Aya Fiber Studio

🌿 4-Day Botanical Print Workshop with Suzanne Connors

A four-day immersion in the art and alchemy of botanical color- This four-day workshop is designed as a progression—from understanding materials and process to building complexity, cohesion, and a personal approach to botanical printing.

Take your eco-printing practice to the next level in this intensive, process-driven workshop with Suzanne Connors. Over four days, you’ll explore advanced techniques for capturing color, texture, and form from natural materials onto both paper and cloth.

Working with a variety of plant species, mordants, and natural dyes, you’ll experiment with layering, over-dyeing, iron and tannin interactions, and other methods that produce depth and nuance in botanical prints. Suzanne will guide you through each step of experimentation — from surface preparation and composition to color control and finishing — helping you develop a personal aesthetic that bridges nature and design.

Workshop Flow

Day 1 – Foundation & Fabric Preparation

• Introduction to eco-printing principles and materials
• Fabric preparation using mordants and tannins
• Plant selection and composition basics
• Introduction to bundle construction
• Begin assembling and processing initial bundles

Day 2 – Dye Preparation & Sampling

• Preparing blanket materials for steaming
• Rinsing and evaluating Day 1 results
• Preparing natural dye baths
• Developing color palettes through sampling
• Exploring visual rhythm through plant placement and repetition

Day 3 – Continued Sampling, Indigo & Building Complexity

• Continued sampling to refine technique and color control
• Introduction to indigo as a layering and over-dye process
• Using indigo to shift, deepen, and unify botanical prints
• Combining techniques for more complex surfaces
• Building cohesion across multiple pieces

Day 4 – Final Work & Finishing

• Focus on a larger or more resolved piece
• Final layering and over-dyeing
• Final steam at 1:00 PM
• Full rinsing, clearing, and finishing of all work
• Unbundling and evaluating results

Closing Session

• Group reflection and discussion
• Guided walk-through and critique of participant work
• Guidance for continuing work beyond the workshop

Studio Environment
Create in Aya’s spacious, light-filled coastal studio in Stuart, Florida — fully equipped for natural dye and printmaking processes. Each participant enjoys ample workspace (no more than two per 4′×8′ table), power, USB access, and full use of dye pots and steaming equipment.

Enjoy morning coffee, tea, and pastries, personalized lunch pickups, and the relaxed rhythm of creative community by the sea.

Details
Instructor: Suzanne Connors
Dates: May 5–8, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuition: $720
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Materials Fee: Additional (details provided upon registration)
Class Size: Limited to 10 participants

Immerse yourself in color, chemistry, and nature — and leave with a portfolio of prints that reflect the layered beauty of the botanical world.