The natural dye process needs water. As the well draws water from the ground, dyeing extracts colour from the plants. The well can be an integral part of a flourishing garden.
Garland Perennial, Janet Teowarang, reflects on the meaning of natural dyes for her:
When I first encountered natural dyes in the year 2018, I was fascinated by how the variety of local plants, fruits, and seeds in Pasuruan Regency, East Java, Indonesia, can produce beautiful, earthy colors in Indonesian batik and handloom textiles. The process involves a lengthy immersion dyeing procedure to achieve the right color, which should be valued and acknowledged in a slow fashion process. Before, I liked bright solid colors, but now I appreciate natural dyes. Now, I prefer mostly wearing fashion pieces made of natural dyeing; with this, I can feel tranquil, closer to nature, and respect the environment.
Enjoy stories from Garland that feature natural dyes. Through this process, the garden becomes something that we can actually wear, every day.
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Kuulua vuohmaan: Belonging to a mire - Ida Isak Westerberg returns to the queer space of mire in order to recover their Tornedalian identity, imprinting their tapestries with its colours. Jember Batik: The dragon rises - Geraldus Sugeng describes the unique batik designs that come from the town of Jember and are now seen around the world. Sally Blake ✿ Holding hope - Vy Tsan introduces an exhibition by Sally Blake that reflects the cycle of destruction and regeneration in the Canberra landscape. Decay is beautiful - Samorn Sanixay reflects on the uses of decomposition in textile dyeing and how it resonates with Buddhism and the refugee experience. Julie Ryder ✿ Hidden Sex - Canberra textile artist Julie Ryder shares her series of beautiful works that reveal the subterfuge of sea plants and parallel hidden place of women in scientific history. For the love of Lao – Studio Naenna - Ansie van der Walt profiles Patricia Cheesman, the founder of Studio Naenna, a remarkable business that now provides work for weavers from northeast Thailand and Laos. It began when she was charmed by Laotian hospitality.
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garden of stories