Aurore Pélisson

Textile dyer

©Sina opalka

©J.Robineau-Y.Bruna-M.Diot

French country living through dashes of dye

Aurore creates textile pieces with pigments from plants that she grows herself
Slow processes are a main component of her work
Her work evolves over the years on the themes of air, water, fire and earth

Aurore Pélisson comes from a committed farming family based in the south of France, working with biodynamic methods. She grew up in nature, surrounded by wide open spaces, which developed in her an intense relationship with the land and a strong attachment to its preservation. It is by looking at the landscapes that surround her through the seasons, with their varied colours and rich materials, that she opens up to the world of art. Today, Aurore makes vegetable dye from wild plants collected around her home or cultivated in the local area. In her creations, she likes to play with matter and the perfection of the living world. She uses a lot of second-hand fabrics that she finds from individuals and flea markets around her home. She wishes to convey emotions linked to family transmission, the bond between women, and childhood memories of scents and colour.

Interview

©Sina opalka

©J.Robineau-Y.Bruna-M.Diot

How do you set up your creative process?: I like to be close to nature and living things. I plant and grow the botanicals I use in my workshop. I prepare the plants, soak them in pots of water, patiently discovering the quality and colour that will emerge. Then I immerse the pieces of wool, silk, cotton, linen or others, in this large bath of colors. The result is raw, tinted and marked by the history of the plant.
Do you remember when you first thought about getting started?: When I entered high school, I discovered applied arts studies and I intuitively felt that this is what I should do. Later, during my studies, I discovered textile materials, colour and pattern. I completed a degree in Fine Arts in Lyon and trained with Michel Garcia, a specialist in vegetable dyeing on several occasions. I set up my first workshop in the south of France in 2011.
What was a memorable moment in your professional life?: When I first arrived in France I took part in an exhibition called Immatérielle. I had made a monumental piece of suspended indigo silk, measuring 30 m by 6 m high. It took me several weeks to complete this work. It was a moment that opened up a lot of things for the future. Subsequently, I focused more on utilitarian pieces.
What aspect of your work tends to surprise people?: From finding the fabric, its preparation, to picking the plants, cooking then bathing, drying and creating a garment, there are several weeks or even months of work. People do not realise how much time is involved in keeping this tradition and these ancestral techniques alive. It is the exact opposite of fast fashion.

Aurore Pélisson is a master artisan: she began her career in 2011 and she started teaching in 2011