Tasman Sea – As Viewed from Jean Carbon’s Studio

Next, Marion and I headed south and west from Hamilton to the small art community of Raglan, located on the western edge of North Island on the Tasman Sea.  Our destination was the studio of Jean Carbon.  Jean is a popular artist who sells her shibori creations in boutiques throughout the country and this is the view from her studio.

Bronze in Shibori

I first saw Jean’s work in a little shop in Queenstown on South Island.  I marveled at the rich colors of the tightly folded scarves in the shop. The scarves virtually radiated saturated color.  Oh, how I wanted to take one home with me.  But here in New Mexico, my home, folks just don’t wear scarves.  Dang!

Jean says that fiber is her passion!  Her work includes sumptuous silks that are hand-dyed using ancient techniques to create garments and wraps that are timeless, elegant and totally original!

Looking at Jean’s Scarves

Here, you can see how tightly rolled each scarf is, with only a small hint of the wonder that lies within.  Watch as it unfolds.

The Blue and Purple Scarf

Simply amazing!  The model is the French girlfriend of Jean’s son, possibly a young woman born to be a model.

The Pink Scarf

The shibori design unfolds as the scarf is opened.

Draping

When draped around the neck, the colors virtually radiate, nicely framing the face.  Jean’s Studio will be one of the stops on the Quilting and Textile Tour of New Zealand next April.

Stay tuned for more of Jean’s work in the next post.