Presented by Adelaide Sustainability Centre & Soul Strong Society
Apart from the joy of playing with mud, there is good evidence to conclude that: breathing in, playing in, and digging in dirt is good for your health! In this hands-on beginners course we will explore the use of local clays, ochres, and earth to create colourful designs on cloth.
Our ancestors have been connecting with the landscape and the colours of their local environment through the practice of dyeing natural fibres with earth pigments for thousands of years. Examples have been found in textiles throughout Asia and Europe (Swiss Lake Dwellers ~ 3000 BC, ancient Egypt, and all over the Mediterranean). The practice continues today in many parts of the world, most famously with the Malian people who create what is known locally as ‘Bògòlanfini’ or mud cloth.
Learn how to endlessly create beautiful designs for your wardrobe and home mindfully, sustainably and ecologically through the art and science of mud dye.
Ideal for
- This workshop is suitable for both beginners and experienced textile artists, no previous experience of any sort required
- People who appreciate textiles and fashion and also love the environment
- Those who are passionate about creatively contributing to a sustainable planet
- Anyone who loves their urban wilderness and the idea of exploring living colour from the local area
Materials provided
- A sampling of recycled natural textiles and local ochre / mud to play with
- Extra materials required to get you started (brushes, soy milk, alum etc)
- Take home notes
What to Bring
- Please wear closed-in shoes and old clothes or an apron for getting messy
- Your own local ochres, dirt and clay to experiment with
- A variety of light coloured natural fabric or garments. Plenty available at second hand stores. Old cotton sheets and t-shirts work perfectly!
- A roll of paper towel and/or old fabric (to absorb excess dye)
- Empty jars or containers with lids to mix your mud dye
- Rags
- Masking tape
- A variety of different paintbrushes if you have them
- Notebook, pen, camera or phone to record what you learn
- Optional extras: stencils, stamps (plus flat container to fit stamps)
Facilitator
Alana Gregory is an environmental artist (www.alanagregory.com) and founder of Soul Strong Society (www.soulstrongsociety.com) an initiative created to facilitate human and environmental health through the practices of mindfulness, movement and creativity. Alana combines a background in environmental science with 20 years practice and study with traditional and Indigenous artists from around the world.
The Adelaide Sustainability Centre is supported by the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board and Conservation SA.