Indigo Exhibition to be Extended !!

The Press Gang are delighted to announce that their Indigo exhibition has been extended to show until 3 January 2014.

Dates and times are as follows:-

Friday 20th & Sat 21 December  10 - 4 daily

Monday 23rd December 10 - 4

Tuesday 24 December 9 - 1

Friday 27 December 10 - 4

Thursday 2 and Friday 3 January 10 - 4

The Press Gang hope to see you at Wallarobba Arts and Cultural Centre before 3rd January!

Moku Hanga and Indigo at Wallarobba

Press Gang printmaker John Crawford's Exhibition of contemporary prints using Japanese woodblock techniques is now on show downstairs in the Artist Lounge at Wallarobba.

These works span the past 2 1/2 years and include his 2013 "Snowgum" series.

This exhibition has now been extended to run until Friday 3 January 2014.

Exhibitions at Wallarobba Arts and Cultural Centre will be open to the public on:

Wed 18 December - Sat 21 December  10 - 4 daily

Monday 23rd December 10 - 4

Tuesday 24 December 9 - 1

Friday 27 December 10 - 4

Thursday 2 and Friday 3 January 10 - 4

The Press Gang's Indigo Exhibition is also on display upstairs at Wallarobba and open from 10 - 4 daily.

Indigo Exhibition

"Indigo - the king of dyes" by Frances Brown

The practice of dying with indigo is an incredibly rich cultural tradition, with each region of the world having its own unique methods, beliefs and rituals as part of the process.

Woven linen fabric with indigo dyed borders survives from the Egyptian tombs dating from around 2400 BC . Reference to blue cloth being traded by the merchants of Sheba (now Yemen) can be found in the Old Testament. Wool and cotton tie dyed and resist dyed fabrics found in Mali date back to the 11^th century.  And these are but a few examples.

Fermented or bacterial indigo has been used as a dye since antiquity, after it was discovered that indigo leaves left to rot in urine would release colour and create a green solution. When soaked in this solution, natural fibres will then turn from green to blue when exposed to air.

The main plant genus that have been traditionally used for indigo dying are Indigofera, Polygonum,  Lochocarpus and Isatis. These plants contain the chemical compound indican in their leaves.

Indigofera tinctoria belongs to the Leguminosae family, has light green foliage and pea like flowers and is native to India, China and parts of South America. The process of fermenting releases the dye.

Isatis tinctoria or Woad is a cool climate plant that has been grown commercially in Europe since medieval times. During the Middle Ages, woad was grown in abundance to supply the local weaving industry in Europe

Polygonum tinctorium also known as  Japanese indigo, Chinese indigo or dyers’ knotweed, is often cultivated concurrently with Indigofera in China and Japan.

In Western Africa the Yoruba people use Lonchocarpus cyanescens to dye their intricate paste resist clothing, in shades of dark and light blue

Information from Prideaux, Vivien 2003, “A Handbook of Indigo Dying” Search Press Limited, Kent , UK

What's happening at Wallarobba? The Grand Old Dame is "Blushing Blue"!! by Michelle Mabbott

Visitors to the HAS Treasures Christmas Exhibition and Sale at Wallarobba this week will have noticed some very strange goings-on.  Strips and snips of blue fabric, paper and ribbons of Indigo blue, are taking over the building!!

Tendrils of colour have wound their way up the grand staircase, heralding an upcoming event. The grand old dame is blushing blue!  Who is responsible for all of this and why?

The staircases installation, brainchild of Hornsby artist and printmaker Michelle Mabbott  includes ribbon, fabric remnants, string, paper fragments, scraps of artwork and found objects including feathers, birds nest and the pocket from a pair of denim jeans- all in various shades of Indigo and blue.

Other "blue bombing" installations have occurred, and more are planned, inside and out. Look out for the beautiful Shibori-dyed textiles by Lisa McArthur-Edwards that will grace the entry foyer walls from 10th December. 

The Press Gang 

So, why all this blue?  "The Press Gang" have been busy preparing for their next printmaking exhibition Indigo Their very diverse, and fascinating artworks, explore the rich history and ongoing cultural influence of the colour, one of the most widely used dyestuffs, known since ancient man.

The inspiring light behind  Indigo was local artist Frances Brown, mentioning the possibility of printing using an indigo coloured ink, during a conversation in the print studio in late 2012. From there, Indigo  was adopted as this year's theme for the Press Gang's annual exhibition and has since become a "blue movement". Hence the blue staircase at Wallarobba!

Frances Brown, Michelle Mabbott and John Crawford working on the staircase installation  at Wallarobba

John Crawford, the founder and facilitator of The Press Gang Printmakers of Wallarobba will run his solo art show ‘Moku Hanga’ concurrently with Indigo in the downstairs art space. John will present an exhibition with a contemporary approach to traditional Japanese woodblock prints; this work spans a two and a half year period. 

The Indigo exhibition will be presented in the upstairs space at Wallarobba. Framed and unframed works, will be on display. Enjoy the complete experience of viewing a lovingly restored heritage building, further enhanced by a unique art show.

Indigo 

Monday 9^th December 12 noon – 4pm. 

Tuesday 10^th December to Saturday 21st December, 10am – 4pm daily.

Opening Night & Supper Wednesday 11th December, 7pm, All welcome.

Wallarobba Arts and Cultural Centre, 21 Edgeworth David Avenue, Hornsby.

Rear of Willow Park, free admission, parking, wheelchair access, lift.

The Press Gang sincerely thank Hornsby Council, and Hornsby Art Society, who have generously agreed to the additional decorative measures as pre-publicity for Indigo