About Broccoli Batiks: Artist Statement by Berkely Brown

Dreams! Everyone has dreams about how they want their life to be. When we follow our passions and work towards those dreams, our world is rich with enthusiasm, creativity, and drive
My dream to become a batik artist began in the fall of 2000. I had been visiting my parents in Oregon and attended the Eugene Saturday Market. There I met a woman selling beautiful batik clothing she had made. As an infant my family lived in Sri Lanka and had brought back many batiks that adorned our walls as I was growing up. I loved them and was always interested in learning the process. Here was a woman DOING what I had always WISHED I could do. I jumped on the spark that flashed inside and grilled her on how to’s.
For the next year or so I experimented with the process of batik. For those not familiar with batik, I use brushes and a special tool called a tjanting (canting) to apply melted wax on fabric. I then dye the fabric a light color and let it dry. Wherever I put the wax the dye does not penetrate. I then wax on top of the light color to hold it in and dye the fabric a darker color. After repeating the process a third time, I boil the pieces in a big pot which removes the wax and Wala! It’s done. That’s my favorite part… seeing the final batik.
I hope that you are inspired to find and follow your dreams!
Contact Berkeley — 336-877-1239.

Berkeley recently created beautiful, batik, women’s and men’s organic cotton t-shirts for Appalachian Voices to sell as a fundraiser for their environmental work. (See photo). Please call Appalachian Voices (828) 262-1500 or visit www.appalachianvoices.org to purchase our batik t-shirts! Great Christmas present idea!
T-shirts – $32 each, totes – $12 each. shipping add $4