Jun 01 2018
Praxis Natural Dye Garden GRAND Opening

Praxis Natural Dye Garden GRAND Opening

Presented by Praxis Fiber Workshop at Praxis Natural Dye Garden

We are turning a vacant Cleveland lot into a natural dye garden! The Praxis Natural Dye garden is located at the corner of Corsica Avenue and E 156th Street. We will grow marigolds, and amaranth along the perimeter of the garden, and Indigo as the main crop in the center of the garden. The outer perimeter plants yield beautiful flowers and when cropped and boiled in water, extract bright and beautiful shades of yellow, red and purple which can be used to dye any natural fabric such as cotton, silk or wool. Indigo is the oldest known natural dye. Discovered in India, there is evidence of Indigo in Egyptian tombs. This also makes Indigo the most permanent and long lasting natural dye. Many cultures have their own uses for Indigo but in the United States you will find the color mostly in denim. The history of Indigo in the United States goes back to slavery and it is our wish to educate our diverse neighborhood on this complex history.

In most cases, natural Indigo has been replaced with a synthetic version, which, like all synthetic dyes, is terrible for the environment. This project will create a natural version of this dye that can used for education, art and textile production in Cleveland and beyond!

For the second half on the lot we will be partnering with the Urban Lambscape Project to host 3 sheep to “mow” the lot and fertilize the soil. Urban Lambscape Project has been bringing sheep  to urban lots as a way of educating the public on sustainable land maintenance and allowing farming practices to be integrated into urban settings since 2012. The sheep that live on the Praxis lot will be part of a program to educate the public about cultivating fibers for clothing. As the sheep are sheared seasonally, Praxis will take those raw fibers and process them ourselves during community demonstrations and workshops. Come meet the sheep on June 1!

Dates & Times

2018/06/01 - 2018/06/01

Location Info

Praxis Natural Dye Garden

245 E. 156th Street, Cleveland, OH 44110