I first met Izukura sensei during my last semester at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. I was so busy doing my graduation collection, but his work interested me enough to try to work with him now that I have more time. With Paula Rath's gracious recommendation, I was able to become his apprentice, assisting his work here in Hawaii. These photos are from my first week of work.
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| Paula's beautiful home, where Izukura sensei worked. |
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| We made lunch everyday. |
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| His studio in upper Nu'uanu. |
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| Dying silk worm cocoons. |
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| He crushes them and stick them around objects. The natural protein acts like a glue and after being dried, the object can be extracted, leaving a hollow art object. |
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| spreading cocoon. |
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| left is hibiscus, right is blueberries. |
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| Hawaiian Indigo |
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| blueberries, hibiscus, turmeric |
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| My usual workplace. |
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| hibiscus |
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| Hawaiian indigo |
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top and left fabric - indigo
right - blueberries |
From making the fabrics from silk worm cocoons, and growing the silk worms for the cocoons, everything was a natural process. Dying the fabrics was stress free, because nature takes control and you're only there to assist. Every imperfection seems beautiful, just like how your imperfections and mine makes us the perfect imperfections in mother nature's eyes.
"I am always looking to go back to my organic state. "
Schedule:
1st week of August: Big Island - Picking Indigo leaves and setting up the silk worms.
Every 1st week of September through September of 2013: Honolulu - Assisting @ Academy of Arts Workshop.
Mid October 2012: Tokyo - Tokyo Fashion Week
November: Yokohama & Kyoto - Visiting Izukura sensei's Atelier
Busy!
