Instructor: Berkley Heath

Katazome is an ancient Japanese printmaking technique, traditionally using indigo and other plant-derived pigments to create highly detailed patterns on cloth. In this class you'll learn the traditional methods used for creating these prints, as well as some modern techniques that can be used in a home studio. The class will also briefly cover natural indigo vat-making and the chemistry involved, as well as fabric preparation, preparing a printing surface, stencil carving, rice paste making and application, and post-dye fabric treatment. Students will be provided with cotton cloth to print and dye. This class meets in-person at AVA. Weather dependent, the class will meet under the tent over our new outdoor patio classroom. There is a $25 materials fee.

Berkley Heath is a lifelong artist fascinated by the sources of the materials in our daily lives. Her work in organic agriculture and herbalism led her to discover natural dyeing, and she began studying traditional surface design techniques to incorporate her printmaking practice into her love of natural colors. Natural dyeing is an incredible confluence of many of her interests, from plant biology and organic chemistry, to design and ethnobotany, and she feels passionate about sharing this craft with others. She believes that physical interaction with the landscape facilitates a sense of place, well-being, and stewardship of our natural world. berkleysierra.com