chair of the Convergence Conference of the Hand Weavers Guilds of America. She has also been active with the Vancouver Weavers and Spinners Guild and is author of five best-selling Canadian cookbooks.

$195 (includes $50 lab fee) class limit 12

September 25, 26 (Tue, Wed) 10am–4pm
Maiwa Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada


This class is a good foundation and a wonderful introduction to the world of handmade books. Students will encounter a wide breadth of bookbinding techniques not found in our other class, The Art of Bookbinding.

Bookbinding Basics is a must for anyone interested in keeping a paper record or a bound journal. A wide variety of materials will be incorporated into the book projects: decorative papers, mounting film, book cloth, fabrics, book boards, text pages, linen threads, and more.

This two-day class introduces the participants to basic bookbinding terms and techniques. The class includes corner treatments and the use of book cloth and end papers. Participants will also learn how to create and sew signatures in different ways. Students will learn about accordion books, simple journals, and the open-spine book.

Enter a new paper-bound world of creativity.

$495 (includes $90 lab fee) class limit 14

September 24-27 (Mon-Thu) 10am–4pm
Maiwa East, 1310 Odlum, Vancouver, Canada



This four-day intensive workshop will cover exciting felting techniques with the goal of producing lightweight and durable shoulder wraps.

Jorie Johnson (who has spent twenty years living in Kyoto, Japan, authored a series of books on felting, participated in international gallery exhibitions, and been featured in numerous fibre and art magazines) returns this year to lead students through the incredible potential of the felted world.

Participants will learn flat braiding and repeat patterning methods as well as washing and brushing techniques. They will also learn how to integrate auxiliary fibres such as lace and fabric strips. The process of combining fabrics through fulling will be taught. Students will learn edge-finishing techniques, consider one- and two-sided designs, and experiment with dye methods to add colour and achieve colour effects.

The class will work with substrates of different materials that permit felting to achieve new structural forms.

Beginning with techniques, studies, and samples, participants will move at their own pace into a unique independent project.

Jorie joins us from Japan to teach this workshop.
www.joirae.com

$495 (includes $65 lab fee) class limit 12

September 21-24 (Fri-Mon) 10am–4pm
Maiwa Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada


Students of all levels can explore imagery and surface design using freestyle machine embroidery. Emphasis will be on creating a surface saturated with layers of thread. Individual styles of “markmaking” through shading, hatching, and visually mixing thread colours will be stressed. This course does not use computerized sewing machines.

After a few exercises designed to help understand the process, the class will begin work on individual projects. Students will create a design, sketch their design on cotton canvas with acrylic paint, then proceed to develop their idea with thread. No painting skills are necessary as the paint only serves as a guide for stitching. Students may work with fabric collage and/or dissolvable stabilizers and may use other materials if they wish.

Carol will teach her technique for applying a heat-transfer image to fabric for the purpose of freestyle machine embroidery and will bring a selection of images already printed.

Techniques for accommodating large pieces, tips for troubleshooting, and options for finishing and mounting will be discussed. There will be informal discussions about developing ideas and evaluating work. Students may work either three-dimensionally or two-dimensionally.

Students need a sewing machine in good working order. The machine should be able to lower its feed dogs and needs a darning or a freestyle embroidery foot.

Carol will also present a lecture.

www.carolshinn.com

$450 (includes $70 lab fee) class limit 14

September 19-22 (Wed-Sat) 10am–4pm
Maiwa East, 1310 Odlum, Vancouver, Canada


In this four-day workshop participants will learn different methods for designing unique fabrics. On the first day students are given an initial image to use as inspiration. Through experimentation with painting, drawing, and other creative techniques, students will acquire the knowledge and skills to be able to translate ideas into distinctive textile designs.

An experienced weaver who spent many years designing fabrics and yarns for industry, Misao prizes creativity and originality. Rather than imparting new weaving techniques or copying existing patterns, Misao will teach students to master the creative process itself. Participants will complete the workshop with the confidence to develop an initial design image into a woven sample. Misao is joined by fellow weaver and teacher Chisako Hisamatsu for this workshop.

Misao hopes this workshop will be an inspiration for beginners as well as experts and is confident that participants will discover unlimited possibilities for creating original work.

Note: the comprehensive presentation of Misao’s development and work takes place in her lecture A Life in Weaving (Sept. 18). Misao has asked that the lecture form a pre-requiste for this course. Students must bring their own rigid heddle or multi-harness table loom and a warping board.

$250 (includes $55 lab fee) class limit 15

September 18-20 (Tue-Thu) 10am–4pm
Maiwa Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada



This very popular workshop has been expanded to three full days.

Are you a textile enthusiast wanting to add stitch for embellishment? If so, this is the workshop you won’t want to miss. The stitches you’ll learn are those known across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. They have passed between families and persisted for generations.

This fast-paced workshop will introduce a long list of traditional embroidery stitches. As the class progresses, emphasis will shift to variations and combinations of these stitches with experimentation leading to a means of personal expression. For those interested in shisha mirrors, we will study the art of attaching mirrors to fabric with thread.

Threads will be available in a variety of weights and textures. A variety of background materials will also be available to try. The class will make small samples that can be placed in a book along with documentation for future reference. Students will leave the workshop with the confidence to add embellishment to their work and to create textures and patterns allowing for self-expression in thread.

Yoko and Kazuho Kano arrive from Japan. They will aslo give a noren workshop and a lecture. There will be a noren exhibit in September.