A Dyeing Art

In their Sidney-based design studio, Pepa Martin and Karen Davis, founders of textile agency Shibori, revel in colour and texture

- Harriet Sim

Pepa (left) and Karen framed by the rich colours of their artworks.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Karen Davis and Pepa Martin, resist-dye artists and founders of Sydney-based dye studio, Shibori. What they do: Create beautiful patterned fabric, leather and wallpaper using traditional Japanese dyeing techniques, for both private and commercial spaces. Where: Sydney’s Inner West, NSW. Why they do it: “Creating for us is like an escape,” says Karen. Visit: shibori.com.au. Follow: @shibori_textiles

Prints from Shibori’s latest collection with textiles company Materialised adorn a stack of cushions.

A vessel of indigo dye sits to one side of the studio.

The fluid nature of shibori allows endless possibilities and techniques to unfold.

Knotted fabric resembles jelly fish-like forms and complements the indigo hues of the fabric, creating a magical sea swell on Pepa and Karen’s work bench.