Parul Naresh

Mindful Colors: A Sustainable Approach

September 27 - October 2, 2026

Open to All Skill Levels

Textiles

Overview

This natural dyeing workshop is open to all skill levels, and will focus on learning and practicing traditional, ecofriendly processes to expand the community of makers and instigate conversations around sustainability. Students will collaborate to follow a process that emphasizes healing communities and landscapes. Students will work with plant material and natural fibers to obtain colors, utilizing fresh material growing in the garden, dried material, and store-purchased dyes in powdered form to dye cotton and silk fabrics as well as wool yarn. The workshop starts with the basic dyeing process and gradually moves through each step, focusing on material comparison and understanding the importance of pre-dyeing and post-dyeing processes that are integral to achieving the best results. Students will have the opportunity to experiment, explore, and expand their understanding by working independently on a small project, selecting their favorite color to develop its full range (various tints and tones) to creatively assemble as an art piece.

Course Fee : $760.00

Scholarships & Material Fees

Need help covering workshop costs? Arrowmont offers financial aid opportunities to broaden access to our arts and craft programs. We believe a diverse community enriches the learning experience for all.

Material fees are not included in our national workshop costs, but are included with the cost of our winter short workshops. A material list with estimated costs will be emailed about 30 days before the national workshop begins.

TUITION & FEES

SCHOLARSHIPS

Cost Breakdown

Registration Fee

$50.00

One Week Workshop Tuition

$760.00

Estimated Cost*
*Fees exclude housing and meal plans

$810.00

VIEW HOUSING & MEAL PLAN COSTS

Artist Bio

Parul Naresh

Parul Naresh is a designer of slow textiles, visual artist, and educator based between Uttarakhand, India and the San Francisco Bay Area, California. A natural dyer, printmaker, and papermaker, she produces research-based works on artisan-woven textiles and handmade paper. Rooted in the culture of Ayurveda, yoga, and handicraft, her meditative practice focuses on mindful use of material and processes and is dedicated to conservation, care, and healing. With a sustainability approach, she aims to blur the lines between art, craft, and fashion. Parul holds a Master’s degree in Textile and Fashion Design, and after gaining experience in the apparel export industry, she shifted her focus to the textile craft sector, rejecting fast-fashion. She is the founder of 'Weaves & Wildflowers', a slow fashion artisanal brand, and is the founder and co-director of 'Wild Bees Studio', an environment-conscious artist residency program in India. A recipient of the Teaching Artist Cohort Award 2024 at the Center for Craft, Parul has also received residencies and fellowships at institutions like the Kala Art Institute, Penland School of Craft, and Oak Spring Garden Foundation. She exhibits her work in various galleries in the San Francisco Bay Area, India, and beyond, striving to bring awareness around sustainable art practices.

Artist Website

Explore the Textiles Studio

Located on the second floor of the Turner Building, the Textile Studio looks out over a sunny hill towards the Wood Building and downtown Gatlinburg. A bright and spacious space equipped for all things fabric and textiles, the workshop rotation in this space is as diverse and wide-reaching as the students and artists that populate our campus. A peaceful atmosphere with intimate corners for quiet sewing and contemplation give way to joy and laughter when the room is filled with the repetitive whir of the sewing machine or the plop of a freshly dipped garment in a vat of dye.

Explore the Textiles Studio