Registration Open!
Workshop begins on May 13, 2024 and runs for 12 weeks.
Natural Dyes: Alchemy Chemistry Craft
The first workshop of its kind.
A pathway through modern science organized around the study of natural dyes. From the atom and molecular diagrams to the reduction and oxidation of indigo, to acids and bases, and all the way up to the complexity of tannin-mordant dye chemistry.
Learn why the study of natural dyes is one of the most engaging ways to investigate matter and materials.
In this workshop students will open up one of the most colourful mysteries of all time — why plants give colour and how this colour is preserved on textile fibres. The course will bring students along on a voyage of discovery through human ingenuity and exploration.
We will follow the history of scientific progress alongside the development of craft, and the materials of craft: the production of alkalies from burning plants, the production of pigments by putting these alkalies to use, the production of dye molecules inside plants, why oxidation happens and how it transforms an indigo leaf from green foliage into a blue pigment. How a few functional groups (the magnificent seven) explain the formation of tannins, solubility and acidity. We journey to the very heart of colour and discover what it is that produces the hues we love - at the molecular level.
This workshop will most benefit the experienced dyer, or the artisan who has a strong curiosity about materials- especially mordants. It will also benefit those who work alongside natural colour - teachers, archivists, conservators, researchers and historians. Our explorations will be mainly process based, and qualitative, if you can handle weight of fibre calculation - you will be comfortable in this course.
This is an ideas-based workshop driven by wonder and curiosity about dyes, dyeing, and the natural world. There are no textile projects in this class.
• Over 130 lessons in 18 modules covering everything from ions to indigo.
• Comprehensive videos for each module, providing clear explanations with animated diagrams and text.
• Over 220 pages of fully illustrated course notes available as downloadable PDFs, including references and links to both video and print support materials.
• An online quiz for each module so that you can review key concepts.
What is the cancellation policy?
See our Terms of Use on maiwa.teachable.com for our cancellation and refund policy.
Meet your instructors:
TIM MCLAUGHLIN
The late Tim McLaughlin was a natural dye researcher. He held a Masters Degree in Philosophy of Science from the University of Western Ontario. He was also a Canadian artist, writer and photographer. He was active in the production of traditional hand-made inks as a special focus of natural dye use. For over forty years Tim kept a series of journals as a long-term project in the book arts.
Tim was active in experimental radio, hypertext fiction (he is included in the Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada), graphic design, book production, and documentary film. He was a founding director of the Maiwa School of Textiles where he taught ink making. He taught at the Penland School of Craft in 2023 and exhibited in the Penland Gallery in 2019.
Tims' online workshops, publications, and projects will continue honouring his legacy and collective commitment to share, explore, create, and celebrate the wonders of natural dyeing.
See his work at tmcl.ca. Ink making is posted to instagram at @artisan_ink.
CHARLLOTTE KWON
Charllotte Kwon is the founder of the Maiwa School of Textiles and the owner of Maiwa Handprints. Under her direction Maiwa conducts extensive natural dye recipe development, and maintains a textile archive and research library. Together with Tim McLaughlin, Charllotte has produced four documentary films and a number of print publications. She also guides Maiwa’s substantial online presence and natural dye site: naturaldyes.ca. An expert in natural dyes, she has traveled the world, studying, teaching, and working with artists in traditional techniques in India, Peru, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and in Canada.
In 2013 she was awarded an honourary doctorate from the University of the Fraser Valley for her advocacy of traditional craft and natural dye use. She is the recipient of the 2017 Robert Jekyll Award for leadership in craft. Charllotte has taught at the Penland School of Craft in 2013, 2017 and 2023.
Legacy of a Natural Dye Chemist
Tim McLaughlin’s dedication to the art, craft, and science of natural dyeing and the joy and thoughtfulness with which he shared his knowledge with all of us will forever be remembered.
One of his many legacies will continue through his workshops he created for the Maiwa School of Textiles.
We want to assure you that the Natural Dye: Alchemy, Chemistry, Craft and the Ink Making Workshop will continue, honouring Tim McLaughlin’s legacy and the collective commitment we share to explore, create, and celebrate the wonders of natural dyeing.
While no one can replace Tim, we are dedicated to finding a way to carry on the teachings and knowledge he so creatively shared with all of us.
Tim McLaughlin was not only a teacher but also a mentor, a guide, and a source of inspiration for us all. It is in his memory, and with great respect for the passion he instilled in each of us, that we keep the education part of his legacy alive at this time.
We understand the significance of this space in fostering creativity, understanding, exploration and a deeper connection to the the world of natural dyeing.
Let us remember Tim McLaughlin not only for the knowledge he shared but also for the sense of community and passion that flourished under his guidance. Thank you for your understanding, support and commitment to the continuation of the Natural Dye: Alchemy, Chemistry, Craft workshop and the Ink Making Workshop.