The smell of an indigo vat just as it begins fermenting and springs to life is one of ripeness; a moment of rich potentiality when, as a maker, I momentarily stand between the history of the materials and processes that helped me get the indigo thus far and the promise of all the works that the vat is still yet to realize.

I grow and process my own indigo (Polygonum tinctorium) using Japanese methods that are centuries old. The leaves are harvested, dried, and composted by hand to make the traditional Japanese indigo dyestuff called sukumo. The sukumo is in turn fermented in wood-ash lye to create a natural indigo vat.

My decision to work this way is one that consciously favors slower, natural processes and materials over more immediate, synthetic options. Today, with petroleum-derived indigo readily and cheaply available, my choice to plant, transplant, weed, harvest, winnow, dry, and compost the indigo by hand is not one of necessity. Instead it is a conscious act of recognition that all the energy extended in the farming and processing of the indigo plants is just as much a part of the final dyestuff as the indigo molecules themselves.

In addition, my own experiences with indigo – first as an apprentice in Japan followed by years of working with and learning from this dye – have made me aware of a connection that leads not just from my teachers to me, but one that reaches back to my teacher’s teachers and the people they learned from, back into a past in which the processes I use were developed through the accumulated experiences of all who have ever worked with this unique dye.

I find great value in this connection indigo provides to a greater human tradition. Of equal value to me is the time and energy I invest in the farming, processing, and fermenting of this dye. As a dyer I strive to transfigure all the energy of human endeavor expended on this dye so that its vitality lends its life to and lives on in the dyed cloth.

DIVE INTO TEXTILES WITH AKEMI NAKANO COHN!

Born in Yokohama, Japan, Akemi Nakano Cohn studied traditional Japanese dyeing techniques for ten years under master artist, Haru Izumi.  She emigrated to the United States in 1986 and received an MFA in fiber art at Cranbrook Academy of Art.  Akemi has pursued an extensive series of international exhibitions and commissions, and has been an Artist-in-Residence at Anderson Ranch Art Center and the Ragdale Foundation.

Shibori with Indigo Dyeing

Although Indigo dyeing has been applied to clothes and interior decorations for over 700 years in Japan, indigo blues appear contemporary in our modern lifestyle.  In this unique workshop, students will explore various Shibori resist and indigo dyeing techniques.

Beyond the Kimono: Katazome

This workshop is an introduction of “KATAZOME” basics (an excellent introduction to the textile resist-dye process). Students will develop their own designs for stencils by observing objects in nature, such as leaves, flowers, and branches to get a sense of the Japanese aesthetic from the surroundings of Durango area.