Textile Artist Christi Johnson on Weaving Symbolism into Magic-Making [episode 34]
Watch this episode on Youtube!
Christi Johnson is a textile artist and teacher whose personal work explores the sacred in the process of creation using a language of geometric forms and color spectrums. The work becomes a quest for harmony, finding a dance of color, pattern, and texture within the chaos of material options. The transforming and evolving qualities of natural materials are embraced, and the use of discarded materials gives new life to that which has been cast aside. In 2015, Johnson founded Mixed Color, a textile studio in the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York. Her studio produces original garments and creates embroidered pieces on vintage garments. As a teacher, Johnson also offers workshops in natural dyeing and embroidery. To not only educate others on these ancient skills but also share the methods of her own creative practice, she has created kits and booklets for students and DIY-ers. She works mostly with textiles - embroidery, natural dyes, and patchwork, but has been known to get down with some twigs, wood, and other natural materials.
We are excited to share that Christi will be hosting a workshop with Earth Speak on November 13th 2020, on Talismanic Embroidery - how to make your clothes magical. Join us for the workshop, or sign up to watch the replay and learn how to turn a few basic stitches into infinite possibilities.
LISTEN VIA PODCAST:
LISTEN TO HEAR:
Embroidering as ritual and medicine
Living and eating with the cycles and the seasons
Creating connections to the plants of another land
How our bodies have evolved from the relationships of our ancestors and the Earth
Working with botanical dyes
Why what's growing around us, is going to nurture us
The gendered history and separation of art and craft
Modern craft culture
Reclaiming creativity and play
The relationship between animism and symbolism
Symbols as concentrations of meaning
Infusing textiles with the spirit of the being
Re-weaving our relationship with symbolism
Colonisation and the many lost languages of embroidery
Seeking the symbolism of the everyday
Co-creating talismans with our plant allies
Embroidery as a gateway to shadow work
The birth of Christi’s book - Mystical Stitches
Attuning to your needs and creating a ritual container
Christi’s upcoming Talismanic Embroidery workshop, with Earth Speak
And more!
Bonus Secret Episode! Get the secret episode with Christi Johnson on mending, trending, and sustainable fashion at https://www.earthspeak.love/secret.
Links:
Learn more about Christi’s offerings at www.mixedcolor.net
Connect with Christi on Instagram @christijay // https://www.instagram.com/christijay/ and @stitchwish // https://www.instagram.com/stitchwish/
Connect with Christi on Facebook @mixedcolorgarments
Pre-order Christi’s book // Mystical Stitches https://bityl.co/4JTa
Join the Talismanic Embroidery workshop www.earthspeak.love/talismanic-embroidery
Access Christi’s free embroidery portal www.mixedcolor.net/embroidery-portal-signup
Get the secret episodes at https://www.earthspeak.love/secret
References:
Christi’s Episode on Dream Freedom Beauty https://bityl.co/4JTu
Working the Roots by Michele Elizabeth Lee // Book https://amz.run/3uf1
Goldenseal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldenseal
Pennsylvania Dutch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Dutch
Accuweather https://www.accuweather.com/
Joann Fabric and Craft https://www.joann.com/
Kim Krans // Archetypes https://bityl.co/4JUx
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Theme music is “It’s Easier” by Scarlet Crow http://www.scarletcrow.org/ and “Meeting Again” by Emily Sprague https://mlesprg.info/
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