Michael Davis began dyeing garments in 1969 and was introduced to the art of shibori dyeing in 1981 by Yoshiko I. Wada, who has described him as a master dyer.
Carol Freeman constructs the exquisitely pieced kimonos, tunics, and scarves that are the signature garments of Shibori West Textile Designs.
The Japanese word "shibori" covers a multitude of dye techniques, all of which may be described as shaped resist dyeing, or creating pattern by manipulating a two-dimensional cloth surface into a three-dimensional shape before compressing it to dye. Some shibori techniques are centuries old; others are being invented by a new international community of artists.
Working from a small studio in the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, Davis uses a method known as "arashi shibori," in which the fabric is wrapped around a pole prior to being tied with string and compressed. The resulting patterns on silk are organic and richly textured.
We highly recommend Yoshiko Wada's books, "Shibori: The Inventive Art of Japanese Shaped Resist Dyeing" and "Memory on Cloth: Shibori Now."
To learn more about Michael Davis and his art, including a list of retail shops where Shibori West Textiles Designs are offered for sale, download his printable resume PDF file.
