ECO PRINTING ON SILK
Instructor: Theresa Brown
Date: September 30, 2023
Time: 9 am – 4 pm
Fee: $75
Participants: 8
Location: Highland Center Pavilion
Materials Cost: $25 Covers all equipment (turkey roasters, dowels,twine, baskets, scissors, paper dowels, latex gloves, plastic) mordants, plus 2 silk scarves, sheet of mordant instructions and a summary of steps.
Workshop Summary: Learn how to ecoprint on silk naturally and in color! Ecoprinting (also known as botanical printing) involves collecting leaves, plants and flowers to imprint their images directly upon protein fibers using a water bath process. Students will learn techniques to create beautiful, natural designs with colors drawn directly from nature on one silk scarf and then learn to combine a color background on their second silk scarf. At the end of the day, students will take home their silk ecoprinted scarves and the knowledge to continue Ecoprinting from nature's resources. Ecoprinting is a natural, sustainable art form.
Students should bring leaves from their area with emphasis on high tannin leaves such as oak, maples, rose, hickory, sumac and interesting weeds. Fun additional plants (usually store bought) are eucalyptus and colorful flowers such as carnations, gerber daises. No thick plants.
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Theresa Brown is a long-time professional portrait artist whose art career embraces many areas of the arts. Her years of printmaking and color work led her to explore the fiber arts. Using many similar skills and accumulated knowledge, she evolved as a hand painter and ecoprinter on natural fibers. She uses natural dyes and low impact synthetic dyes and merges them into unique, beautiful designs on silk, wool and even leather. She turns her transformed work into artisanal clothing, accessories, and art. Her articles and designs have appeared in international publications such as No Serial Number and Belle Armoire. She has been an instructor at many fiber art shows including Southeastern Animal Fiber Fest, Carolina Fiber Fest, Kentucky Sheep and Wool, and Michigan Fiber Fest.
About Theresa Brown
