Author: Sue

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Matlock Artists Society Workshop

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of running a batik workshop for the wonderfully talented members of Matlock Artists Society. As an invited tutor and given the brief of ‘semi-abstact’, I wasn’t sure quite what to prepare for or what to expect — but I left feeling inspired, energised, and deeply grateful for the opportunity.

Though many participants were new to the process of batik, all were clearly experienced creatives in their own right. It made for an exciting group energy: inquisitive, experimental, and many appeared quietly confident. After a brief talk and demonstration of the tools, everyone settled into their own rhythm supported by ad-hoc one-to-one tutoring throughout the day.

We worked with hot wax, inks, and watercolours on paper, exploring a process that sits somewhere between painting, printmaking with dipped items, and happy accident. There’s something wonderfully unpredictable about batik — the way wax resists and the colours blend for a meditative, layered experience. The medium tends to reward those who surrender to it rather than try to control it.

It didn’t take long for the session to become beautifully self-directed. By the afternoon, the room was filled with a diverse collection of artworks — from loose landscapes and stylised florals to bold wildlife and semi-abstract pieces. One thoughtful attendee even brought along some exquisite batiks from overseas to share with the group, which added an extra depth to my teaching display and discussions.

Many became so engrossed that they skipped their lunch or coffee breaks entirely, choosing instead to stay in the flow. As a tutor, I always see that as a good sign — when people forget to stop, it means something magical is happening!

Workshops like this remind me why I love teaching. It’s not just about passing on techniques — it’s about creating space for curiosity, courage, and a bit of alchemy. Watching people light up as they discover a new and alternative process that they can begin to make their own, is always an honour.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone at Matlock Artists Society for such a welcoming and creatively rich day. I hope your minds are still bubbling with ideas! 🤯🎨💛

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Rugby Art Gallery & Museum Workshops

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of teaching two vibrant batik workshops at Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, hosted in honour of The Batik Guild’s International Year of Batik. These sessions coincided with the closing days of our group exhibition (16 July – 10 August 2024), rounding off the event with a brilliant ‘hands-on’ of wax, colour, and creativity.

Open to the public, these mini taster sessions were incredibly inspiring – I was amazed at how participants, many of whom were trying batik for the first time, could create such alive pieces in just under two hours! I was happy to see a few youngsters taking part, as it’s important to introduce batik to the next generation to keep this beautiful craft alive, and I think everyone had a great time! We worked on cotton, and for those who time allowed, we also experimented with Japanese rice paper. We explored Batik Tulis (hand-drawn batik), stamping, and even some ‘scraffito’ techniques (scratching back into the wax to create channels beneath for the dye to penetrate).

There’s a magic that happens when people try batik for the first time. I love watching them move from tentative lines to confident expressive marks, almost as though the wax is guiding them, and they let go into the natural flow.

Thank you to everyone who came along, to The Batik Guild for their ongoing support, and to Rugby Art Gallery & Museum for hosting the exhibition and workshops with such generosity and enthusiasm.

P.S. The masterpiece I’m holding (bottom left) is not my own but belongs to the little girl beside me! 👏🏻👏🏻

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My Batik ‘Illuminated Earth at Night’

Today, I had the pleasure of visiting the Batik Guild international exhibition at Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, arranged as part of a series of exhibitions during 2024-2025 to commemorate the International Year of Batik. The variety of contemporary batik works on display from our global membership was truly inspiring. I was honoured to have my painting ‘Illuminated Earth at Night’ included in the exhibition. It was also wonderful to finally meet fellow Batik Guild members in person, whom I have only ever met virtually until now for the past several years. It was a pleasant surprise to have Rugby’s newly elected Labour MP @johnslinger.mp come along to join us, and I enjoyed our conversation about the vital role of the arts in uniting communities.

I initially unveiled this batik back in April on ‘Earth Day’ in celebration of the beauty of our planet. In this piece, the presence of advanced industrial societies is portrayed by the network of glowing electrical lighting as seen from space, highlighting issues associated with increased population, globalisation and commerce. 

