Three Wishes Wearable Art and Silk Shibori by Michael Smith, Asheville NC

I have been making wearable art for over two decades. Labels have included: Three Wishes, Chaos, and Mystic Eye. The technique I use is non-traditional shibori.

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 happy surprises. 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 seperate 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.

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.

Shibori Definition

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. Three Wishes silks has taken shibori beyond the old traditions.

Thanks for your heroic effort to find Three Wishes Silk

"You have released me from a thousand years of imprisonment!" he cried, "For this I will grant you three wishes."

Wearable Art Definition

(from Wikipedia) Wearable art, also known as Artwear, describes the making of individually designed pieces of usually hand-made clothing as artistic expressions. Pieces may be sold and/or exhibited. Artists may use purchased finished fabrics, making them into unique garments, or may dye and/or paint virgin fabric. A few artists make their own fabrics, for example on looms. Wearable art is a branch of the wider field of Fiber art, which describes both wearable and non-wearable forms of art using fabric and other fiber products. As with any other art form, the talent and skills of artists in this field varies widely. Since the nature of the medium requires craft skills as well as artistic skills, an advanced artist can be expected to study color theory, chemistry, sewing, clothing design, and such computer skills as Photoshop and Illustrator. Three Wishes, now MichaelSilks is a world leader in wearable art.

Three Wishes silks, Asheville NC, is now MichaelSilks - www.michaelsilks.com