The Rayela Review: HAND/EYE Magazine

HAND/EYE Magazine, World Textiles, Summer 2011

I was honored and super pleased to receive a copy of HAND/EYE's latest magazine, World Textiles, in exchange for a review here on Fiber Focus.  This is an easy task, theroretically, for the magazine is right up my alley, showcasing textile efforts happening all over the world.  But, of course, I also want to do something different with this review, so I hope that what I say will encourage you to jump up and immediately act on buying your own copy.

HAND/EYE's bi-line, right under the name, says: Connecting cultures and inspiring action.  That is exactly what it does.  The 68 pages tell story after story about how one person had a vision, pursued it and in doing so is transforming a community as well as impacting how that specific tradition or technique can thrive in a modern and industrial world.

Take a look at the table of contents:

• From Australia, India Flint shares how her children have taken the skills handed down within the family to express their own interests in unique ways.  
• Six stories follow from Asia, zooming in on Laos, Japan, India, and Cambodia.
• In Africa, three stories look at silk, weaving and Berber rag rugs.
• A quick stop in Europe takes us to a tiny Dutch area where women still embellish their clothing with a dot technique.
• Latin America gets five stories: Mexican Maya, Colombia, Peru...
• Then, another six stories in North America.

These stories are about empowering indigenous people, healing social wounds, exploring how one tradition can refresh another.  The engine behind the movement comes from the people.  The resulting products are eye-popping, gorgeous, and marketable to high-end markets (as well as affordable ones) which can sustain the communities that make them.

Anouphanethong Thammavong fled Thailand in 1975 and returned in 2001, finding his grandmother's legacy in woven silks.  From the ashes of history rose Soie de Lune.

The magazine, richly illustrated, does a wonderful job of showcasing both the people and the product.  Eyes and silk glow, hands and weave touch, bodies become color, washed in the folds of gorgeous fabrics, embroidery, and stitches.

This is a great time for me to do this review as it was almost exactly a year ago since I first heard about HAND/EYE.  I had launched TAFA earlier that year and one of the members sent me a link and said, "You will love this!"  I began getting the weekly e-mails.  (Subscribe to them, too!)  Eventually, I approached them and asked them if they would do a story on TAFA, which they did.  (Click to read it.)  One thing led to another and they also became a TAFA member:  HAND/EYE's TAFA Member Profile.

Our long term goals are very similar: we want the world to be place that understands and supports the power of craft, of creating something beautiful that is functional or that makes us think.  HAND/EYE has a broader focus, as they also write about clay, wood, glass, and other handmade traditions, which I think is just great!  And, from our communities on facebook and other online groups, we are not alone.  There is a thirst out there for the stories we are telling!

Rehwa Society trains and employs women with limited opportunities in India.

What is the place of a magazine in our techy world?

Even with all this enthusiasm, we are also coming out of whiplash from the demise of another favored magazine, FiberArts, which had published for over 30 years and was a mainstay for many of us.  The reality of today's world is that we are seeing magazines, newspapers and publishing companies closing down their paper products and moving them to cyber venues only.

Should we even be in the business of publishing anymore?  Why have a hard copy that you can hold in your hands and turn real pages?  If we are concerned about the environment, why should we encourage paper production?

Well,  I must say that I am happy to see many paper things disappear or decrease:  trashy novels, catalogs that were not requested, junk mail....  The cost has cleaned up a lot of the abuse.  But, at the same time, there is a place for documenting our stories through hard copies that are not electronic.  Information on the web can be so fleeting.  And, if there is a power shortage, there goes the access.  I have many books on textiles, cultural anthropology, theology, etc.  Those are references that I can check at will, that I can hold in my hand and feel connected to that paper.  Plus, there is a whole segment of our population, like my mother, who refuses to learn how to use the computer.  HAND/EYE Magazine is one of those publications that should continue to tell the story for many, many more years.

The highland communities in Chiapas, Mexico, continue to have dynamic indigenous traditions and dress.