As urbanisation and industrialisation continue, the proliferation of artificial nighttime lighting poses significant challenges. Light pollution obscures the visibility of the stars and planets, and atmospheric pollution exacerbates this problem by creating a dense impenetrable haze. Humanity’s ability to connect with and contemplate the greater Universe is being diminished. 

It’s my hope that in some small way this batik painting can help to spark consideration within individuals and collectively about our relationship with our planet’s ecosystems, and to foster a sense of wonder about our very existence and that of the greater cosmos. We are a connected species forming part of the greater whole, and we are not merely autonomous in our being. The balancing of Earth’s systems depends upon our actions as a species, and obviously the future of our species is dependant upon the wellbeing of our planet for our survival.

This batik serves as a reminder of our interconnectedness and the delicate fragility of it all. It is available to be viewed at Rugby Art Gallery & Museum until August 10th 2024, along with all the other wonderful works by Batik Guild members from around the world. Let me know if you visit and your thoughts on this eclectic exhibition!

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A Memorable Talk with the Derby Embroidery & Textile Group

I had the pleasure of giving a talk entitled “How I Discovered the Ancient Art of Batik, Batik’s History & Cultural Significance, and Modern Batik Today” to the Derby Embroidery & Textile Group at St. Mary’s Church Hall, near central Derby. The event was a wonderful experience, attended by over 60 members who made me feel incredibly welcome.

It was heartening to find such a thriving textile community in my now home-county of Derbyshire. The event had a lovely community spirit, complete with a raffle with prizes, tea and coffee, homemade cakes, and the promotion of a charity fundraiser for Prostate Cancer (which my own father lived through the challenge of for decades). The dedication of the members, each with their own unique passion for textiles was truly inspiring.

Before I even began, attendees were eager to learn about batik, taking photos of my work and sharing their excitement for my talk. My presentation covered:

  • My Personal Creative Journey: My own history with batik and how I discovered and fell in love with this ancient art form.
  • Historical Insights: The origins of batik in Indonesia, West Africa, and India, along with its history in other cultures.
  • Modern Applications: Contemporary batik around the world and its significance today, with examples of batik from modern day batik artists.
  • Spiritual Aspects: The meditative nature of batik and UNESCO’s recognition of Indonesian batik as one of the ‘Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritages of Humanity’ with their annual celebration of National Batik Day.

I showcased some of my recent batik pieces, including those from my Initial Class, Botanical Batik Class, and Mandala Class. I also brought examples of batik design on fabric, surface pattern designs, and even a wooden box with batik patterned veneer which I created using traditional joinery skills.

At the end of my talk, I provided information about the “International Year of Batik” campaign which is supported by the Batik Guild and I directed everyone to our websites, batikinternational.org and batikguild.org. I also shared details about our current Batik Guild exhibition, “Patterns of Change,” in Florida at Naples Botanical Garden, and our upcoming exhibition in Rugby, UK, in July and August 2024.

The audience’s response was overwhelmingly positive. Many members shared their own stories of travels to Indonesia, India, and Africa, showing me photos of the people, textiles and festivals they had encountered. Their tales were deeply inspiring and have fuelled my desire to travel more often.

The event was a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow textile enthusiasts and to share the beauty and history of batik. Many attendees expressed interest in my workshops and so I hope to meet them all again soon, whilst continuing to teach more about this wonderful medium. I look forward to such enriching experiences while I carry on spreading the love for batik!

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Botanical & Mandala Workshop in Leek, Staffordshire

I recently had the pleasure of teaching a group of 10 ladies from the Leek & District Guild of Spinners, Weavers & Dyers. This was my first time presenting this new themed class to such a large and established group of textile artists with diverse skill sets, so I accepted the challenge with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

Fortunately, my worries were unfounded. The workshop turned out to be a wonderfully creative, relaxed and productive experience. I set the day rolling with a demonstration of the techniques, explaining the methods and showing how to use the various tools. This hands-on approach allowed everyone to get comfortable with using a tjanting or kistka — many had never tried batik before.

The group was a mix of talented textile aficionados. On one side of the hall, I and several guild members worked away on our batik projects, whilst on the opposite side, others were engrossed in their current spinning, embroidery, and handicraft projects.

