Shanghai workshop (1) 上海工作坊

 

Just back from a week teaching in Shanghai, China where internet is limit or banned.    During my days in the rural outskirt in the 1300 years old ancient water town Jinze, I have no facebook, no blogging and no internet.    Arts or crafts of botanical imprints and wool felt are quite new there.  Opportunities emerging for artisans beyond China.  I was brought there by Hong Kong textile expert Edith Cheung.  This was my second  teaching in Jinze Arts Centre in five months. It's encouraging that my students from far provinces  just flown in to learn the comtempory skills.

We immersed ourselves in the tranquil campus......

獲香港紡織專家張西美邀請, 在上海市郊古樸水鄉金澤鎮的連串植物移印染及羊毛氈教學活動剛剛完滿結束, 一星期在沒有互聯網資訊如詩畫意境進行, 第一天到埗與聰敏助手開始實驗. 設備齊全的金澤工藝社為多位來自不同省份學生準備就緒......

The arts centre surrounding is poetry

Will post more pictures of the town in a separate post. 

Here's mainly about the workshop in the interior of the campus.

   On the first day arrival, my assistant,  a UK
intern helped collecting the local leaves for my experiments to make sure which plants work for the prints.  Walking in the area with typical traditional buildings was so pleasant.

 

We used only the simple and eco materials.  We made iron solution in the hot sun of 37 degree just in 2 hours.  We made the reusable paper cores for bundling and local leaves collected in the  campus.  The only leaves bought from florist are eucalyptus silver dollar which are planted in China also.

 

I tested the prints in different ways with all sorts of leaves picked, the peach, mulberry, melon, maple, cotinus, rose, onion and a few unknown. The outcomes are impressive.  They're marked for students'  reference in the next session.

The pictures speak themselves............

 

 

The summer leaves are quite well for the prints

My sample prints display in the studio for student's reference

Final touch of the wearable  of all natural prints

My assistants prepared materials packing for the workshops.

 

Everything well set and ready for the workshops.

Mext will be students' prints, make it into wearable and wool felt purses with textures.....

Will be fabulous ....... stay tuned.