textile art and NATURAL dyeing
Chiaki Fujii
Please share a bit about yourself and your background.
I’ve never been great at putting myself into words. But one of the beginnings of who I am today started when I first encountered the world of textiles. It was during art college, in a class where we worked with water, handled fire, and engaged all five senses in the process.
For the first time, I discovered the quiet beauty of moving not just my hands, but also my heart. It wasn’t only about learning techniques. Something deep and warm stirred within me.
Later, I explored fashion design and pattern making, and with that came new kinds of inspiration. These experiences shaped who I am today. The teachers and friends I met, the traditional skills passed down through generations, and the newer, more experimental approaches all became part of my path.
There have been other meaningful turning points in my journey, but this was one of the first and most lasting. It taught me that working with my hands is not just a task. It is a joy, and a way to return to myself.
What was the early motivation to express your creativity through textiles and the art of natural dyeing?
The reason is actually quite simple. There was a sense of surprise, excitement, something playful and full of spark. If I had to name something, it’s that I’ve always believed in the quiet power of color. It can lift the spirit, bring comfort, and add meaning to everyday life.
One of the first moments that truly stayed with me was during a class where we dyed thread and fabric by hand. I was mixing colors myself, creating something entirely my own. The process felt alive, intuitive, expressive, and deeply human. I think that’s when my connection to color began to take root.
As for natural dyes, it wasn’t something I planned. It just happened. I came across a color that truly spoke to me. Something about it resonated on a deeper level. It’s hard to put into words, but the “spark of joy” and “sensation” I felt when I encountered that color naturally led me to my current way of expressing. It wasn’t so much a choice as it was a quiet pull—something I followed with instinct and heart.
Could you walk us through your creative process — from developing your natural dyes to the making of each textile piece?
The creative process is part research and part intuition. I find inspiration in the unexpected moments that bring joy. I think my style has developed naturally by honestly following what draws me in. It’s also a way of caring for my own heart, gently guiding me forward as I create. It brings me joy to discover beautiful things and new sensations through dyeing, and to explore them with my own hands. I think I express these sensations and the beauty I find by letting them resonate within the fabric.
I have failed many times working with natural dyes. From those failures, I kept trying, searching for my own path. In fact, many of my current styles were born from failure. I try to stay curious about every outcome and accept it with love. Every time I work with a plant, it gives me more than just color. It tells a story about the seasons, offers quiet moments of wonder, and fills the heart with a joy that’s hard to put into words. That, to me, is one of the real beauties of plant dyeing. When working with natural plants, it’s important to really become friends with them. Sometimes it takes time for the plants to open up to me, so I wait patiently. My creations start with this quiet connection, talking to the plants and listening. That part of the process means a lot to me.
Now, my dyeing feels completely free. What I treasure most is the spark of joy and excitement that might be just around the corner. Since I began approaching dyeing like a conversation with plants, the scenes and scents I experience, the softness of the air, the flicker of light, and even the sounds all resonate deeply within me, as if they are speaking directly to my heart—even when my eyes are closed.
The tools I use every day are far from perfect. But each one feels comfortable and familiar, like a close friend. I feel we make a great team, and I naturally pour love into every tool I use.For example, fixing the color on dyed fabric sometimes means steaming it. Usually, this calls for a special dyeing steamer, but I don’t have one. Instead, I make my own tools by hand, finding ways to make them easy and comfortable to use. I’ve always used a bamboo cooking steamer. It takes more time and effort than dedicated dyeing tools, and I had to experiment many times to find the right steaming times through trial and research. But I treasure those moments of trial and error. They lead to new discoveries and unexpected joy, and they make dyeing even more enjoyable.
If I had been surrounded by perfect tools in a ready-made setup, I might have missed the chance to develop the ideas and creativity I now cherish.
Your textiles are not only works of art but also keepsakes, as you’ve described. How do you hope people interact with your pieces, and what emotions or reflections do you hope they evoke?
Thank you so much for connecting with my textiles and artwork in this way. I am truly honored and filled with joy. Arigatougozaimasu.
There is no single way I want the world I create to be experienced. Above all, I hope each viewer feels free to find their own meaning in it. If I could make one wish, it would be this: through my dyed fabric, may people be touched by the colors and the atmosphere it reflects, and by the sensations that live in that moment.
And beyond that moment of connection, I hope it becomes a catalyst to help make the world we see, and the world we live in, feel just a little brighter and more beautiful. If my work could be a small spark that helps someone discover their own inner brilliance, I would be deeply happy.
As an artist and educator, you have a unique perspective on the intersection of traditional craftsmanship and modern art. Could you tell us more about your approach to teaching, and how you encourage your students to find their own creative voices while honoring traditional techniques?
I have a deep respect for traditional craftspeople and the techniques developed over many years. While I treasure these traditions, I also value my own role in dyeing—my unique way of expressing and enjoying the craft.
