Each piece is unique and one-of-a-kind,
sewn and dyed one at a time in North Carolina, USA
sewn and dyed one at a time in North Carolina, USA
I have been making wearable fiber art for over 25 years.
The technique I use is a
non-traditional Shibori.
I have worked under the names of: Three Wishes, Chaos, and Mystic Eye.
I use combinations of discharge, immersion, and direct application of color on fabric using a non-traditonal shibori technique employing custom designed devices, alchemy and random surprise. My unique dye process begins on white fabrics including silk charmeuse, chiffon, crepe d'chine, and silk/rayon velvet. T-Shirts begin with either white or black cotton shirt blanks. The fabric is folded between one and three times. Sopping wet, it is manipulated with dexterous fingers and put through the Crinkleator (artist constructed mechanical device) to set the controlled random fractalated patterns. Bound between special stainless steel grids, the prepared fabric is immersed in a series of fiber reactive dye solutuions. I typically use three separate color immersion stages to build the complex color combinations. After the dye process is complete the fabric undergoes a series of hot water machine washes to clear excess dye. The finished shibori fabric is then sewn into fine washable garments. Beautiful clothing that is both functional and wearable art.
The shibori dye process is like manifesting spirit into form out of the Primordial Chaos. I have some exercise of intent, will and control, but what comes out of the dye pot through the mysterious interactions of the colors, fabric and the forces involved is totally unique and alive. It is alchemy and beautiful magic.
Wearable Art and Silk Shibori by Michael Smith - Shibori Master
Perfect clothing for many uses....
My silk shibori clothing is totally machine washable and is ready to go anywhere. It is perfect for travel and cruise. It is lightweight and packs well, taking very little room. It can be hand or machine washed and air (or machine) dryed with no ironing.
Shibori is the Japanese word for a variety of ways of embellishing textiles by shaping cloth and securing it before dyeing. The word comes from the verb root shiboru, "to wring, squeeze, press." Although shibori is used to designate a particular group of resist-dyed textiles, the verb root of the word emphasizes the action performed on cloth, the process of manipulating fabric. Rather than treating cloth as a two-dimensional surface, with shibori it is given a three-dimensional form by folding, crumpling, stitching, plaiting, or plucking and twisting. Cloth shaped by these methods is secured in a number of ways, such as binding and knotting. It is the pliancy of a textile and its potential for creating a multitude of shape-resisted designs that the Japanese concept of shibori recognizes and explores. The shibori family of techniques includes numerous resist processes practiced throughout the world. In America it has been popularized in various forms and called Tie-Dye.
The development of the relatively newly established field of wearable art overlaps with that of shibori, which offers unprecedented potential in creating a wide range of textures on cloth. The rich sensuous colors and pliability of the material respond well to the movement and flow of the body. The works now attract creative individuals, celebrities, and collectors; and wearable art expression has established its place between high fashion and art in North America. (www.shibori.org)
Wearable Art by Michael Smith, Shibori Master
Shibori for the people!