Shibori Dervish: Amy Nguyen

Amy Nguyen
Shibori Dervish
Specialty: Clothing, utilizing Japanese dyeing techniques
Most Recent Craft Show: American Craft Council Show Baltimore 2012
Upcoming Craft Show: CraftBoston (March 23 – 25, 2012)

Silk chiffon shibori stitched scarf, hand dyed, 22" x 80", 2011

Shibori clothing artist, Amy Nguyen, is one of a new vanguard of wearable artists. Combining traditional techniques with a decidedly new flare of fashion, Nguyen's work is a summit of both creativity and ability, the true artist's calling. She plays with light and shadow, delicately illuminating and dispersing the viewer's attention across the garment and the body.

Silk organza shibori coat, hand-dyed, quilted, pieced, 2011

Nguyen's passion is shibori, a Japanese dyeing technique that yields spontaneity even as it allows for a certain degree of control. The textile is folded, tied, and then submerged into dyes; the only certainty in the end result is that the artist can assure that some sections remain free of dye. Repeated dyeing can increase the complexity of the piece's pattern, and yield endless variation.

Though silk is the most well known textile upon which shibori is practiced, Nguyen has branched out to using the technique on linen and wool as well. This merely increases the breadth of work available to her, upon which she continues to orchestrate her overarching theme. Layering of the cloth is similarly vital to her expression of contrast. Strips of silk or linen, each dyed with alternating patterns of dark and light, when put together form a sheer vibration of pattern. The black or deep grays, because of the dye bleed, shift into the white, and back again. The effect can be hypnotic when studied closely, and from afar yields sublime scintillation.

Linen shibori coat, hand-dyed, stitched, pieced, 2011

Nguyen's work is seriously considered; her passion for the shibori method melds with a further interest in Buddhism, resulting in a totality of submersion. She explores new, or rather old, techniques, such as Rozome, or Roketsuzome in the full Japanese, a wax-resist dyeing technique that seemed full of exciting possibilities for her. Her dedication to her main shibori methods, Itajime and Arashi, can be physically intensive, particularly with the latter. Also known as pole-wrapping shibori, the cloth is tightly wrapped around a pole in a diagonal fashion, tied and scrunched, to yield oblique patterns.

Buddhism became an influence for Nguyen through her father, a retired Presbyterian minister with an open appreciation for religion and spirituality the world over. He introduced her to such influential Buddhist writers as Alan Watts, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Pema Chodron, as well as to Zen Buddhism. For Nguyen, her interest in Buddhism again echoes her life's path of that of the intersections between the old and the new. Her relationship with her Vietnamese husband, Ky Nguyen, and his family has built upon this base, by introducing her to what she describes as some "beautiful rituals and traditions" that come from his culture's connection to Buddhism. "There is great respect for ancestry," Amy says." I think of how much I respect the age-old textile traditions and techniques and yet I create my work with a modern aesthetic. The roots are most important, though. Blending the old and new."

Silk chiffon shibori scarf, hand-dyed, stitched, 22" x 80", 2011

Meditation has helped her with her art, particularly slipping into that mindset from which creativity flows effortlessly, like water through a clear streambed. Nguyen describes the calming and clarifying effect of meditation as centering her. Finding the center through meditation and yogic practice reflects Nguyen's approach to both her art and her life. That confluence between poles, the fusion between the traditional and the contemporary, is seen mirrored in her adopting a spiritual lifestyle to adapt to the pressures of modern life. "My creativity can become blocked when fear gets in the way," she explains, a sentiment most artists can easily empathize with. The exploration into the inner self, the awareness derived thereof, has helped her deal with those obstacles. "I feel as though when first starting with meditation you are confronted by emotion and as you progress with meditation you begin to ride the waves of emotion," Nguyen remarks. "You begin to use emotions as an artistic tool."As someone who rides emotions in dancing, I appreciate the insight in Nguyen's statement.

The beauty of Nguyen's work lies in its sublime balance. Balance is difficult, for it means one cannot go to extremes, but must wrestle two opposites into harmonious accord. In her combination of ancient methods with modern flair, Nguyen rides the waves of this boundary, transforming her hard work into seemingly effortless grace.

Her work can be found at www.amynguyentextiles.com.

Layered silk chiffon shibori kimono, hand-dyed, individually hand-cut strips are layered to create dimension with binding in silk shantung, 2011. Customers of Amy Nguyen model her work.