SIX DAY SERIES–2023 Tuition is $590US (materials kit included)
Sunday, April 2
Sunday, April 30
Sunday, June 25
Sundays, July 16 and 23
(August 13 review session)
Last year I tried a new format that worked quite well for people wanting to find
out more about working with Japanese indigo but aren’t really sure where to start. The study days are spread out over a longer period
allowing you to work on projects at your leisure before jumping back in. I’ll be including a lot of cultural and historical information, and perhaps one of
the best parts, I’m including a kit that will include everything needed for the class except dirt,
water, and sunshine! All included in one price. Registration is on a first come
basis.
Includes comprehensive kit.
Great starting point - all supplies necessary for projects included, even the
seeds!
People signing up for this class from outside of the US will be charged
additional postage.
At the end of each session you will be given links to that day’s Zoom recording to download along with access to written material prepared
specifically for this class. In addition to the Zoom recording, I’ll be uploading higher quality vid-clips to allow you to see what I’ve presented with greater ease. These clips will be available on Vimeo all the
way through the last class and one month beyond – allowing you to access them as often as you like to work at your own pace.
We’ll begin each day with a review of the previous session and cover all your
questions before charging on.
March 19 - Plant seeds.
A generous packet of Persicaria tinctoria seeds will be included in your kit along with biodegradable grow bags. We’ll cover a brief history of indigo dyeing in Japan, the role it has played in
society, and how it is cultivated. We’ll go over the many varieties of plants used in Japan to produce indigo blue. I’ll teach you how the seeds grow and what the plant will need as it matures.
April 30 Transplant Seedlings
Today we’ll check on the progress of everyone’s seedlings and go over how to transplant them outdoors when conditions are
right and what to do to make sure you wind up with healthy, robust specimens.
With our eyes on the June and July classes, we’ll go over several projects that need advance preparations. We’ll be covering shibori techniques, block rubbings, and tsujigahana. Each project will be clearly spelled out, illustrated with video steps and
printed directions.
June 19, June 25, July 16 and 23 Projects
We’ll be harvesting our indigo and immediately starting a sun-fermentation vat to
collect pigment for our other projects.
While pigment production is underway, we’ll be working with fresh-picked leaves to produce a range of shades of blue and
discover what to do with the left-over leaves. Armed with this knowledge, we’ll work on applying the dyes to silk using compound clamp resist techniques, and
we’ll be applying the dyes over rice-paste resisted cottons and cannabis I’ve prepared for you ahead of time.
Remember the blocks we started in May? Now is the time to put them to work. And
don’t forget the pigment we’ve been making - we’ll be using it to create a reduction vat and to add details to our earlier
pieces using it as a directly-painted dye.
My goal is to guide you through a fast-paced program, covering all the basics of
working with fresh-leaf indigo, while guiding you with patience to ensure that
all your questions are answered.
There will be a bonus follow-up review session on August 13, 11:00 to 12:00,
PST, 2022, to cover all your questions and share what we have all accomplished.
Won’t you join us?
Some of the supplies the post office will be delivering to you.
The Zoom-format sessions will be recorded and made available to participants to
download and keep for future reference.
John Marshall reserves the right to cancel classes in the unlikely event of
circumstances beyond his control. So if a class is cancelled, John’s responsibility and liability are limited to a refund of class fees.
A Collector’s Guide
to INDIGO
deluxe edition
A Collector’s Guide
to INDIGO
limited edition
A Collector’s Guide
to INDIGO
A Field Guide to Japanese Textiles
Singing the
Blues
What I’m offering on line…
Need help with your projects?
About John Marshall
