song for Shindo-sensei

Kyoto, Japan

550 x 920
Ai-zome (indigo) and Shibori dyeing;
hand-woven ramie, bamboo, cotton cord,
found object

Hiroyuki Shindo is internationally famous for the indescribable indigo hue he achieves from his fully organic vats. I spent some fascinating days at his home on a workshop learning some of the idiosyncrasies of biodynamic dyeing: feeding the smelly green vats with honey, rice bran and sake, offering prayers to the deities that watch over the vats, wallowing in wonder at the quality of the color that appeared on the cotton cloth as the air reduced the dyestuff . . .

The background cloth was dip-dyed, and I worked a shibori border on the piece of cloth that would become the panel.

Ai can mean indigo blue or it can mean love. Watching Shindo-sensei at work and seeing the results of his patient labors, one has the sense that in his life the two meanings merge into one.

©miriam louisa simons