Atelier BAtik Workshops January, 2011.

Enjoy immersing yourself into the ancient world of Indonesian batik, learning about the history, cosmology and cultural practices associated with this intriguing craft.

Also learn practical aspects including; learning to compose for cloth and draw with hot wax on cotton, learn the basics of using natural dyes (which can be applied to any vegetable matter dyes), also learn basics of working with indigo using the shibori technic.

MONTREAL

Batik 2011

Workshops, Ateliers

Gaby's Indigo, natural dyes. Batiked in Montreal.

A glimpse at some of the natural Dyes, Shibori Indigo and Batik work I have been doing back in Canada, on my balcony.

My Batik Video

Atelier Batik Workshops 2011.

• Introduction •

I have been in love with Batik since I first visited Java many years ago. I was still young then and didn't want to be in a long distance relationship, so I tried to focus my attention elsewhere but true love never dies. So last year I went to go study batik in Bali, Indonesia.

Although I knew that Java is in fact the heartland and center of production of all forms of Batik, I decided to go study in neighboring Bali where I had never been. Here is a 1 minute stop motion animation of a procession in Bali which I made just to get you all in the mood.(notice all the batik sarongs!)

• Batik School •

I was delighted to find such a beautiful campus filled with sculptural details the likes I had never seen. There were however some student protests and renovations going on when we first arrived (which delayed the start of the batik classes) but soon enough we were melting wax and learning patterns.
They say that we cannot escape our fate so, as luck would have it one of my neighbors was a batik fanatic and so I was able to begin learning the basics of this craft even before starting classes at school. We formed a small group who would meet twice a week as a supplement to the more formal classroom setting, and so I was again reunited with my love as if no time had passed.