Lunchtime talk in Harleston by Wortwell indigo dying and shibori expert

Internationally-recognised indigo dying and shibori expert Jane Callender will be touching down in Harleston to give an illustrated talk before she jets off to Australia on an eight-week lecture and teaching tour followed by a few days teaching in Umbria, Italy.

Jane, a textile artist who lives in Wortwell, will be speaking at an Arts and Eats event at Chameleon House, Harleston, on Tuesday, February 12, noon to 2pm, organised by Waveney and Blyth Arts.

Jane will talk about her long-term passion for indigo and the alchemy that earns it the reputation of being magical. Indigo is synonymous with the textile techniques of shibori and, using samples of her own work and pieces from Africa, China and Japan, she will be explaining some of the techniques.

As well as being a shibori practitioner and member of the World Shibori Network, Jane teaches internationally, runs workshops and summer schools locally, has contributed to magazines, written a book on pattern making which has recently been translated and published in Japan, and develops products for her online educational venture 'callishibori' – visit www.callishibori.co.uk

Waveney and Blyth Arts, which was launched in 2010 to promote and support the arts in the area and to bring people together, runs these lunchtime events every three months in one of the eight towns in the area.

Nicky Stainton, chairman of Waveney and Blyth Arts and the Harleston co-ordinator, said: 'These informal lunchtime functions are a great way for people to meet others from around the area with similar interests, hear directly from a local artist about their area of work and catch up on arts news. They are open to everyone and we normally get about 30 people.'

The event will take place at the Chameleon House restaurant where owner Ginni Ashken will provide a home-cooked light lunch.

'We like to support local initiatives,' she said. 'And our large dining room with wood burner makes a perfect setting for this function.'

Tickets, at £10 each, are available from nmstainton@gmail.com, from Wilderness Stores, Bullock Fair Close, Harleston or by calling 01379 855235.

For more information, visit www.waveneyandblytharts.com.