Of course, conveying techniques is important. But what I care about most is for students, and anyone who approaches this art, to freely explore the world through their own sensibilities. I want them to discover their own methods, their own ways of finding joy.
I always hope to support them in this journey. I aim not only to teach techniques but also to gently connect with each person’s heart. My wish is that they develop a feeling that resonates deeply within, cultivating the sensibility to interpret both traditions and new techniques in their own way. In this way, I want to be a presence that softly encourages them forward, helping them build their own unique world.
In my classes, I teach the foundations of dyeing with care, but I always encourage students to explore beyond the basics. I often compare it to cooking—each person brings their own touch, like how every household has its own way of preparing rice balls or seasoning miso soup. There’s a personal taste, a quiet story in each variation. I want to walk alongside my students as they discover that for themselves, supporting them as they find their own rhythm and expression within the craft. This sense of freedom and individuality is something I deeply value.
In fact, I learn a great deal from my students. Their free sensibilities continually teach me new ways of seeing and feeling.
When it comes to the tactile aspect of your work and its connection with your body, how does this physical, slow process affect your relationship with your work — and your own well-being?
For me, dyeing is more than just a craft—it is a precious time that heals and calms the depths of my heart. By connecting with plants and borrowing their life to bring color into my work, I have gained many insights and learned so much. At first, I simply felt joy and fun, but over time, I came to understand that dyeing holds something much deeper.
It is a time to move my hands slowly while listening closely to the subtle voices of the plants. There is a healing sensation as my heart relaxes, and I feel a renewed energy rising from within. Through dyeing, my attention shifts from the outside world back to my inner self, and I find a quiet moment to think, “This is my center.”
In the rush of busy days, it is easy to lose sight of who I am. When I feel overwhelmed by the flood of information and the fast pace of life, it is during these moments that plants and dyeing gently hold me and guide me back to my true self.
Dyeing is an irreplaceable practice that calms my heart and lets me breathe deeply. These moments fill me with love and joy.
How do you see the future of textiles, natural dyeing, and traditional techniques in the world of contemporary art?
I believe that things made by hand and heart will always be a source of comfort for many people. In this age of overwhelming information, I sometimes find myself losing direction and feeling disconnected. In those moments, what I truly need is a sense of peace and security.
This world is full of wonderful experiences that inspire and awaken us. Yet, there is something unique about objects made with human hands and heart—they offer a warmth and comfort that nothing else can replace.
These creations are more than just techniques or expressions. They are like a gentle light that stands by us when we feel lost, quietly illuminating the path forward. In a time when new things emerge constantly, these handmade objects invite us to slow down, reflect, and remember who we are. They help us reconnect with ourselves, bringing us back gently and thoughtfully.
I believe that making something by hand—imagining it, shaping it—will become even more important in the future. It will continue to be a quiet but powerful force that supports and nurtures our hearts.
What current projects excite you right now?
In recent years, I have come to see how using my hands and dyeing connect deeply to mental well-being. This inspired me to want to share something meaningful with others through the art of dyeing.
Right now, what matters most to me is sharing the joy and happiness I experience through my own senses and discoveries. I’m not yet sure exactly how this will take shape, but deep inside, I feel a clear light and resonance guiding me in that direction.
Dyeing is more than just a technique or a task—it is an expression that reaches into the depths of my heart. I sense my own emotions and awareness reflected in the colors, and this process brings a sense of healing and freedom.
It would mean so much to me if I could share that feeling with others—the quiet joy and healing I experience through dyeing. I hope that the way I engage with this craft might gently touch someone’s heart, offering a moment of peace, a sense of connection. If my work can help someone believe in themselves, and feel beautiful just as they are, that would bring me true happiness. This is the quiet magic I hope to share. What I wish to do now is simple and pure: to pass on, through dyeing, the soft and steady energy of hope—a quiet belief in the beauty of tomorrow.
How do you want your work to affect and impact others?
I’m not sure this fully explains how my work can serve others, but I feel something beginning to shift within me. The way I see the world, notice light, and follow the direction of my heart—it all feels subtly changed
As I sense this change, I find myself wondering, “How can my work bring happiness to others in the future?” I believe textiles hold a quiet magic—a power to soften the atmosphere of a space. In the city, in everyday moments, there is nothing more meaningful than being able to gently touch someone’s heart.
A moment when beauty catches your eye, a feeling of peace, or a small spark that moves your heart—these are the gentle encounters I hope my work can inspire.
It’s hard to put into words, but I wish for my textiles to create warm connections between people, sharing joy and kindness. I hope more opportunities arise for these moments to be experienced in many places.
If I can create even a small part of that pure and beautiful energy, I would be truly happy.
All photos belong to Chiaki. The first image is by Yuichiro Tamura.
