Student demonstration nights with interesting presentations by internationally acclaimed textile artists:

David's career has spanned over 30 years as an artist, designer and teacher. He has worked for institutions around the globe, including zoological parks and gardens, museums, governments and universities. He has produced wildlife postage stamps for Australia and has worked for advertising agencies and publishers. David is unique in that his creative output is wide ranging across the artistic disciplines. He comfortably makes art in painting, drawing, illustration, sculpture, graphic design, and ceramics. David is widely commissioned, commercially sold, exhibited and collected. He is the writer and artist of "One world : a journey" - A collection of art of the natural world with an ecological message.

We at Beautiful Silks are concerned about the contribution of synthetic dyes to the destruction of the environment: specifically the poisoning of the habitat of the world's fauna and ddestruction of flora.

Since antiquity, fabrics have been dyed with extracts from minerals, plants, and animals. In fact, dyeing historically was a secretive art form; the most beautiful and exotic pigments reserved were for those who had the status to wear them.

Things began to change around 1856 when scientists discovered how to make synthetic dyes. Cheaper to produce, brighter, more color-fast, and easy to apply to fabric, these new dyes changed the playing field. Scientists raced to formulate gorgeous new colors and before long, dyed fabric was available to all, and natural dyes had become obsolete for most applications. This brightly colored, changed new world was not without a down side however. The chemicals used to produce dyes today are often highly toxic, carcinogenic, or even explosive. The chemical Anililine is the basis for a popular group of dyes known as Azo dyes which are considered carcinogenic and dangerous to work with, and are also highly flammable. In addition , other harmful chemicals used in the dying process include

1) dioxin – a carcinogen and possible hormone disrupter;

2) Toxic heavy metals such as chrome, copper, and zinc – known carcinogens; and

3) Formaldehyde.

Fast forward a century and unprecedented economic growth in all sectors of industry had created pollution levels by the1960s that turned many rivers in industrialized countries into poisonous streams and the air over large metropolitan areas into a significant health hazard. We're still having these arguments nearly 50 years later. In Mexico, fields and rivers near jeans factories are turning dark blue from untreated, unregulated dye effluent. Factories dying denims for Levi and Gap dump waste-water contaminated with synthetic indigo straight into the environment.

David writes, As we enter an age of ecological challenge it is time to reflect upon our common humanity. Who we really are, our links to the natural world, to each other and how we can make positive change have impact. The natural world is in danger of becoming a dream of paradise lost for our species and for many others. Today, we witness human impacts create change to natural phenomena at ever accelerating and unsettling rates. We are in unknown waters as the future unfolds.

The movement towards natural dyeing will help save not only our species but our planet.

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TUESDAY 10 JULY 6pm lecture - poisonous plants in your garden, what to avoid, how to handle them, suitable safer alternatives (lecturer TBA) - plus Student work demonstration

Both tutors and participants are invited to sell their work by arrangement.

Night activities NDS

One person non-refundable 03 July $15.00 AUD Two persons non-refundable 03 July $30.00 AUD One person non-refundable 10 July $15.00 AUD Two people non-refundable 10 July $30.00 AUD One person non-refundable networking night $25.00 AUD Two people non-refundable networking night $50.00 AUD

Names of people attending