tinctory: re-purposed silk jewelry

We only know her by her first name, the lush hand-smocked jewelry she makes and the charming word she invented for her shop.

[nonmember]This archived post is for Members Only. Click here to become a member or to get a one day pass. If you are a member, please login to view the post. [/nonmember] [private_archives]Eva, a self-taught Czech artist living in the UK, explains the origins of the name, saying “Tinctory is a word that may not exist but if it did it would mean a place where things are dyed. Tinctor means ‘dyer’ in Latin”.

Rara Avas Collection
“Latin for ‘rare bird’, a rare person or thing;
a rarity, natural history of imaginary lands…”

Rara Avas

An interest in fabric manipulation, natural dyes and shibori led her to grow many of the dye plants she uses to tint the re-purposed silk that she hand-sews with pleats and smocking. Romance and poetry in a swatch of fabric.

Box of Autumn Color

The Token

Work in progress collage

“I’ve collected fallen leaves and steam-printed them on silk. Their colours were captured on the fabric (with the help of some alum in which the silk was mordanted). The print looked like a watercolour.”

Necklace made with leaf printed silk

The Locker, from the Fathoming series

The Locker, detail
“three floating sheets of paper written with hope. did the letter reach its destination? was it kept close to the heart?”

Sketchbook pages

Tintory the shop

Tinctory the blog

Tinctory on Flickr

So much to see, to read, to learn (she shares her process, her inspiration, her recipes; you will see that many of the pieces have words printed on the fabric before they get tucked into pleats; lots of work in progress pictures).  Go there now for a refreshing sensory experience. I could almost smell the basil cooking up a pot of green dye; hear the fall leaves crunching under her feet; feel the petal-soft silk on her fingers.  Go.

link via Faberuna

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