Michelle Griffiths @ Resist Gallery/Studio
Michelle Griffiths is a professional artist/teacher, living and working in South Wales.
Her work is on permanent exhibition in her gallery/studio at Model House Craft & Design Centre, Llantrisant, where Michelle continues to develop the shibori study centre with its shibori workshop programme, textile collection, and reference library.
Michelle is the World Shibori Network representative for UK/Ireland.
PLeisure Sewing Classes are usually held on a Wednesday afternoon/evening. You are welcome to bring a project to sew with you, or to join in with one of our tutored sessions. All levels os experience are welcome (from cross-stitch through to traditional or experimental embroidery samplers). All types of hand/machine sewing and embroidery plus basic garment and bag-making construction can be covered in these sessions. Come and meet some like-minded people and enjoy sewing with pleasant company and a cuppa! Pay-as-you-go, £5 per session. Light refreshments and some materials included.
Michelle's own work explores the natural rhythm of traditional shibori techniques in order to create contemporary three dimensional sculptures. Working predominantly in whites and creams Michelle records the actions found within shibori; stitching, binding, gathering, manipulating and folding - not through the expected dye process, but purely as texture and form.
It was whilst in Japan as part of her Embroiderers' Guild mature scholarship studies (May/June 2002) that Michelle first observed the artisans who had spent their entire lives manipulating cloth prior to its being dyed. As a trained musician, Michelle was fascinated to see that the repetitive shibori actions were not only represented on the cloth as pattern and texture, but were also imprinted upon the artisans hands and minds. These actions were so impressed upon the artisans memories that they worked subconsciously with the cloth with no need to watch their hands as they worked. She wished to learn more about these traditional techniques in order that these skills would not be lost with the passing generations, whilst developing her own personal shibori vocabulary suitable for the 21st Century.
email: Michelle.L.Griffiths@gmail.com
website: www.shibori.co.uk
mobile: 07974 417403