Carved Board Clamp Resist Dyeing

Kyokechi - a 4Day Shibori Class with Jay Rich

Definition and background: 
Carved board clamped resist (CBCR) originated in China in the 7th century where it was called jia xie.  Shortly after, the technique which involves sandwiching cloth between carved pairs of mirror image boards, then clamping and dyeing appeared in Japan's Nara period.  It was known as kyokechi.   
Typical of many textile techniques, CBCR has had a broadly varied production history.   Gagaku or ancient theater costumes of the 14-15th century were produced with this technique, likely due to advantage in quickly reproducing costumes subject to wear and tear. Safflower dyeing in the 17-18th century was frequently done with this technique, likely related to the delicacy of this specific dye. 19th Century popular production included carved patterns imitating the more expensive labor intensive shibori patterns.  

Early descriptions don't distinguish clearly between itajime, the more familiar clamped board resist done without patterned boards.   The elegance of itajime which translates wooden board (ita) and sandwich and tighten (jime) is usually in the delicacy and art of the folds prior to clamping and the finesse of the dye penetration.  The early term kyokechi which translates clamp (kyo) and dyeing (kechi) gives us a clue to the importance of the clamp itself.   While the boards are significant to the patterning, the clamp provides the strength and support that creates the resist force blocking any dye penetration.   This strong resist force allows elaborate, fine detail of the carving to be recorded as a positive on the cloth. 


Workshop:
At this workshop your instructor JAY RICH (USA) will:
1.  Review the history of carved board clamped resist, 
2.  Demonstrate the use of resist blocks, folding, clamping and dyeing process, 
3.  Provide the opportunity for personal board development and experimentation

After a general understanding of the potentials, students will produce a small format design to be engraved for them on acrylic boards.

Demonstration and quick studies will be done with indigo (dye 1).  This provides the simplest way of practicing the intricacies of folding, placing the design elements on the cloth and mastering the secure clamping  process. Additional dye options will include safflower (dye 2), an ancient delicate dye used extensively with CBCR and a new revolutionary use of an old dye, kakishibu (dye 3) or fermented persimmon juice.  Also,  Procion MX reactive dyes (dye 4) for quick and easy layering of pattern and discharge options (dye 5) either from commercial black silks or procion dyed  samples.

The variety of dye options offered would likely be confusing to a beginning dyer and is intended to provide intermediate to advanced dyers opportunity, in a short amount of time, to experiment with some or all of these methods.  Our goal is to provide opportunity to fully appreciate the potentials of CBCR dyeing.

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Students need to bring:  design ideas, small format, black and white high contrast, mirror imaged. 
A List of materials will be published closer to the date and can be viewed on this website