Indigo Garden: Natural Dye Workshop

쪽빛 정원: 천연염색 수업

Location: Korean Cultural Center NY
(122 East 32nd Street, New York, NY 10016)

Children’s workshop (recommended for ages 5-10)
Saturday, July 20, 2024, 2:00-3:30 pm
Saturday, August 3, 2024, 2:00-3:30 pm

Adult’s workshop
Saturday, August 3, 2024, 11:00 am-12:30 pm

Fee: $12.51 ($10 material fee + $2.51 Eventbrite processing fee) 

Welcome to the Indigo Garden: Natural Dye Workshop at the Korean Cultural Center New York! This workshop will explore the art and science of creating the color blue using Asian indigo plants cultivated at KCCNY’s new outdoor Indigo Garden. Under the guidance of critically acclaimed children’s book author and artist, Rosa Chang, our studio will provide a hands-on experience that seamlessly weaves together artistry and education.

Our workshop engages participants in two dyeing techniques: Indigo Leaf Pounding and Tie-Dyeing on bandanas. Create a unique design on a cotton bandana by pounding indigo leaves plucked from our garden! Learn about the chemistry behind making indigo dye while tie-dyeing swirls of blue across the fabric using our indigo vat. 

The Children’s workshop, tailored for young adventurers ages 5-10, offers a blend of science education and fun on select Saturdays throughout the summer, with Rosa reading her award-winning book, My Indigo World. The Adult workshop provides an informative and therapeutic escape into the world of indigo dyeing. 

Each participant will be provided with all the materials and tools needed for the dyeing activities, including two organic cottons. We recommend wearing comfortable clothing and footwear that can get messy. Make sure to pre-register for the workshop using the links above, as space is limited!


About the Artist and My Indigo World: A True Story of the Color Blue

Rosa Chang (b. Seoul) is an artist living in Baltimore, Maryland. Her artwork is committed to sustaining a harmonious balance between humans and the natural world. Rosa draws inspiration from natural materials and environments, creating pieces in various forms, mediums, and scales. Currently, she focuses on sharing Korean and Asian traditional indigo and natural dye processes and their cultural significance through community exchanges.

In May 2023, Rosa published her debut picture book, My Indigo World, which she authored and illustrated. This work has garnered widespread acclaim, including being named a 2023 New York Public Library Best Book, a 2024 NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book, and earning spots on the Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List and the 2024 CCBC Choice. Additionally, it has been selected as one of the best children's books of 2024 by Bank Street College of Education and as Maryland's 2024 "Great Reads from Great Places" Library of Congress Children's Book Selection for the National Book Festival.


About the Indigo Garden

Indigo Garden Hours: 10 am-6 pm (Tuesday to Friday), 11 am-5 pm (Saturday)
To find out what’s blooming in the Garden this summer, please click here.


EducationHeeeun KIM