Creative Design: Graduate

Healing Emotions Through Design and Handwork

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Abstract

Humanity has expressed its emotions through different means like poetry and artwork. The purpose of this project was to let my emotions heal by working with my hands, designing, and dyeing to satisfy my emotions of missing my home country and family during COVID 19. Art experiences are a powerful, emotional, and cultural tool in improving the well-being and quality of life for individuals and society (Fleischer & Grehan, 2016). Doing artwork related to one's culture could strengthen the homesick individual and provide emotional therapy (Dieterich-Hartwell & Koch, 2017). The project is one-of-a-kind with stitched resits, natural color, and embroidery. The marigold dye represents the golden desert sand of my homeland Saudi Arabia. The logwood purple dye symbolized my current school's color and where I am currently living during the pandemic. The fabric was bamboo rayon and decorated by the basic sashiko, a Japanese form of embroidery.

Keywords: Natural dye, Shibori, Culture, Pandemic stress

How to Cite:

Baaqil, K. & Haar, S. J., (2022) “Healing Emotions Through Design and Handwork”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 78(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.13443