Animazing 2

Pattern detail

Originally uploaded by SOFennell

After the workshop yesterday, we explored the vendor’s room where I ran into a couple of my former students. One had spent time recently in Japan, so for me, it was grand catching up and it was hard to leave them (I’ve had some wonderful students). Before we left though, the kimono vendors caught my eye.

Kujaku Trading had some exquisite examples of vintage kimono and obi which I explored. They generously allowed me to photograph a few of them. This is just a small detail of one that could easily be a museum piece.

Animazing after all…

Animaze11

Originally uploaded by SOFennell

This morning my son and I drove down to the Raleigh Convention Center for our day at the “con.” He was my assistant and I am so glad he was there. He made sure that I followed the “rules” of the con and that I navigated all entrances and exits properly. We ported my already prepared indigo vat, tools for shibori and close to 100 hachimaki (or tenugui) as I really had no idea how many to prepare for. In the end about 20 people participated and that was more than I expected, in the end. We had lots of “competition” during that time slot, so I was surprised at the number that actually attended.

It got off to a rocky start (at least in my estimation- more me than anything) and I was disappointed that my vat wasn’t as deep a blue as I’d hoped. I’m not sure why that was (was it because it sat overnight? Not likely from past experience), but I came away reflecting on how a potter must feel when a piece breaks in the firing process. Not everything works all of the time. Maybe that’s a good thing in the end. There’s still so much more to learn about the indigo vat. Maybe one lesson is that no matter what, it can’t be hurried. Still, there was success. All pieces dyed turned blue and with a pattern in shibori. Ultimately, I felt like the folks who attended, enjoyed the workshop and were pleased with their pieces. I would do it again.

Prepping for things ahead

5- the setup

Originally uploaded by SOFennell

I am thinking & planning ahead and have been doing so for some time now, actually. The last residency was good practice for the next event – Animazement (coming up Saturday). There will be a few challenges to meet there, for one, there will be no sink nearby (or at least in my workspace). So, I will have to be inventive. I have some things in mind (some water is being provided), but I also have to think about porting these things, keeping it light, compact and so forth. It also isn’t the only thing I’m prepping for these days.

I may have stated earlier that I have 4 more teaching days, so I’m also prepping for exams. Actually, I finished all of the writing now and will submit them for copy tomorrow (I cannot run them off myself-something I would very much prefer to do). Policies have changed at school at the beginning of this last quarter and it has resulted in having to plan way in advance of my usual practices. It has altered my approach to a lot of things at this point (really frustrating!). But, at the end of this month it will be over.   As they say in Japan: おわり (owari) or おしまい(oshimai) – the end, finished.

Something just came to mind: owari nagoya (nothing to do with the city, but what my childhood friends used to say in Kagoshima.  Although, it’s probably not a regional expression.)  Sometimes these things just pop into my head-random-funny memories.  I’m glad they’re there.

Wall Hanging, Tenugui or…

Wall Hanging1

Originally uploaded by SOFennell

Dee and I both worked along side our students as a demonstration and to potentially show them the challenges we were running into (like them!).

The pieces measure 12 x 36 inches and it’s the same size roughly that I cut when making the hachimaki/tenugui for the younger set when I do the fish printing workshops. Tenugui tend to be 2 inches wider.

When I do the Aizome Shibori workshop at Animazement I will be offering something similar. I’ll probably take in a wider range of tools (as opposed to only needle & thread) for participants to work with due to time constraints. Still, in the time provided, those otaku should be able to make something pleasing.

Aizome at the Con

Well, right now I’d say I was sort of “bikkuri-shocked” to use one of my dad’s old expressions. I knew something might be in the works, but what I thought was in mind, I had put on the back burner. I didn’t feel like I could manage it what with teaching and 2 other workshops coming up this spring. However, the e-mail I received this weekend said “panelist” and I can handle that. So, it looks like an opportunity for some otaku to learn about aizome shibori. Doesn’t that sound like fun?