Textiles Gasali Adeyemo August 1-7, 2021

COURSE DESCRIPTION

I will teach the traditional Yoruba techniques of Batik, Adire Eleko and Tie-Dye. I always begin by telling a little about myself and my culture; I explain the meanings behind the designs I am teaching. I give a short demonstration of the methods before you begin.

Batik is the process of creating designs using wax. The name that we call batik in the Yoruba tribe is adire alabela, which means wax resist. The wax can be applied to the fabric using wood stamps, stencils, or foam rubber. In my culture we primarily use foam rubber to apply the design to the fabric free hand.

I believe that batik is the way of creating so many beautiful colors. When you first start your batik process and you want many colors you should make sure you leave some space for the next color to be applied. Traditionally in Nigeria the dye used for batik fabrics is a dye called Jaman dye or Prosion dye, which are both colored dyes. However, indigo is currently the common dye used.

After the fabric has been dyed, the wax must be removed. When removing the wax from a piece that has been dyed the fabric should be almost dry so that the color has time to set. To remove the wax, the fabric must be put into a large pot of boiling water to which 3 or 4 tablespoons of a mild, bleach free detergent has been added. After the fabric gets immersed in the boiling water for a few minutes it then gets placed in a large pot of cold water and gently agitated to remove any remaining wax. The fabric is then hung out to dry.

Adire Eleko is the process of creating designs using cassava paste (also called yucca), a small broom, and a chicken feather. You will learn how to prepare the paste, so you can do it yourself when you are home. There are two techniques in Adire, the first is to use a stencil, and the second is to create the patterns by hand. I will show both methods. After the designs are created I then show you how to prepare indigo and use it to dye your work. Finally, I show will show you the process to remove the cassava from your work.

Tie-Dye is the process of using raffia to tie fabric and then dying the fabric. There are a few different tie-dye techniques; the first is called stitch resist where the design is made using a needle to stitch the raffia into the fabric. The other method is done by hand using raffia to create designs. I will show you both Tie-Dye techniques as well as how to dye the fabric and remove the raffia.

The primary dye I use in my workshops is Indigo. Indigo has been used as a dye in Africa for at least 2000 years. The Yoruba name for indigo is “elu”. Since the olden days, indigo has been used for medicine as well as a dye; it cures an upset stomach. Indigo is also used to ward off viruses; houses are painted with indigo to prevent the sickness from entering.

Indigo is an organic substance, it comes from the indigo plant which grows wild in Nigeria. During the beginning of the rainy season the leaves are harvested and then dried. After they have dried they are formed into little balls which are then used to prepare the dye.

MATERIALS LIST

Ø 2 yards 100% *cotton pfd white fabric. Students can additionally bring other items like tote bags if they are 100% cotton, or *silk scarves if they are 100% silk. Ø *Rubber Gloves Ø *Apron Ø *Notebook and *pen Ø *Scissors Ø *Needle Ø *Seam ripper. *optional, some students prefer using seam ripper to remove tie-dye thread. Ø *Flash drive (to protect and save data to and from Library computers) Ø *Padlock for your studio locker, if desired (For rent in the Supply Store for the week)

All Items marked with an “*” are available for purchase in the Supply Store COVID-19 UPDATE

In accordance to Arrowmont’s COVID-19 policies, Arrowmont recommends that all students bring multiple face coverings in accordance to the CDC guidelines (2-ply, cloth face covering). Along with additional masks, students should consider bringing additional PPE that they may need personally, including but not limited to hand sanitizers and gloves. When asked to bring a respirator or N95 for class, please consider the best option for the supply in your area with health care workers in mind.

In addition to the new operating policies due to COVID-19, Arrowmont is providing additional information to students about materials and tools that will be provided in classrooms. If a student already owns the below items and can travel with them, the student can choose to bring these additional items. Arrowmont will provide these items to students but wants to ensure that all students feel comfortable while on campus as some of these items will be shared amongst a class and are not guaranteed to be one per student.

SUPPLIES o Please see highlighted above

If a student chooses to mail tools and supplies to Arrowmont prior to the class, the packages will be placed in the student’s classroom.

Please label packages clearly, including student’s name and class week. Students can mail packages to:

Arrowmont C/O Student Name and Class Week 556 Parkway Gatlinburg, TN 37738

MATERIALS FEES: $40.00-$100.00 Materials fees will be charged for materials used in the studio and/or provided by instructors for use in the studio by the entire class. In order to keep these fees as low as possible, fees are assessed on an individual class basis and may vary from class to class depending on the amount of materials used and the number of students in the class. Materials fees are paid on the last day of class.

Please be advised that above course description and materials list is written and approved by the instructor

If you have any additional questions about this class, below is the contact info for your instructor: [email protected] www.africancraft.com/artis/ga