Yarn Painting Workshop

What fun to get a workshop with expert Huichol Artists' Macario and Francisco.

Francisco, moi, Johanna, Macario and Kai 

(image courtesy of Kai)

We started by drawing out a design on a board, then spreading a beeswax pine resin mix over it. After it's set a couple of mins, the drawing shows through and we started to push the yarn into the wax using a stick with a flattened edge.
It's so much nicer to work with beeswax as it is pliable and you just squish the yarn or beads into it. It's NOT messy like trying to use glue.  Like an oil painting it will talk 6 months to set but until then you can work on it, rework it.
Here is my effort so far. 

I picked up a yard of beading on sale and attached to the edge.


As we worked it was nice to hear a little about the artists, the Huichol People, the art, and an issue of grave concern regarding the exploitation by mining companies on a National Sacred site.


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