What you should know:

HAND/EYE publishes these beautiful magazines a couple of times a year.  Back issues are still available for their issues on Central Asia and Haiti.  Each magazine is $15.  Think about all of the time and effort that goes into collecting these stories and then taking them to print.  In between, there is much, much more that you can access online.  There are three sites that you can visit:

• HAND/EYE Magazine  (online) discusses the intersections of art, craft, design, effective philanthropy, and enlightented consumption.  Get it by email once a week with an average of three new stories. 
• HAND/EYE Blog  invites makers, collectors and commentators alike to be part of the discussion by bringing what they make, what they collect, what they obsess about, onto the screens of our devoted handmade community.
• 12 Small Things by HAND/EYE offers high quality, handmade, artisan goods from around the globe. Our collections support craftspeople working to improve the lives of their families and communities in some of the most challenging situations on the planet. Their stories are those of strength, hope, and beauty, and each of our products reflects these qualities in their design and craftsmanship. 12 Small Things by HAND/EYE strives to assist these communities and artisans through commerce. 

Native American artist Teri Greeves tell her story through hand-sewn beads on manufactured high tops.

The Key Words

Here is my exercise:  we are always reducing our curiosity or hunt on the web down to key words that capture what we want.  I will pick a word from each page of this World Textiles issue and see what we come up with.  Ready?  Here goes:

Hope + India Flint + child + Laos +Paris + baby + weaver + Japan + origami + nuno + handloom + heritage + Muslim + saris + India + UNESCO + eco-culturalist + silk + ancient + yam juice + Raw Mango + royalty + sustainable + road + Cambodia + Madagascar + feathers + South African + embroidery + rags + Morocco + Amazigh + Dutch + dots + Chiapas + Maya + backstrap + fashion + threads + globetrotter + sophisticated + indigenous + Peruvian + ancestral + nature's + organic + Rome + costume designer + hope + symbols + vision + empowerment + textures + conscious consumption + indigo + Korean + moccasins + beads + healing + machine embroidery + Rowland Ricketts + sukumo + opacity + vitality.

What do you think?  One page, one word.  Are we speaking the same language?  Is there enough there to spark your interest?  Order your copy of World Textiles and support HAND/EYE in the wonderful work that they do: connecting cultures and inspiring action.  It is not only fascinating to those of us who love these textiles and techniques, but also so important in making the world a safer and healthier place for all.  The more we can communicate, share, learn, and break down the barriers that divide us, the more we understand that even if names, places and techniques are different, we are really all on a common journey.

And, if that journey includes some raw silk, indigo and a good story along the way, I am a happy camper indeed!

The Rayela Review: HAND/EYE Magazine

Doris Florig: Weaver on a Boat, Explorer of Traditions

"Grand Isle Corn" by Doris Florig

Searching for the Ruins of an Indigo Plantation

By Doris Florig

Six years ago, each time I told  friends that my husband, Dennis, and I had decided to spend our winters on our cruising sail boat, the first thing they all said was, “so I guess you will have to give up weaving”.  Well, I knew that was not a possibility. I knew I could adjust to nomadic style looms, but, I had no idea that my knowledge of weaving would grow with such diversity. Weaving has given me the key to open the doors to connect with new people, their culture and history.

Doris learning about mud dyeing from a Carib Amerindian in Dominica.

Dennis checking the sail trim.

Most recently, while sailing the Eastern Caribbean chain, we sailed to the island of Maria-Galante, Guadeloupe. Before arriving, I looked through a French publication by the Conseil General De La Guadeloupe. It showed a photo of ruins of 17th century indigo processing vats. My experience with natural dyeing is extensive but lacking in any exposure to Indigo. I knew that this was to be the beginning of what would develop into an intensive study of INDIGO. We rented a car and set out on a quest to broaden my knowledge of the history and the processing of Indigo. 

