Shibori-The illustrious Textile Art

  Patricia, specialises in the textile art of Shibori - the Japanese name for ancient resist dyeing and manipulating fabric .The video demonstating the techniques of Shibori ,with the exquisite intricacy of Japanese craftsmanship continuing today in Arimatsu ,have been adapted by Patricia into contemporary wearables.She is a member of the World Shibori network WSN (www.shibori.org) whose aim is to preserve and promote this endangered textile heritage .

The upcoming WSN conference held at the Hong Kong Polytechnic in December is detailed on the Shibori website.

Velvets of Venice

  Patrica Black  first presented her work in Venice in a specially choreographed performance entitled  Sottile come una Ragnatella/Finer than a  Spiders Web at  Palazzo Moncenigo.She also worked with Casa Gialla Art Association to teach her specialised form of  handdyed 3D textile pieces using the finest Italian Silks in Giudecca in 1996.
 Her current  limited edition silk velvet wearables- evoke the work of Venetian designer Fortuny and are available at Zazu shop in Calle Saoneri in Frari Quartieri.
Besides teaching her work which she loves as she gets to meet realy interesting people such as her students pictured below at Textile Haslach.
  Patricia is passionate about a supporting   handfashioned craftsmanship with a contemporary edge-in her own words

      "In Venice in  the labyrinth of streets called calle one discovers tiny treasures of shops that save me from the edge of despair. Elsewhere, the art of theatrical dressing, the engaging pleasure of handfashioning textiles and hand fashioned design are being swept away .These micro cultures, that give a context for the celebration of the sartorial spendour of textiles, belong to a now distant and rarified world . I and other" textilophiles " are trying to stem in this tide by promoting ,educating and keeping on creating in the hope that this a cyclical trend..."