Jenina and I have been recording some of our thoughts about our Deep Into Indigo Retreat plans. Also, adding many pretty pictures, because pretty is what it’s all about. Also fun. Also food. Also Friends. The best F words.
This year the Deep Into Indigo Retreat has a new location. We talked about it yesterday and threw together this little video about it. You can find more info here. We hope you join us!!
Join a us at a creative indigo dye retreat in Westby, Wisconsin. Located about two hours from Madison WI, you’ll be able to shed the grind of your daily life, and immerse yourself in the study and play of dyeing with indigo.
We’re baaa-aack! We had so much fun at the Deep Into Indigo Retreat last year, that we are doing it again this summer. The only changes are that we’ve moved to a more spacious location AND the food will be inspired by the holiday happening on the weekend we are retreating: Bastille Day!
Click the picture for more information. We hope you can join us!
Come find calm and clarity as you get lost in the flow of creating. Whether you have sludge you need to shift, or you just want to be surrounded by painting people, this is all about the process. We will meet briefly together as I provide some reflection for grounding and the loosest instructions. The majority of the evening will be spent at the easel. At the end we will rejoin and everyone will be given the option of sharing. This is only an OPTION. Absolutely no pressure. Please know too that the sharing is done as a silent witness. Everyone will listen, but nobody will comment. Your story gets to be your story alone.
Absolutely no artistic abilities are required for this night! New participants are always welcome!
Come for an evening of etegami. An evening of calm, connection and community. If you already do etegami, bring your supplies and create a few picture drawings in the company of other like minded people. If you have never done it before, I will guide you through a few basic rules, and provide some supplies for you to use. Most people who try it find themselves hooked. You absolutely do not need any previous art experience or talent to do this artform.
Everyone is invited to bring something from nature – a leaf, a flower, a piece of fruit – to share as images to be painted. Donations will be graciously accepted (to cover cost of the supplies and the space) but in no way are expected.
I made a mighty mess. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I mixed up some rice flour and Gum Arabic, which is also known as sugar glue. It’s made with the sap from the acacia tree. I had tried to make a resist from just Gum Arabic – I swear I read a tutorial for that somewhere – and it didn’t really resist the fabric very well. Here’s the Gum Arabic alone:
Nice, but a little too subtle for me. I wanted to make something resist-ier. Hence, the rice flour. I just stirred a little at a time in to my leftover Gum Arabic goo until it was the consistency of glue…I guess. 
Then I painted it on. I laid the fabric on some wax paper because it bleeds though. It dried really fast, though. I was messy and didn’t really think much about the pattern. It was drippy and messy to work with and, for me, that makes it fun. 
Here it is after a coupla dips. The resist did get sticky again. I left it to dry for a few days though I think 24 hours should be plenty. We run out of good dye days in Wisconsin pretty early and I had to wait for the weather. I think I dipped it three times. The vat was old so the result is light.Boom! I love the level of resist I got. There are some bonus little drippy bits here and there. My random pattern makes me happy too. I will do this again for sure.