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Shibori Silk Part 2

Shibori Silk Mandalas

Following the successful Silk Shibori and dyeing workshop in Ilkley on Saturday 9 July, the students returned for more Shibori on silk. This time they created beautiful Mandala patterns by folding, twisting and wrapping square silk scarves to form radiating patterns.

Shibori Mandala Scarf

Mandalas are really quick and easy to make and everyone enjoyed the "instant" results. 

Silk dyed Mandala scarf

The second part of the workshop was dedicated to forming patterns through stitch. The students made samples of Ori Nui patterns including Kanoko (wrapping small objects) Mokumi (stitching in lines) and Karamatsu (stitching circles).

Karamatsu silk sample

Ori Nui silk sample

Once they were happy with their designs and colour selection each student made a long silk scarf with Ori Nui techniques. This was an intensive one day workshop but the results were well worth the effort.

Stitching Silk

Leeds City College will be delivering a one day Shibori Silk Workshop at The Arts Factory in Keighley, West Yorkshire on Saturday 5 November 2011 from 10am to 3pm. To find out more about this workshop and their exciting programme of arts based learning at The Arts Factory contact Jo Whitehead on 01535 685060 or email Jo.whitehead@leedscitycollege.ac.uk

Artists in Schools

Painting Silk

Artists in Business is committed to delivering great art projects in partnership with schools and community groups in West and North Yorkshire.
We recently sent one of our artists to work with parents and staff from Haworth Primary and Iqra Primary schools to create two silk painted wall hangings.

Bronte Parsonage & Hawoth Main Street

The brief was to design a banner for the Iqra Primary School with images of Haworth and a banner for Haworth Primary School with images of Bradford. The artist placed the scenes in windows surrounded by Islamic inspired designs and patterns. 

Bradford City Centre

All art work was drawn out in permanent marker pen onto layout paper before being transferred onto the silk with gutta resist. The silk was stretched onto wooden frames ready for the participants to paint. 

Lower Laithe Reservoir

Seventeen parents and staff from both schools took part in the activity of painting the silk and, once they had been given some basic instruction, worked together. The workshop was so much more than just about making art. It was about team work, breaking down cultural barriers, sharing knowledge and skills and having fun. 

Haworth wallhanging

Bradford Wallhanging

If you would like to discuss an art project or visiting artist for your school or community group please contact Artists in Business at jo.artsbiz@gmail.com and we will be happy to hear from you.

Visit our Flickr Group Artists in Business for more community arts images and join us on Face Book. 

Photography @ Central Hall

Grass Verge by Kath Williamson

Since our first exhibition of Yorkshire Artists at Central Hall in April this year, Artists in Business has been commissioned to curate four more exhibitions in Keighley, West Yorkshire.
Photography @ Central Hall will be an exhibition of two Yorkshire photographers, Kath Williamson and Steve Rayner, from Monday 5 September to Friday 4 October 2011.  
Open times: Mon - Fri. Central Hall is sometimes open at weekends, please check out their website for details.  
www.central-hall.org.uk 
Central Hall is on Alice Street, Keighley BD21 3JD and has a lovely cafe where you can enjoy a good lunch. 

Millennium Square, Leeds by Steve Rayner

Shibori Silk Workshop

I had a fabulous afternoon teaching a group of wonderful textile artists how to dye Shibori silk in the microwave.  The workshop was held at Ilkley Operatic Society and the students learned about wrapping, twisting and folding silk to create stunning patterns with colour and texture on silk. 

The students learned two of the many different Japanese Shibori techniques to make patterned cloth - Arashi and Itajime. Arashi is about wrapping and twisting cloth around a pole before space dyeing. This creates a wonderful zig zag pattern, similar to the knitted fabrics in Missoni's Winter Collection. Itajime is a method of folding and clamping cloth to make repeat patterns and star bursts. 

Once dyed and unfolded the patterns and the colours just sing out. Unwrapping the cloth is very exciting and the patterns form just like magic! 

The next Shibori Silk Workshop will be on Saturday 23 July from 11am to 3pm at All Saints Church House, Church Street, Ilkley LS29 9DS. We will be using Ori Nui techniques such as Mokumi, Kumo and Karamatsu to make complex cloth in vibrant colours. I hope you can join us!

To book your place or find out more please contact Jo.artsbiz@gmail.com or call 01535 654026