Three by Three: Guest Artists in Focus
QUESTION 2. Shibori and itajime carry deep craft traditions. How do you navigate honoring those traditions while pushing the techniques into your own contemporary visual language?
ANSWER 2. Working with paper rather then fabric (as is the case with Shibori. Itajime is a form of shibori) removes the limitations of staining over a period of time, so it is possible to enjoy the process of pigments moving through the fibres. While resist can be part of the experience, the merging of colour is the fun element. These days I saturate the papers with pigment instead of leaving white space as the sketches present better that way.
Caroline Sato
Multidisciplinary Artist
BIO: Caroline Sato is an Australian fashion theorist and multidisciplinary artist based in Bangkok, whose practice spans image-making, garment design, and textile construction. With a Master's in fashion design from RMIT University, her work deeply engages with fashion, textile history, and cultural dress, particularly kimono.
Sato's multidisciplinary training includes Bokuga, Mokuhanga, Batik, Lithography, Tanjore painting, and Kalamkari. She is dedicated to promoting handcrafts and recognizing the vital role communities play in their evolution, fostering collaborations with artisans across Asia.
Her work has been exhibited globally, including at the Tokyo Biennale (2023) and solo show at DashinaChitra, Chennai (2020). She was awarded the Karun Thakur Research Grant from the V&A in 2022 and her articles have appeared in publications like White Enso and AFWJ Journal.
LINK: CarolineSato.com
QUESTION 3. The resist-dyeing process carries unpredictability. How do you adapt your compositions when the final pattern differs from what you envisioned?
ANSWER 3. The final pattern of the dyeing process is always different from expectations which is part of the delight of orizome. This is always done far in advance of the weekly sketch sprint sessions. When I sit down to sketch, it is always with friends and with 3 sketches per hour. It is a pleasure to choose from my pile of dyed papers, which one will match the atmosphere of the still life. This is always done quickly and it helps greatly to have a range of colours to select from.
QUESTION 1. When you unfold a freshly dyed sheet of washi paper, how do you decide which areas of the pattern will guide the placement of your drawn objects?
ANSWER 1. The most regular patterns from orizome (fold-dye) are in the centre of the paper. However, when I draw, it is the colour more than the placement that I consider as the sketches are completed within 20 minutes. It reminds me of Haiku where one quickly responds to the moment.
Hamsa
Wattle
Mexican Sage
All copyright and reproduction rights are reserved by Caroline Sato.
Artwork may not be reproduced in any form without the artist's express written permission.
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