Author Archives: debdonnelly2012

Kyoto Arts Trip #2/3

14 Sunday Jun 2026

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Ok so buckle in there’s a lot more to see and tell.

Takako is a local Kyoto tour guide and what better pal to see the 15 May- Aoi Matsuri costume themed festival with. She knows all the routes and can fill me in on details. Our #205 bus kept going until we leisurely found our spot to view the parade..

The costumes go back to the Heian period (795-1185) and apart from the modern roads we could imagine the characters, horses and ox travelling enroute to the Shrine as their duty. One of the Kefu lounge guests blended in well to the scenes in her red dress.

I particularly like the ginkgo lined streets in Kyoto that give a sense of continuation. These trees last longer than humans. The festival originally was to appease the gods from natural disasters and storms.

Takako was able to find her favourite cafe seats vacant to watch the parade- it’s usually packed!

We walked by the Kamo river to the Shimogamo shrine where the procession crosses and traditional rituals take place. Then onto the upstream Kamigamo shrine. Kami means gods.

The central figure is an unmarried woman from the city’s elite families traditionally chosen to represent the Imperial family. Who now reside in Edo-Tokyo. Imperial guards on horseback and ox drawn carts (gisha) decorated with wisteria and hollyhocks complete the picture. You can watch for free or buy a paid ticket for a shrine path seat. This procession takes 4-5 hours and can get very hot. Taking water and sun screen is a good idea.

A wonderful visual show and sense of history unfolds- this is generally not the crowd size you want to share the Shimogamo grounds with and many areas were cordoned off- would definitely visit again to see the remainder of the ancient forest grounds.

Thanks to Takako for a great day in historical Kyoto.

2026 Japanese textile arts tour May-June Kyoto

19 Tuesday May 2026

Posted by in 2012 WORKS KIAJA

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A great start to meet this artisan craft group and friends in Kyoto from 13-18 May. An inspiring group of people met at Sarasa Nishijin, organised by Hashiba san and her team.

Sarasa Nishijin textile workshop a converted Edo period Bath house venue in Kyoto residential area.
Suyoko san and workshop in vintage rug upcycled brooches.
Knotted cotton rug turned into many brooches.. sensei Ako.
Sensei Ako is the brooch teacher

Sensei Noriko from Tsuyama taught me rug knotting basics.

My indigo dyed cotton and gardenia dyed threads made a small key chain.

Thanks to the team or senshoku I was able to hear about Toyomi Harada’s trip to Taiwan with Suyoko. What a great team presentation.

Toyomi above and Suyoko have been friends a long time since studying together in Kyoto.

I found the infectious enthusiasm, energy and team lunches and dinners very helpful to learn and share skills.

A surprise visitor Mr Ichihiro Sugimoto Japan dyer and Akane madder specialist from Osaka joined us for a short time- and later textile factory visits nearby. A packed schedule that I hope Hashiba san will repeat soon.

Mr Sugimoto is a chemist trained in akane madder revitalisation. It was great to see him again with Toyomi.
Hashiba san above owns a textile business called Ako gabbeh specialising in small seat rugs and teaching others the skills.
The Sarasa Nishijin Textile workshop project photographer is MC from Hong Kong. A busy time capturing the activities and people together as well as her own recent Kyotographie exhibition. Warm congratulations to all the senshoku textile organisers.

I look forward to adding to this topic in Tsuyama and Okayama in late May!

Credit to Art Craft Village Okayama

Yukihito Kanai shibori dye arts on textiles

28 Sunday Dec 2025

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Amami Oshima dye and resist method techniques were introduced to textile groups at Nga Manu nature reserve Waikanae February 2025. For more information find us on Instagram! http://toimaharanz

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Fantastic summer weather and people, from many walks of life and cultures came together in Kapiti, to experience the natural dyeing techniques facilitated by Yukihito Kanai artist and dyer from Kanaikogei in Japan invited by me as co curator and sponsors NZJEP and KCDC creative communities, generously supported by director Janet Bayly and staff of Toi Mahara gallery Mahara place, Waikanae.

