Michel Garcia is a world-renowned botanist, chemist, naturalist, and natural dye expert. He is the founder of Couleur Garance (1998) in Lauris, France, and established Le Jardin Conservatoire de Plantes Tinctoriales (Botanical Garden of Dye Plants) in 2000 as a horticultural resource for chemists, natural dye researchers, and botanists. He has been instrumental in revitalizing the natural dye practice in France and abroad.
See the Natural Dye Workshop DVD series by Michel, produced by Yoshiko Iwamoto Wada and Slow Fiber Studios. For more information visit www.naturaldyeworkshop.com.
SLOW FIBER STUDIOS EVENTS
WORKSHOP
Tannins Intensive
September 1-2, 2017 | 9:30am – 4:30pm
Slow Fiber Studios Annex | 1825 Eighth St, Berkeley, CA 94710
Commonly found in leaves, barks, roots, and fruits of trees, tannins are used to produce wine, leather, and ink. Dyers can use these naturally occurring compounds to produce colors from beige and grey to warm red to dark brown and black, in addition to widening the color palettes for other natural dyes. Take advantage of their unique characteristics to improve colorfastness, bond colors to fibers without using inorganic mineral mordants, and apply photosensitive effects and polymerizing qualities by gaining a deeper understanding of tannins and their diverse applications.
LECTURE
Subject: Indigo
Michel Garcia | September 3, 2017 | 4:30pm – 8:00pm
Slow Fiber Studios Office | 696 Hilldale Ave, Berkeley, CA 94708
Potluck Social 4:30pm – 6pm
Presentation 6pm – 8pm
An enduring color throughout human history, indigo blue crosses cultures, from ancient body painting in the British Isles to the saturated robes of Tuareg men in the Sahara. Michel will share his knowledge of botany and chemistry to unlock the mysteries of this widespread dye.
WORKSHOP
Indigo Intensive
September 5-7, 2017 | 9:30am – 4:30pm
Slow Fiber Studios Annex | 1825 Eighth St, Berkeley, CA 94710
An enduring color throughout human history, indigo blue crosses cultures, from ancient body painting in the British Isles to the saturated robes of Tuareg men in the Sahara. Michel will share his knowledge of botany and chemistry to unlock the mysteries of this widespread dye. This workshop will cover several different reduction vat methods, including fructose, henna, and ferrous vats, as well as applications using fresh leaf indigo grown in Berkeley. In addition Michel will address ethnic indigo traditions including dyeing with multiple types of indigo, such as combining Indigofera tinctoria with Justicia spicigera for a deeper blue, and making Azul Maya (Maya Blue) pigment, a “pre-Columbian nanotechnology” manufactured by ancient Mesoamericans.
UC BOTANICAL GARDEN EVENTS
Slow Fiber Studios has partnered with the University of California Botanical Garden (UCBG) to extend Michel’s visit with an enriched focus on botanical science. The 34-acre garden hosts over 10,000 types of plants with a mission to develop and maintain a diverse living collection, support teaching and worldwide research in plant biology, further the conservation of plant diversity, and promote public understanding and appreciation of plants and the natural environment.
COLLOQUIUM
The Botany and Chemistry of Natural Dyes
Michel Garcia + Dr. Vanessa Handley + Dr. Margareta Sequin
September 8, 2017 | 9:30am – 12:30pm
UC Botanical Garden | 200 Centennial Dr, Berkeley, CA 94720
Morning coffee will be served at 9:00am. Bring a brown bag lunch and stay for a picnic and informal discussion in the Botanical Garden following the program.
Join Michel Garcia, UCBG Director of Collections and Research Dr. Vanessa Handley, and SFSU Chemistry and Biochemistry professor emeritus Dr. Margareta Séquin for a deep dive into the subject of natural dyes focusing on botanical taxonomy and phytochemistry.
WORKSHOP
Fundamentals of Sustainable Natural Dyes
August 28-31, 2017 | 9:00am – 12:30pm
UC Botanical Garden | 200 Centennial Dr, Berkeley, CA 94720
Learn the fundamentals of sustainable natural dyeing including fiber preparation, plant mordants, plant selection, using less dye for greater effect, surface design techniques, and various applications of natural dyes.
GARDEN WALK
UCBG Tannin Walk
August 31, 2017 | 2:00pm – 4:00pm
UC Botanical Garden | 200 Centennial Dr, Berkeley, CA 94720
Commonly found in leaves, barks, roots, and fruits of trees, tannins are used to produce wine, leather, and ink and can greatly enhance a natural dyer’s practice. Join Michel Garcia for a walk through the University of California Botanical Garden to learn about tannins and their many applications in situ.