Take a nostalgic trip back to the 1960’s, when love overcame war and tie-dye was all the rage! Read about how Carter Smith has taken this flashback craft and turned it into modern fashion. This in-depth article uncovers how he transcends the average interactions with fabrics and dyes by not limiting his techniques or materials. “What you try to do is take your good ideas and execute them in a meaningful way. You’re trying to make sure that you’re using the right chemicals, the right colors the right way.” When he first ventured to making clothes, Carter started without any previous knowledge, but through experimental ingenuity he created his own brand of tie-dying. “The process of design really became the process of learning how to deal with the fabric and make the clothes.” His use of tie-dying spans the spectrum, from shibori, wall-hangings and stretched silks to cotton, varied clothing and printed fabrics. Carter learned that in order to produce a piece that the fabric and dye needed the freedom to interact as they please. “You don’t control it so much that you know what it’s going to be. You let it be what it’s going to be.” This hippy-esque concept of free flowing creativity can be difficult to grasp, but it can create some of the most stunning works of art. Now, Carter has decided to ‘spread the love’ of his artistry by teaching workshops to limited groups of students. During this past festival he taught a two-day workshop that consisted of dying and bias-sewing. For those who missed out, or are simply overcome with curiosity, Carter teaches exclusive weekend sessions at his own studio. In this article, you can learn more about his techniques and how he navigates a craft-turned-art-form by creating modern pieces.
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.