Join artist Deborah Manson for this weekend course that will introduce you to the gentle art of natural dye and botanical print using seasonal plants and food waste. You will learn about modifiers and how to prepare your fabric. We will experiment with different plant materials to produce a range of colour samples on cotton, silk and linen and Deborah will show you how to use modifiers to shift colours. You’ll also learn how to use plant materials to produce beautiful colours and patterns onto a silk scarf using the bundle dye method.

Over the weekend Deborah will demonstrate techniques, share her own work, her library of botanical colour and her passion for growing plants and natural dye.

This course is suitable for beginners as well as those with more experience.

Most materials are supplied although students will need to bring the following along:

• Rubber gloves
• Apron
• A small amount of foraged or waste plant materials as advised in advance of the course.

Deborah Manson works from her studio in Sussex where she makes textiles and works on paper. Her garden is an extension of the studio where she grows and processes plants for natural dyeing. Her practice engages deeply with the act of making, an exploration of materials and the natural world. Her aesthetic – lo-fi, handmade, imperfect – evolves from her interest in age old craft techniques and the cross overs between art, design and craft. Whether working with paper or cloth she explores colour relationships, placement and composition and the juxtaposition of materials and textures. Deborah studied Visual Communication at Central St Martins and Textile Design at Chelsea College of Art. She exhibits her work in museums and galleries and runs workshops and courses for people of all ages and abilities.

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