Dyeing With Eucalyptus - An Online Talk & Demonstration With Samorn Sanixay - 23rd July
9.30-11.30am BST Tuesday 23rd July 2024
The recording will be available for three months after the event.
In 2022, Samorn set out with the mission to create a Eucalypt colour map and catalogue of Australia, supported by a Dahl Fellowship from Eucalypt Australia. Her goal was to showcase the beauty and remarkable diversity of hues that can be achieved through natural dye methods using eucalypt leaves. Samorn traveled around Australia to collect samples of eucalypt leaves from their natural habitat. Specifically, she chose tropical Far-north Queensland, Southwest of Western Australia, and Ikara-Flinders Ranges in South Australia for this research. This enabled her to explore how diverse environments influence the colours obtained from eucalyptus leaves during the natural dyeing process. She spent a week gathering samples in each location before proceeding with dyeing for colour swatches.
In this online talk, Samorn will share her natural dye journey from starting off with tropical plants to now focussing on eucalypts and native Australian plants. Samorn will share her experience from the years she spent traveling around Australia researching eucalypts and what she has learned about these amazing plants and their capabilities. She will give a demonstration on how to get the best results from eucalypts in the dye pot including the best eucalypts to work with to get vibrant reds that are available to those who don’t live in Australia. She will give a dyeing demonstration and share the tannin mordanting process she uses, including some troubleshooting what can go wrong and how to get you back on track.
Samorn Sanixay, a textile designer and weaver based in Canberra, Australia, is also a passionate gardener. With over twenty years of experience in textile craft and natural dyeing. Samorn began her journey into natural dyeing and weaving in 2002 during a visit to her birthplace of Laos. While working with UNICEF in remote Southeast Asian villages, she discovered a group of talented village weavers in northern Laos, sparking a deep appreciation for the craft.
Under the guidance of Master Weaver Khaisy Sophabmixay, Samorn spent three years as an apprentice learning weaving and dyeing techniques from the Sam Neau region of Laos. In 2004, she and Khaisy co-founded the Eastern Weft weaving cooperative, supporting disadvantaged young Lao artisans through the production of traditional textile crafts. Eastern weft continue to produce bespoke handwoven textiles for Fashion and interior designers as well as creative work for exhibitions and events.
Upon returning to Australia in 2006, Samorn has continued her commitment to natural dyeing and indigenous weaving techniques, blending influences from her Lao-Australian background. She experiments with local materials, such as merino wool, and locally-sourced dyes, including native plants and eucalypts, to create unique and vibrant textiles for fashion, interiors, and exhibitions. Samorn's work reflects her dedication to working locally and seasonally with nature, exploring new possibilities in colour and enriching her artistic repertoire.