Local Artist Teaches a Japanese Dyeing Technique Class 

MADISON, WI – Wheelhouse studios hosted a Shibori textile dyeing class Tuesday night. Local artist Jennifer Falkowski has taught this three-hour course around Madison for 20 years, but this will be her first class back at Memorial Union since the pandemic started in 2020. 

 

Shibori is a Japanese dyeing technique that predominantly uses indigo dye and dates back to the 8th century. In this entry-level course, Falkowski focused on teaching the folding method, preparing a dye bath, and the dyeing process. 

 

Falkowski started teaching the class "as a vehicle to help people get creative." 

 

"I love teaching. After I would make things, my brain would be describing it, and be thinking of ways to tell people how to do it," Falkowski said. "Teaching in an institutional thing not fun. Do not recommend. You have to set certain expectations that maybe aren't yours. This is way more fun. Doesn't pay as well, but it's worth it." 

 

Participant Emma Nametz thought this print dyeing would be "a cool artistic outlet" after a colleague recommended it. Participants like Emma were expected to bring an item to dye. However, dish towels were provided to those who needed materials. 

 

Falkowski believes Shibori dyeing is accessible for beginners and always leaves participants with a finished product they can enjoy. 

 

"It is just fun from beginning to end. You can't go wrong," Falkowski said. "This is one of the reasons I wanted to teach it, especially with indigo. If you are dying white fabric and you are using blue dye, it is going to be beautiful." 

 

Falkowski tells her participants to mitigate their preconceived beliefs about what each final product might look like and trust the process.  

 

"I had this student make this big piece and she was like 'ew it looks like a brain X-ray' and someone else in the class was like 'oh cool that looks like a brain X-ray,'" Falkowski said. "People have an expectation it's going to look a certain way. They are likely to be disappointed, but if they give it a few days and come back, they will love it."

 

Even though no Shibori classes are scheduled at the wheelhouse in the coming months,  Falkowski will be teaching a Wax Batik with Indigo class, a form of dyeing that uses wax to make resistant patterns to the dye, on Nov. 9.