DyeHays Sydney | My Story | Bettina Teaches Indigo Dyeing in Workshops

THE DYEHAUS STORY

DyeHaus is my studio, situated in the Upper Blue Mountains near Sydney and venue for DyeHaus workshops. As my base, the surrounding garden, plants and animals, the bush and the silence offer endless inspiration for colour, texture and patterns.

INSPIRATION FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE

I scout the globe researching dye techniques to further expand my knowledge as a tutor of DyeHaus workshops where I pass on what I have seen and learnt.

France

I visited the dye garden in Lauris, Provence, on a number of trips and it is here that I had a very formative weeklong workshop with Michel Garcia in 2015 learning the art of Mordant Printing, Hapazome Flower Pounding and dye extraction from Persicaria Tinctoria.

2018 a workshop in his new home in Brittany focussed on Indigo extraction, tannins, and printing with dyes.

Mexico

Other influential workshops were at the Shibori Symposium in Oaxaca, again with Michel Garcia on Mayan Blue as well as dyeing with Cochineal.

Japan

Another dye master from Japan, Hiroshi Murase taught me various stitch resist techniques like Nui shibori as well as a great number of tie resists.

A couple of trips to Japan's Arimatsu Shibori Festival gave me great insight into the history and practises of Shibori that are still alive in this old trading town. The many examples there and Kyoto's Shibori museum gave me great inspiration for teaching and my own work.

Asia

I also have explored Eastern Dye techniques in Java and Bali, Indonesia. The dye garden in Umajati near Ubud, Bali connected to Threads of Life, offered endless opportunities to investigate plants and again dye techniques which can be very different from our own as well as ikat and wax batik. A visit to IKTT in Cambodia deepened this knowledge.

In India I learned wood block printing in Bagru and did workshops with the famous mud printers.

MOTIVATION

Apart from a Diploma in Textile Design and a myriad of units of pertinent art courses, I hold a teaching qualification. This, combined with my need to share the knowledge that I encounter in workshops with the world's best and the need for up to date information in Australia, made me start DyeHaus Workshops in 2013.

DYE BOTANICALS SUSTAINABLY SOURCED FROM MY GARDEN

As I have access to a cornucopia of local and exotic plants in my backyard, I mainly use those in my work and workshops as well as ancient dyes such as Madder, Weld, Cutch, Fustic, Indigo and Pomegranate but always with a focus on wash fastness and efficiency of dyes and thorough preparation of fabric and lasting dye practices.

Currently I am looking to re-interpret and update the concept of Natural Dyes with DYESCAPES to give this well practised craft a more modern slant in a more conceptual context as well as expand the scope of substrates by using leather.

DyeHaus uses natural and sometimes low-impact fibre-reactive dyes depending on requirements, always on natural fibres such as silk, cotton, linen, wool, bamboo and hemp.

All accessories are hand-dyed on site and assembled in Australia.

DyeHaus focuses on the new and unusual, and seeks the untrodden paths in travel as well as in the exploration of new techniques.

My work is largely influenced by the timeless craft of Indigo Shibori resist dyeing, which I am very drawn to, since it blends into contemporary and traditional surroundings and offers endless variations.

The fact that I have spent a lifetime in pursuit of Dyeing and Textiles as well as Art, Ceramics, Gardening design and diverse studies, is reflected in my approach to teaching as well as designing. Both are imbued with knowledge, experience and passion.

Highlights of my accomplishments and learning

October '19

3 day Masterclass with Jane Callender, Callishibori, Hawaii

September '19

Masterclass, 5 dayWorkshop with Catherine Ellis in Berkeley, USA

March '19

New Private Workshops at DyeHaus

December '18

New release of DyeHaus Atelier Leather collection

March '18

Masterclass with Michel Garcia, Brittany on dye printing, Indigo extraction, medieval dye practices

August '17

Corporate workshop at CAMILLA headquarters, Sydney

August '17

Visit to Lauris, Dye garden Couleur Garance

April '17

Siem Riep, Cambodia workshop at IKTT Weaving cooperative

February '17

Natural Dye and Hapazome workshops at Workshop Redfern

November '16

Oaxaca, Mexico, Shibori Symposium, Workshops with Michel Garcia, Mayan Blue and Cochineal 4 ways

Elsa Chartin, Itajime resist with vat dyes

Traditional Dye techniques in carpet weaver Village, Teotilán del Valle, Indigo, Cochineal

May '16

private study tour Arimatsu Shibori Festival, visit studio of Sekka artist

in Tokyo, Amuse Boro Museum

Meeting Hiroyuki Shindo at his house and Museum in Miyama

October '16

Review of DyeHaus Travel Scarves in The Australian by Susan Kurosawa

August '16

Ubud, Threads of Life, Umajati Dye Garden

January '16

Collaboration with Talonmade Handbags in Hamburg creating unique canvas handbags with leather trim.

Exhibiting handbags on Selvedge Run in Berlin

December ‘15

Shanghai, China

One week masterclass with Hiroshi Murase from Suzusan and Yoshiko Wada on Shibori techniques, gambiered silk and tannin dyeing

November ‘15

Java, visits to studios

Batik workshop at Wintonosastro, Yogyakarta

September ‘15

Workshops for Laneway Learning

August ‘15

Lauris , France

One week masterclass with Michel Garcia on Mordant printing on Cotton, Natural Indigo vat, Hapazome, Screenprinting with dyes, dyeing with a variety of natural dyes

July ‘15

2 day workshop with Abubakar Fofana on Natural Indigo dyeing and setting up a fructose vat

June ‘15

Shibori Festival in Arimatsu, Japan

Small workshops, visits of Studios in Ohara, learning Kakishibui persimmon dyeing,

April '15

TAFTA workshop on Natural Dyeing and Ecoprint

April '14

TAFTA workshop on discharge dyeing, 3D Shibori

February ‘14

Collaboration with Emilie Cacace from Andéol making handbags, homewares and beach sheets

January ‘14