Indigo Shibori: Drawing with Resist
With artist and teacher
July 18-24, 2027
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Join artist Davana Robedee in San Miguel, Mexico for her signature five-day workshop, Indigo Shibori: Drawing with Resist. Davana will guide you through the techniques she uses to move Shibori beyond pattern into mark-making, composition, and finished works of art.
The workshop includes
The fundamentals, building two types of indigo vats
Learning proper vatting technique to achieve consistent, beautiful results
Work with multiple dye baths using gradations of blue to create a sense of light, space, and atmosphere in your work
Introduce stitch-resist Shibori techniques that can be combined to create different types of marks on cloth
Planning how a design will develop; making compositional decisions before the first stitch is sewn
Students will be individually guided to develop their design concept with advise on strategy
This workshop is open to all levels. Whether you are brand new to indigo and Shibori or coming with prior experience, you'll be encouraged to work at your own level and develop your own artistic voice. You'll leave with finished dyed works, and printed reference materials to support your continued practice at home.
All Indigo and vat chemicals, wooden shapes, and clamps will be included . Please click here for supplies students should purchase.
"The indigo shibori workshop with Davana was a surprising gem. She is not only an amazing artist but she is also wonderful teacher, completely passionate and competente. We had an insight of the history of the indigo dyeing as well with a great masterclass she gave while we were stitching and dyeing. Highly recommended!" - Francesca Zanardi
Location
San Miguel de Allende, located in central Mexico is a Heritage UNESCO puebla magica, not to mention voted one of the best places in the world to live by Conde Nast Traveler two years in a row. Linda Laino lives in San Miguel and will be assisting Davana for this retreat. Come and be captivated by the friendliness and beauty of this town!
More on San Miguel below.
Hotel Mirador del Frayle, located above the town affords spectacular views along with lots of space outside and in to accommodate the workshop. Old world style and charm includes sprawling landscaped grounds and a swimming pool. The dedicated staff insures all your needs will be met.
Retreat Venue
About Davana Robedee
Davana Robedee is an artist whose practice centers on large scale indigo drawings and fiber art installations. She grows and extracts her own indigo dye from a small garden, grounding her work in cycles of cultivation and labor. She is the former director of Quilting by the Lake, one of the oldest art quilt conferences in the country and is a committed advocate for the communities that surround fiber-based art making. She was part of the American Craft Emerging Artist Cohort 2024, is a NYSCA 2025 Artist Awardee, serves on the board of the Schweinfurth Art Center and the James Renwick Alliance for Craft. Her work has been shown in numerous solo exhibitions nationwide. She has participated in residencies at Weissensee School of Art in Berlin, Kimmel Harding Nelson in Nebraska City, Penland Winter Residency in Asheville, NC, and as fiber artist in residence at Gael Roots Farm through Catskills Artspace in Livingston Manor, NY. She received an M.F.A from Syracuse University and a B.A. from Southeastern Louisiana University. She lives in Syracuse, NY with her partner and black cats.
"My one week workshop with Davana Robedee was wonderful and truly enriching. The sessions were engaging and well-structured.I especially appreciate the practical insights, interactive approach, and Davana’s ability to make the experience both informative and fun. Highly recommended!" -Lakshmi Vijayaraghavan
Travel
Please make your reservations to arrive at Leon (BJX) or Queretaro (QRO) airports. Information about easy and reliable shuttle service will be shared with participants. Please note, if you decide to fly into Mexico City, it is another four hours to San Miguel.
*Please wait to make your flight arrangements until we inform you the retreat is full.
Also note:
For all correspondence with Linda, please type an appropriate subject line, and let me know your last name and which retreat you are writing about. Thanks.
Please click here for pricing and registration information
About San Miguel
Mexico is a huge country that offers its visitors an amazing amount of diversity. San Miguel de Allende is located in the geographical center of the country and is said to be built upon a bed of crystal quartz. Many people believe this legend aids in the “magical” quality so often associated with this town. San Miguel is a peaceful, safe environment, full of friendly people, sophistication and charm to spare. It is small, but far from sleepy. The streets are always full of visitors and locals in a lively and festive atmosphere. There is more than plenty to see and do on off hours during the retreat. Most days you can count on very cool mornings, warm to hot sunny afternoons, and slightly cooler evenings. Think layers and bring a light sweater. There is virtually no humidity. San Miguel is quite hilly in parts, and the streets are cobbled. You will most likely be doing a lot of walking (the best way to see the town!), so we suggest to bring good shoes.We are at 6000 feet and if you have not been in high altitudes, you may feel a bit tired the first day or two. Luckily, there are numerous cafes, parks and plazas for rest and refreshments all over town. There are also ample and inexpensive cabs (and Uber) available should you need a break from the walking. The cab drivers, incidentally are some of the best locals to practice your Spanish with!The web is full of articles and videos about San Miguel. Here are two to whet your whistle:
About Linda Laino
Photo: Glen Rogers
Linda is a visual artist and writer who received her MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. She has lived in San Miguel de Allende for fourteen years where she formally taught English Language Arts and continues to paint, write and share her love and knowledge of this charming and colorful town with other artists and teachers. She has been a waitress, a textile conservator, teacher and flower farmer, all in service to a lifetime of art making. Her painting and writing can be accessed here: www.lindalaino.com
Cancellation Policy (Please read)
Unless the retreat is cancelled by us, deposits and balances for workshops are non-refundable. We understand that it is sometimes difficult to plan ahead for a trip such as this and these uncertain times have created a bit more challenge. We thank you for your understanding of the need for these policies on our end.
Please read our full cancellation policy here.
All participants will be asked to download and sign a waiver form to provide emergency contact info. Please email to lalainoart@yahoo.com
Linda will provide all participants with an SMA “Survival Guide”, listing restaurants, things to do on off hours, and useful phone numbers.
We look forward to welcoming you to San Miguel in July, 2027! Please do not hesitate to contact us. For questions about the workshop, please contact Davana davilkins@gmail.com. For questions about San Miguel, contact Linda, lalainoart@yahoo.com.