It wasn’t as easy as I thought. Somehow I guess I was thinking there would be something very oblivious like a sign saying “Historic Site”. We found the general area, but not the site.  I approached an elderly French women on the roadside. Knowing that neither of us spoke the same language, I approached her with the photo of the ruins and a map. Well, the map was of no help. I had forgotten that people, who don’t travel, can’t relate to maps. The photo was of some help, but we didn’t connect until I pointed to the blue on her dress and said INDIGO.  I detected a slight smile and twinkle in her eye that indicated she understood. She pointed towards the sea.  So, downhill I went and quickly discovered a field with a small low stone structure, possibly an old barn. Ignoring the oxen scattered about the field, I headed toward the structure not knowing what to expect.

The oxen didn't bother Dennis.

It took a while but eventually, I realized that it could be nothing other than the foundation for the production of Indigo.

Indigo vat ruins in Guadeloupe.

The stone ruins formed three very distinct shapes approximately 12 x 12 feet which indicated to me that these were the walls of the vats. The first vat was for fermenting the indigo for a period of 24 hours. The second vat would have been used for the churning process and the third vat used for draining the fluid from the sludge used to make the dye.  The whole thing was a mystery until I saw the openings for the draining process. That was a dead give-away, I had indeed discovered the ruins from a 17th century Indigo Plantation. I felt like an amateur archeologist. The discovery of this foundation is now the beginning of my quest to fully understand and experience the process of dyeing with indigo.

Dennis discovered the remains of an old cauldron. We think it was original equipment used in  the processing.

At the next island, Domonica, we visited a Carib Reservation. They knew no history of Indigo dyeing but Dennis and I were convinced that they were cooking their Cassava bread on a broken historic cauldron.

Doris Florig is a weaver/fiber artist. She will teach natural dye classes in Jackson Hole this summer. On Aug 6 and 7, 2011 she will present a natural dye lecture and a demonstration in Fargo, North Dakota.

Visit Doris Florig's website.

Doris, in the saloon,settled into weaving her winter tapestry project, THE GATES OF NAHANNI.  The original painting for this cartoon was done by Dwayne Harty supported by the Yellowstone Yukon Conservation Project directed by Harvey Locke.

Doris Florig: Weaver on a Boat, Explorer of Traditions

For the Love of Indigo: Miao Tradition in Blue

Contemporary Miao Batik Indigo Cloth, $30

If you had to pick one main background color to show off all the other colors in the rainbow, what would it be? The Miao have picked indigo, and I have to agree with them: the deep blue enhances and compliments all of their rich textile traditions perfectly. Many other cultures have used indigo dyes around the world for centuries. But, while this labor intensive technique slowly dies out in many places, the Miao continue to use it today, still preferring the old ways to commercial alternatives available on the market.

Miao Indigo Cotton Cloths on Etsy
I just listed a few Miao indigo batik and tie-dyed cloths on Etsy. Click on the photos to take you to the listings. If these have been sold, search the store as I try to keep them in stock. (I also often carry embroidered Miao textile remnants. Search the store using the keyword, "Miao") These cloths use traditional techniques, but are contemporary pieces aimed at export for the Western market. Intended as tablecloths, they are perfect center pieces for quilts. The soft cloth and their designs lend themselves to easy quilting.

Miao Indigo Tie-dyed Cloth with Embroidered Accents, $30

The Miao tend to live in remote mountain areas with limited agricultural use, thus making a living through their textile productions has become their main form of sustenance. Their traditional techniques involve batik or tie-dye, a long process, using indigo and other natural dyes, then layers of applique and embroidery. These cloths are a simplified version of what they would make for themselves, allowing us to enjoy their beauty at an affordable price. As the Miao become more savvy about the value of their work, their costumes increasingly command higher prices, allowing many of them to access better health care, education, and other resources.

Who are the Miao?

Miao Woman from Peace on Earth

Gina Corrigan has written a couple of books on the Miao living in Guizhou Province, China, home to the largest concentration of Miao.

