Paint on Leather with Javiera Estrada

The workshop will provide creators with a platform to paint their leather or faux leather pieces (shoes, purses, jackets). The guests will get an opportunity to learn how to paint on leather and create their own unique one-of-a-kind piece of wearable art. They will learn how to clean the leather, paint it, seal in the paint, and how to take care of their piece. In addition, they be guided on design ideas and style of painting.

Biography:

Multi-media artist, Javiera Estrada, was born in Acapulco, Mexico, in 1981 and emigrated to the United States in 1989. Javiera’s broad scope of work, which includes photography, mixed media, photograms, film, textiles, and wearable art is influenced by her memories of growing up in Acapulco—a tropical paradise of vibrant colors, steeped in spiritual ritual and magical realism.

Javiera’s journey into making wearable art and painting on leather began when she became extremely disheartened by the fashion industry’s excessive waste, pollution, and toxicity. As she started to research, Javiera was shocked to find out that many textiles are sprayed with harmful chemicals, which include silicone waxes, petroleum scours, softeners, heavy metals, flame retardants, ammonia, and formaldehyde. As a result, Javiera started to shop exclusively in second-hand stores and sought out eco-friendly, sustainable, toxic-free brands.

As Javiera started becoming more conscious of her own carbon footprint, she began what she calls “breathing new life” into pieces of her wardrobe which no longer inspired her. Thus leading her to paint on every leather piece in her closet- transforming them into one-of-a-kind piece of art. Thus, JAVIERA X ESTRADA-a wearable art line- was born! "

Host or Publisher The Chrysalis Lab