Michael Smith, Silk Shibori and Wearable Art

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 designatc 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.

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, personal and alive. It is Alchemy and beautiful magic. For me it is more than just Art to Wear, or ArtWear.

Fiber Art

Fiber art is a subclassification of fine art defined by the usually exclusive use of fabrics, yarn, other natural fibers, and now synthetic fibers to focus on the properties of the material as well as the hands-on work intensive process as part of the significance of the piece.
Twylene Moyer, in her article, Handle with Care: Loose Threads in Fiber, is here paraphrased to define fiber art as, "When the conscious choice of fiber as medium sets the agenda and the visceral and tactile import of fiber materiality forms an end in itself."
Note: Moyer was actually defining what fiber art is not, and here the negatives were removed. (wikepedia)

Fiber art is a sub-classification of fine art defined by the exclusive use of fiber materials and an exclusive focus on the properties of the materials as well as the process as part of the significance of the piece. Processes include: surface design (image transfer, batik, resist, silkscreen, discharge, dyeing, painting), weaving (on-loom or off-loom), basketry (twinning, coiling, wickerwork, plaiting), quilting, paper, felting, spinning, stitching, knitting, crochet, netting, needlework, and lacework.