Sunday, August 24, 2014

Art Therapy with eco printing 植物印染的藝術治療

What's eco printing related to art therapy?  Yesterday I've a small group of social workers from a Christian NGO. They wanted to do tie dyeing and find my way of eco prints with leaves interesting. So we're doing the natural tie dye/ prints in one go.......
植物印染也是藝術治療的一環, 細緻的鋪排, 把綠色的的葉子加點鐵質媒染, 印出不同色調,  日前我的一組學員是志願團體的社工, 他們時而對有親人逝去的家庭輔導, 其中有園藝治療, 他們很想了解我的植物印染及扎染的技巧, 因此特別安排此工作坊, 三小時的製作, 雪白的絲質雪紡印出點點紅, 點點綠, 成為高貴的絲巾.
 
 Samples on the bench and assorted leaves, all ready for the group in my urban yard
 He's waiting to welcome my students in the sunny Sat morning.
 After my briefing, they started the layout with assorted euc, rose leaves, casaurina, Loropetalum Chinense. 
Rolled up and tied it tightly with rubber band and string.
 Because they wanted the tie lines and color edges, we put some dried and some fresh leaves as well tree barks and onion skins in the pot, also a little vinegar.  
 After boiling for 1h 45m, opened it.......
 bright red of euc silver dollar, green of mandarin leaves and dark lines of casaurina
 Edges of dyeing and tie lines
 Opening bundles is always the exciting moment.
 Difference of "before & after". 

 They found amazing for the original green how come to have bright colors! 
That's the bounty of nature!

 
 No more no less, they made these silk scarfs with a little bit of leaves, some fresh some with iron mordant,  came the shades.
 





 The silk scarfs with natural dye and prints are not difficult to do.  During the 3 hours from green to color, from nothing on the white to a bit colorful.  It's a course of concentration, anticipation.  My students are social workers sometimes have to do counseling people who lost their loved ones.  They find doing natural printing with leaves can achieve specific therapeutic treatment goal to sooth the surviors.

The way soothing sadness and make something in memory of the lost ones, a student used the cotton sleeves cut from a Tee of her late father passed away some 11 years ago.  She put the iron mordant euc silver dollar and rose leaves over the sleeves.
植物印染可作舒緩逝去親人傷痛的另類治療, 其中學員把多年前逝去父親的棉衣剪下袖子, 鋪上葉子, 同樣煲差不多兩小時, 看看效果. .....

Rolled up and tied tightly and boiled in the same pot.
Here come the prints on the sleeves
植物印染除了印在絲料也可印在棉布上, 但棉料要預先經過蛋白質媒染處理, 然而, 葉子浸有鐵質亦可印出清晰的玫瑰葉及尤加利葉形.
 Quite a good way to make something for the late loved ones.


 For cotton fabric prints are not easy to get but with leaves soaked in iron water overnight prints are bold.
Frame it will be a picture for the good memory.
棉衣的袖子印出葉子的模樣, 也譜出親人對逝去者的思念, 

14 comments:

  1. What a lovely post, Terriea! The wonderful collaboration with you and mother nature seems perfect for these creative social workers..what fine results and yes, a beautiful way to soothe sadness…(also am of course glad that Mogi welcomed them!

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    1. Thank you Ginny, do wish my little bit can spread the love of nature to the care of human. The students are very thoughtful and care people. I'm glad to know them.

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  2. Terriea, this is a wonderful post and it really touched my heart, this is exactly why I do felting and feel that I need to learn the eco printing , it soothes me and when I work with my hands and let myself relax with the process and then see the finished piece especially with all the colors from nature they seem to tell a story. The process of the lady with her dads shirt sleeves is so touching and meaningful it is wonderful. Another of your wonderful ways of sharing the love Terriea Love you!

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    1. Thank you Dawn. Absolutely true that's the way of soothing. The social workers has a team to counsel the family who lost the loved ones by wool felting into the clothing of the late persons. The way they rub and roll will sooth their pain and also make something memorable. They'll further introduce this kind of eco print as art therapy. I'm glad to know them and hope I can contribute my bit more.

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  3. Such a touching post....How you've shared your gifts and knowledge to help in the healing of others.

    I love the sleeve that was printed....creating beauty from something left behind from her deceased father....and making a new memory, too.

    Thank you for sharing another beautiful post.

    Big hugs,
    Dawn

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    1. Thank you Dawn. Making something for the loved one who left behind means a lot and your comment means to me so much.

      Hugs,
      Terriea

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  4. It's certainly true that working with concentration does help to cope with many difficulties!

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  5. Uczę małe dzieci i zajmuję się ich terapią. Wszelkiego rodzaju prace rękodzielnicze świetnie sprawdzają się w terapii ludzi w każdym wieku.
    Dzisiaj zrobiłam swój drugi eko-pritnig. Niestety był znowu daleki od moich oczekiwań. Na bawełnie nie wyszedł wcale, nieco lepiej na jedwabiu. Może w Polsce rośliny gorzej barwią. Zachwycają mnie Twoje wyraźne odciski. Mnie wychodzi wszystko rozmyte, obojętne czy gotuję na parze czy w wodzie.
    W Polsce mało informacji jak należy to wykonywać. Wszyscy, którzy się tym zajmują trzymają niuanse w tajemnicy.
    No cóż może kiedyś mi się uda.
    Pozdrówki.

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  6. Sometimes we feel alone in our grief, but not so alone when we remember there are others who have lost someone they love and grieve too. To grieve you have to remember there was love first, then the loss. These sorts of activities are good therapy for healing. It may take a lifetime, but the Christian belief is that we will see our loved ones again in heaven. In the meantime we do the things that help us cope with loss. Often times that is with someone like you Terrie who reminds us that there is still beautiful things on this earth that God has made for us to enjoy. God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others.
    Love you dear friend,
    (((HUGS))) Susanne :)

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    1. So religious belief relief grieve. They're blessed.

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  7. Loved reading this post Terriea .......I can say with complete honesty that Eco printing/Dyeing has certainly helped me! with the severe depression I have been suffering with for many years.
    Love, Marilyn xxx

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    1. Marilyn, very happy to see your works from paper prints to silk / cotton prints that are amazingly beautiful. Your fabric art is awesome I can see the bright side of your life.

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  8. What wonderful results you all obtained with the help of Nature and under your creative loving guidance. Congratulations! I can't wait to try some experiments with you in just a few days here

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    1. Thanks June, surely we can do as much as possible to experiment your local plants. I can't wait to see you in a few days !

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