A GARDEN TO DYE FOR; FABRIC EXPERTS CRAFT COLORFUL HUES FROM HUNTINGTON'S HERBS.Byline: Marilee Reyes When most people see a garden full of herbs, they think of robust seasonings for a gourmet dish. When Kelly Kimball sees a garden full of herbs, she thinks fabric dyes. The Altadena textile artist and costume designer had briefly experimented with natural dyes natural dye n. A dye obtained from animals or plants. years before, but the sight of the Huntington Botanical Gardens A botanical garden is a place where plants, especially ferns, conifers and flowering plants, are grown and displayed for the purposes of research, conservation, and education. in San Marino San Marino, city, United States San Marino (săn mərē`nō), residential city (1990 pop. 12,959), Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1913. Of interest is the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. on her first day of volunteer work there in 1992 set her imagination in motion. With permission from Shirley Kerins, curator of the herb garden and an herb specialist and folklorist, Kimball used some of the plants to dye yarns and fabrics, and applied the knowledge to re-create authentic colors that would have been used by Moses and his flock when she acted as a consultant to DreamWorks' animated movie ``The Prince of Egypt.'' ``I got totally engrossed en·gross tr.v. en·grossed, en·gross·ing, en·gross·es 1. To occupy exclusively; absorb: A great novel engrosses the reader. See Synonyms at monopolize. 2. , and one thing led to another,'' Kimball said. Her research has resulted in an accumulation of historical data about natural dyes and how geography and climate affect the hues plants impart. Currently she is consulting on a film project to re-create the fabrics of pre-Columbian Mexico. ``There's a lot of learning,'' she said, ``But it's interesting and fun.'' Kimball will be one of several skilled crafts people participating in the Huntington Botanical Garden's Fiber Arts Show this weekend. It will feature the centuries-old textile arts Textile art is the creation of textiles or creation with textiles. Textile artists use various techniques to create works of art using threads and fibres sometimes in combination with paints or dyes. of spinning, weaving and dyeing. Using the Huntington's herb garden as the setting, the crafters will demonstrate the tools and techniques used for processing cotton, linen and wool fibers into yarn or thread and then weave the materials into fabrics. Kimball will talk about using leaves, stems, flowers, fruits, and even roots and bark to create a wide range of colorful hues. Many of the dyeing herbs are found in the Huntington's half-acre herb garden, including indigo indigo [Span.; from Lat.,=Indian], important blue dyestuff used in printing inks and for vat dyeing of cotton (see dye). It was anciently produced in India and was known in Egypt, probably c.1600 B.C. (blue), mullein mullein: see figwort. (yellow), madder (red), and woad (blue). Cotton and flax flax, common name for members of the Linaceae, a family of annual herbs, especially members of the genus Linum, and for the fiber obtained from such plants. The flax of commerce (several varieties of L. , the source of linen fibers, also are grown on the grounds. THE FACTS The show: The Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens Fiber Arts Show. Where: 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. When: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today and Sunday. Admission: General admission includes entry to all the Huntington's exhibits, art galleries and the 150-acre botanical gardens. Adults $8.50, seniors $7, students $5 with identification, children younger than 12 free. Information: (626) 405-2141. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Textile artist Kelly Kimball will talk about using leaves, stems, flowers, fruits, roots and bark to create natural dyes as part of the Huntington Botanical Garden's Fiber Arts Show this weekend in San Marino. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion