Natural Dyeing Weekend Intensive, Aug. 10 & 11, 11-5pm, Catskill

Instructor: Isa Rodrigues

In this workshop, participants will learn the foundations of working with natural color on textiles, while discussing natural dye materials' history, chemistry, and sustainability. Over the two days, participants will learn the basics of mordanting, dye extraction, dyeing techniques, color modifications, and setting up an indigo vat, to collaboratively create a natural dye color sampler.  We will work with natural dyes with a rich history of use in North America, such as madder, osage orange, black walnut, and the magical indigo. Other options for natural dye materials, such as food waste, invasive plants and other, will also be discussed for future exploration. All materials are included, however, students are encouraged to bring small quantities of textile materials/garments for independent exploration.

Instructor Bio:

Isa Rodrigues is a textile artist and educator based in Brooklyn, New York, and Lagos, Portugal. She’s interested in the innovation potential of traditional techniques and materials, sustainable processes, and education as a means for community-building and preserving material culture. She’s a founding team member of the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn, where she was Co-Executive Director and founded the project Sewing Seeds, creating and activating natural dye gardens in public spaces and community gardens. She continues her research of natural dyes as co-lead for the Pratt Institute’s Natural Dye Garden and as a creative consultant for The Mothership natural dye garden and residency in Tangier, Morocco. Isa also runs a textile fabrication business, 505 Textiles, through which she has created work for clients such as Altuzarra, Gabriela Hearst, Ace Hotel, M.Patmos, Thompson Street Studio, amongst others. Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Art and Design and the Cooper Hewitt Museum. She teaches textile materiality, weaving, natural dyeing, and other surface design techniques at the Textile Arts Center, Rhode Island School of Design, Fashion Institute of Technology, Ox-Bow School of Art and Pratt Institute.

Images: Isa Rodrigues

Cancellation Policy:

Please consider carefully before signing up for one of our classes, loom rentals, or purchasing a class for another person.  Due to the small class size for in-person workshops and the limited number of looms, each person makes an important contribution to the group dynamic and cancelling within short notice can make it difficult to fill your spot.  If you do need to cancel, please be aware of our policies:

If the cancellation is 30 or more days before the start of the workshop, you have the option of rescheduling or receiving a full refund minus a $25 processing fee.  If the cancellation is fewer than 30 days from the start of the workshop, this results in forfeiture of your entire course fee.  If your spot can be from the waitlist, then you will only pay the $25 processing fee, regardless of timing.

No refunds will be given on gift certificates.  (Updated 05/05/2024)