Books mentioned in this article:

In Miao Textiles from China, she describes how the Miao, the largest ethnic minority in China, are thought to have arrived into Guizhou as migrants from the Yellow River basin around 5,000 years ago. Their history has been fraught with persecution by the Han majority, poverty, discrimination, and migration, including flight into Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. (The Hmong are ethnically Miao, retaining similar textile traditions and oral history.) The Miao are divided into four main dialect groups and many subgroups, dialects so different that they often cannot understand each other. Yet, their textiles are their common language and indigo the color of cultural coherence.

Indigo wreaths and butterflies.

Indigo Central to Miao Cultural Expression
Of indigo, Corrigan has much to say, starting with:
"The most common dye in Guizhou is vegetable indigo, usually made by women, which is used on all base fabrics. ... In September the leaves are collected and soaked in barrels of water for anything from four days to two weeks, depending on the ambient temperature. Once fermented, the leaves are taken out and lime is beaten in to introduce oxygen. After several days, the indigo pigment precipitates to the bottom. The water is then drained off and the dark blue indigo paste scooped out into baskets lined with leaves. If sealed, this can be kept all winter, and some families make indigo paste to sell at market.
Domestic dyeing is also usually done by the women, who reconstitute the indigo paste with ash and water in a wooden dye vat, found in most Miao households. Rice wine is added to encourage fermentation, which gradually reduces oxygen in the vat. The dyer tastes the vat every morning to see if it is right for dyeing. Both hand-woven and bought fabrics are dyed, normally in the warmer months of September and October. They are dipped and aired many times to build up the dark blue colour, sometimes for as long as twenty-four days." (pages 13,14)

David Newbegin has a wonderful collection of photos he took in Guizhou, not necessarily about the Miao. Many are of people in their daily tasks and routines or dance performances while others show the gorgeous landscape of the region. I encourage you to visit his collection, but here are some of his photos with Newbegin's captions specifically related to indigo dyeing:

A Dong lady dyeing cloth, which the Zhaoxing villagers weave themselves, with indigo solution. The cloth is dipped and aired many times to build up the darker colour.

Various shades of indigo dyed cloth being aired along the river frontage in the Dong village of Zhaoxing in Guizhou Province. The cloth is dyed many times to produce a darker blue colour. Also rice straw ash and pigs blood is added to the indigo solution to produce a black or brown colour.

Miao lady in Biasha (Basha) village in Guizhou Province applying the finishing touches to another dress. The women wearing pleated skirts with white insets are married.

My little source book for Chinese crafts, Arts and Crafts of China (pictured in the Amazon slide show above), offers a bit more technical information on the art of dyeing indigo:
"Today, it remains almost exclusively the minority peoples who preserve the traditions of planting and cultivation to assure a steady supply of natural vegetable dyes. The ubiquitous lancao (indigo) in widespread use throughout China is especially popular among China's sourthern minority peoples, such as the Miao and Buoyei. Although synthetic indigo has been used in China since the early twentieth century, natural indigo remains the preferred choice among many minorities.
Mordant dyes are especially popular for the rich, permanent colours produced when bonding occurs between the fibre and dye compounds. This may result from soluble matter being released naturally by the plant during boiling, as is the case with tannic acid released during the boiling of sumac or gall nuts, or from the addition of special mordant substances in the preliminary or post-dyeing baths. The most common chinese mordants are alum and potash, which are obtained by boiling hemp or rice straw. Their use in varying amounts allows a broader range of tonalities to develop amont textiles submerged in the same dye." (page 15)

I found a video on YouTube that shows some of the dyeing process:

Miao ethnic people dyeing cloth with indigo colouring - 2007

When I think about it, I realize that I, too, pretty much live in indigo.... blue jeans, my daily wear, the older the better! Maybe that is why I am so attracted to the Miao language of blue, or maybe it is simply because it is so beautifully rendered.

Miao Indigo Butterfly Batik

For the Love of Indigo: Miao Tradition in Blue