GALLERY COSMOSIS

Is an Artists Studio & Gallery and Hub for Visionary Art in Byron Bay NSW Australia. We are aligned with Art in Paradise, organising Visionary Art Retreats with well known Visionary Artists from OS, many of whom teach at the Academy of Visionary Arts in Vienna.

Sunday 25 November 2012

Ock Pop Tok - Living Crafts Centre & Textile Design in Luang Prabang Laos

Ock Pop Tok, meaning east meets west, was started in 2000 by a local weaver and an English photographer. Following the principles of fairtrade it aims to advance the artistic, cultural & social development of lao artisans & increase the appreciation of Lao's diverse textiles & communities through educational activities.
The philosophy behind Ock Pop Tok is to empower women through their traditional skills, as well as promoting the beauty of Loation textiles across the globe. |www.ockpoptok.com
In October-November my sister Debbie & I spent 10 days in Luang Prabang, Laos, which was textile heaven for me! Among the many, many new discoveries was Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre which had workshops in silk dying, weaving & batik & a wonderful shop of local textiles for sale.
I spent two days there, touring & looking & doing hands on natural dyeing for a morning, & then an afternoon learning some batik from a Hmong tribal woman, Su Song.
I also met & made friends with a young woman named Mon who came from a remote village 2 days bus trip away, & who spoke really good English. She was a weaver using a backstrap loom.
Silkworms

Silkworm Cocoons

Spinning the silk into skeins

 Dyeing Shed
Natural dyed silk skeins

Natural dyed silk skeins

Weaving

Weaving
Shibori 1
Shibori2  
My new friend Mon weaving on a backstrap loom 
Batik pot of hot wax mixed with indigo dye
  Blue Hmong woman Song Su making batik  
Bowl of floating flowers