Here I am with some of the colours I dyed during my artist's residency, June 2016, in Oaxaca, Mexico.
I learn't so much about using natural dyes during my time in Oaxaca, my teacher Elsa was wonderful. Elsa and her husband Eric, set up Taller Tenido de Mano, to preserve the tradition of dyeing with natural dyes, offering products and workshops to raise awareness of its importance today. They work closely with local weavers and international designers.
It's my dream to one day have a natural dye workshop of my own in Ireland, I would love to have a dye garden so that I could teach others how to extract the dye from the plant material. I enjoy embroidery and gardening, so it seems like the perfect way for me to combine two of my great loves. Here's to one day having the space to explore colour, nature and fabric.
Below are some images from my time on the residency.
Linen, wool, silk and cotton thread (before dye)
Drying out Granada skins to make the best yellow ever
Learning about mordants
Working outside at the studio in central Oaxaca
Colours achieved
Granada Skins
Granada skins - my biggest colour surprise