The guild only holds a few joint workshops each year, making it a special privilege to be invited to be the facilitator of this event. It was a fantastic team-building exercise, and everyone left feeling proud of their achievements. Leading this workshop was a joy, and I cherish the happy memories we created together.

I look forward to future opportunities to teach and inspire more textile enthusiasts — either as groups or individuals!

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New Classes Now Available

Attic Batik is thrilled to announce two additional themed classes: Botanical Batik and Mandala Art! Both offer new and exciting ways to explore batik with a bit more focus and precision than our Initial Class, which is designed as a foundational course with room for experimentation.

For beginners, the Botanical Batik class provides an accessible yet slightly more challenging experience—ideal for a confident beginner interested in creating beautiful floral designs on silk. This class could be achievable for a novice, whilst offering enough depth to keep those with some creative experience engaged.

Our Mandala Art class, however, is best suited to returning students who have completed the Initial Class or artists with an intermediate batik skill level. Here, students can delve into intricate designs, layering wax and dye to create contemplative, geometrically-inspired patterns that encourage focus and mindfulness.

Whether you’re starting out with our Initial Class, Botanical Batik or returning for Mandala Art, there’s an inspiring experience waiting for you at Attic Batik. Here’s a close-up look at the beautiful work created by recent students in these classes!

Examples of some of my floral batiks
Mandala batik by Sue
Returning students Sue & Tracey, proudly displaying their superb silk batik mandalas!

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Batik Talk to Ashbourne Creative Stitchers in Derbyshire

I was honoured to give a talk and a batik demonstration, followed by a hands-on taster session for the members of Ashbourne Creative Stitchers. Initially scheduled for a year earlier, this event was postponed due to the passing of my father. I dedicated this talk to his memory, as he had always been a significant cheerleader in my early creative journey. So, this one was for Dad — I know he would have been proud!

The talk, which lasted about 50 minutes, featured a slideshow showcasing both my artistic journey and the historical and contextual background of batik. My husband, Jamie, provided excellent IT support and filmed the presentation. As a television sound man, this was a busman’s holiday for him!

The group, consisting of around 25 enthusiastic ladies, welcomed me warmly, putting me at ease instantly. Their diverse textile backgrounds added richness to the session, although many had never tried batik before, making it a delightful new experience for them.

After the talk, we shared tea and biscuits, giving everyone a chance to refresh. While some attendees engaged in their own textile projects, I led an interactive batik session for those eager to try. It was inspiring to see participants experiment with the batik tools and techniques. One lady, in particular, created a fantastic spontaneous design featuring snails!

Many thanks to Ashbourne Creative Stitchers for hosting me and for their patience during this challenging time. Your support and enthusiasm made this event truly special.

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Belper Arts Trail Event 5/6th May 2019

What an event! This was my first time exhibiting on an arts trail and what a joyous experience it turned out to be. Attic Batik was venue number 5, snuggled up in the middle of the old former White Swan pub on Belper’s Market Place. Our space was shared by artist Karen Logan displaying some fine lino cut prints and by mixed media painter Neil Hunt showcasing his rather lovely local landscapes. Neighbouring businesses RedFox Beauty and Emerald Beauty also loaned space to young and super hardworking animal painter Natasha Lowe and creative landscape photographer Valerie Dalling showing her beautiful painterly looking photos.

This 2 day event was extremely well attended by folks from near and far and it was heartwarming to meet with and share batik with so many lovely people. It was especially pleasing to see and hear the curious expressions of young and old who had never seen this craft before. For plenty of others who could smell the hot wax on their approach up the stairs it brought back nostalgic memories of having tried batik at school or at University. One lady said the smell was highly evocative and reminded her of when she used to work in a ski shop where she waxed skis! It was also a nice surprise to meet fellow batik artists (we are a rare-breed in the UK) and to compare tools, techniques and swap information.

Thank you to every body who came out to visit, peruse and to purchase work and big thanks to the team of organisers at https://www.belperarts.org for all their hard work. I can’t wait to do it all again next year now! 🙂

Making window light catchers
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