Continuing the ongoing story of the salvage sketchbook, in which rather than constructing a 'new' concertina from harvested pages, I am using something from my archives that has already been in service, a lovely Moleskine concertina notebook that had come with me on a trip to Maui in 2017, and been abandoned well before being used to its full potential when I received news that my mother had passed.
My original plan had been to bring her with me to Maui, and I already booked her tickets to fly when she was unexpectedly hospitalised and couldn't travel. The show must go on, though, and as I could hardly bail on the engagement with three days notice, I went.
In this course I will be reviving this notebook and taking it with me on a journey to another island.
The first part of the course begins on August 19 and takes place in my home studio, adding pages to the partially used notebook (wrestling with long, rustling pieces of paper!) and dyeing papers for use in collage to mask things where needed, along with some extra stains.
In the second part, to be added in September, I will share my journey around Shetland with you through photography and video, as well as my drawn and written responses to the landscape. I am planning to carry small pieces of cloth and threads to gather local colour to dye and stitch into the pages.
In the third part, to be added in October, we will look at ways of interpreting images from our notebooks as a textile work using plant dyes, ink, stitch and other mark-making techniques to explore the poetics of place from our armchairs. I'll be inviting you to work on a piece as well, and will create a gallery here (within the course) where you can share images of your work and join in a conversation about them.
your guide
You are such a generous teacher, India. I hope you know that one of your greatest gifts is sharing the way you live as a creative person. Your fearlessness and willingness to give any intriguing idea a try, your incredibly inventive mind, your ruminations and memories, the dazzling way you put unlikely things together, teach me so much more than just "how to." I am forever grateful to you. 〜 Amy
My very first project with India was repurposing a shirt with design modifications and ecoprinting. I think this is one of the most fun (and beautiful) pieces that I have ever created....but beyond the journey of ecoprinting, I connected with a group of people who share my love of nature, of all that is 'natural', of 'slow', of meangful, of the beauty of repurposing, remaking and reusing, of creating. And every project since that very first one has filled me with delight and much pleasure. 〜 Margo
I have learned so many wonderful things from the School of Nomad Arts, which I’ve incorporated into my creative practice. India is so generous in her teaching and her offerings are imbued with kindness and gentleness. Like a dear friend, I love that I can revisit these when I am in need of some solace and inspiration 〜 Angie
I enrolled on India's "Savage Sketchbook" online course and have been enthralled with listening to her melodic voice and watching her crafty hands create magic. Her instructions are clear, well formulated and thorough so I can follow as she creates or go back to time and time again to create my own piece. I love how she uses and reuses old resources (books, thread, cloth etc) and reconstructs again and again as well as her encouragement that everything is beautiful. Creativity, and one’s own stamp is the aim, not perfection which I just adore.
I am yet to try her eco-dyeing techniques but as she is the mother and goddess of this I am sure I will enjoy this equally.
India has been instrumental in waking up my creatively and playfulness and I have been so enchanted by her work and manner that I have also booked to join her in Morocco in 2024 for her workshop. 〜 Jane