Yukihito with Janet Bayly director of Toi Mahara gallery Waikanae.
Yuki and Ellie Donnelly in front of dorozome mud dyed kimono 120 years old.
Prepping for community artists workshop.
The opening of Nature Amami Oshima featured all the natural elements and practices that make up sustainable textiles in this UNESCO world heritage site.
Shibori resist dyeing using kōwhai, indigo and madder dyes.
Yuki and I organised community natural dye workshops over several days.
Aki Baggott our wonderful translator on left.
Every chance to bring the local environment into the design process makes a collaborative project rewarding.
Toi Mahara staff welcoming us with Yukihito and dyers.
A great meeting of Yukihito enjoyed with Maori weavers at Maoriland gallery in Ōtaki Feb 2025.

Tidal blue inspirations

28 Sunday Dec 2025

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Nuno textile.. there is a strong link to my geographical placement of where I am, what is taken in by sense and touch. I can’t avoid the links.

My surroundings evoke belonging and awakens the need to make create and collaborate with nature. Sand dunes are clearer on a fresh winters day, Raumati smells are soft as the macrocarpa trees over the inlet stream.

The Kapiti garden we keep is filled with plants and flowers that end up on my sashiko stitched designs. The range of colours to be captured on camera and cloth through each season are a constant challenge to my eye.

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Diary notes.        Summer 2017-2018 eco textile workshops

10 Sunday Dec 2017

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Novembers weather has unexpectedly heated up by several degrees.  I’ve cleaned out and re organised my studio to welcome it. I collected so many beautiful leaves to dip and process prints onto cloth. Workshop time is near.

Treaures galore came to the surface and time to think about new year workshops and short courses for January February  2018

  • Eco dyes
  • Nuno felt
  • Cut paper stencil
  • stitch on cloth
  • Shibori and indigo

Im currently working on a new show called Moving Continents at Mahara Gallery in Waikanae. So will be in full studio swing till 15 January getting new works ready for 20th January opening day.

Dali in China was inspirational with full colour ranges through spring and summer 2017. Now back in NZ reliving spring blooms, my concepts relate back to thoughts of migration through air, water, earth and firey tones.

How materials and colours change in keeping with our environments.

Water and air particularly free my imagination up when travelling.  

Raumati tones by the beach and Wharemauku river head.

So these are the dates if you want to register:

Eco textiles: 23-27 January

Paint, natural dyes, print, cut stencil, stitch,  fabricate..build install.

Cost is subsidised this time only

by KCDC as works go towards a celebration on 11 February mapping your journey and thereafter back to the owners.

$40 for 4 days.

$20 for 2 days.

$30 extra for indigo dye kit or byo.

All equipment provided.

Group and individual activities. We are working with Jui Pin Chang a Taiwanese artist sponsored by Asia NZ Foundation for the week.

 

Venue : Nga manu Nature Reserve in the mornings and Whitireia campus ground floor on Kapiti Road Paraparaumu.

The theme is Kapiti Migration.

Use what ever symbols and motifs make sense to your journey.

Bring your stories and artefacts to develop some meaningful experiments. Im using my mothers journey to Wellington via Japan. And all the notes in between.

 

Questions or queries to me at

Debdonnellydtd@gmail.com

Indigo tones up our NZ spring 

10 Sunday Sep 2017

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It’s September!

 a little difficult to believe spring has actually graced us yet. Signs of daffodils and leaping lambs, pollen all over the car but no let up on sub tropical temperatures. Never mind, all of the indigo vats trialled since August worked well using my Chinese ingredients. Thanks Jun and Amy for venturing onto Taobao for me. 

Evidence of spring! kowhai flowers magnolia and blossoms. Just no sun..

Owen’s deep pink magnolia blooms and blossoms on Kapiti coast. 

My stitched response to resist indigo dyed 6 and 8 point flowers. 

Spring show- setting up indigo dyed works as a trial. 

Wool, silk and linen infused with Yunnan Chinese sourced indigo vat. Added my recycled ribbons from Hanae mori collection, an influential 1980s Japanese fashion designer. I love the mix.. the silk will shine on this work if the sun comes along…