MY DAY IN CUPS OF TEA
WE ASKED JAPANESE- INSPIRED TEXTILE DYER CATHERINE QUINN TO DESCRIBE HER DAY IN CUPPAS
Indigo dyer and textile designer Catherine Quinn joins us for a cuppa
Morning! What’s happening?
I’m normally at my kitchen table in my Victorian house in south Belfast working on my laptop. My first cuppa is nearly always a coffee – I need a kickstart. If it’s an indigo dyeing day, I’m already in the studio eager to get my hands dirty. I usually end the day with bright blue hands.
Sounds fun! Tell us more about your studio.
It’s housed in an old linen mill. I adore the two large mill windows with views across Belfast’s mountain. I work with natural indigo on Irish linen so I love that I’m based in a building with such strong historical links to its production. I lived in Japan for two years where I studied Japanese textile techniques, including Shibori – a folding, hand-stitching technique to create a resist when dyeing – and Katazome – a rice paste resist technique – both now the basis of my work.
Did that experience inform your tea- drinking?
Shizuoka, where I lived in Japan, is famous for green tea. My friend sends me a little supply and I like making a pot of that. It takes me right back to Japan in a sip.
Do you have a mug of choice?
Yes, one made by Adam Frew – he’s a ceramicist from the north coast, which is also where I’m from. I love the colour and textures of his work.
And does work stop for lunch?
The artists on our floor in the Mill have an open door policy so I’ll usually grab my lunch box and pop into another studio for a catch up.
Sounds very sociable. Do you have any other favoured tea- drinking companions?
Many of my favourites live in foreign countries, so I usually have a Skype session with tea. I’m also addicted to Instagram. It’s a great way to be inspired and converse with other dyers from around the world.
Time for a final brew. What do you fancy?
I always take a chai tea to bed with me. There’s something comforting about that spicy, milky tea that allows me to drift off peacefully…