Fish Skin Leather
Virtual Workshop with Janey Chang
Learn the process of transforming raw fish skins into a beautiful, translucent but durable textile that can be used to make clothing, pouches, wallets, footwear, art and anything you would use leather for.
In this two part class, we will explore oil tanning which preserves the natural colour of fish skins. You will know everything you need to know to have your own Home Tannery!
If you have taken a previous class with Janey, you’ll have a chance to refresh and solidify your previous knowledge AND to add new skills and understanding of the fish skin tanning process.
You are encouraged to work along side Janey in order to get the most out of the class.
Please note: This class is two sessions and will be held virtually on Zoom. You will receive a link after you register. If you are new to Zoom, find out more here.
Dates: March 20 and 27, 2021 (It’s a fun two-part workshop!)
Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm
Platform: Zoom (Information about how to connect will be sent to participants prior to the event through Eventbrite)
Tickets: $90 for non-members, $85 for MOV members, $70 Indigenous Peoples*
*Please call 604-736-4431 during MOV business hours to obtain a discount code if you are an MOV Member or Indigenous. A service fee and GST is also applied to ticket sales. Please note that this price point is based on covering the artist fee.
Supplies needed (Participants are required to buy their own materials prior to the workshop) - We encourage you all to work along with Janey to get the most out of the class and have the following supplies with you:
1. A fish skin or more (from at least a fillet of fish). Salmon, halibut, cod, etc. Take care when skinning to keep in one piece with no holes. Store bought fish
works just fine! Some flesh on is just fine, and be sure to freeze it until our class. Keep it away from warm water and temperatures!
2. Something to scrape with (a tablespoon, seashells with a smooth, thin edge, mason jar lid, butter knife, rock with a fine edge). Bring a few different things
to scrape with so you can determine what you like best.
3. Dish soap
4. Bowls for washing and rinsing
5. Rag, hand towel or apron
6. Paint scraper or old debit card
7. Cutting board
8. Liquid Oil (canola, olive, corn, etc.)
9. One egg
If you have any questions about how to prepare beforehand, please don't hesitate to email Janey directly at janeysea@gmail.com. You will also receive an eBook of instructions for the tanning process for your reference, so you won't have to take detailed notes. For general inquiries regarding this workshop please contact Indigenous Programs and Community Engagement Coordinator, Jasmine Wilson here.
Janey Chang is an Artist, Maker, Outdoor Experiential Educator, Community Facilitator and Mother on a path to remembering how to be human and alive through the (re)learning of ancestral skills. She is a first generation Chinese Canadian woman living on beautiful Skwxwú7mesh and Tsleil-Waututh Territory at the foot of the mountains and close to the ocean. Her main art form is fish skin leather, where she gives new life to salmon skins that are destined for waste from the restaurant industry. Learning this ancient skill has helped to connect her to her Chinese heritage as well as to K’emk’emelay, the land she now calls home. This passion has evolved into her livelihood, and she has had the honour of teaching fish leather classes to many, including indigenous communities who have distant memories of this old ancestral skill. During the pandemic, she has taken an even deeper dive into the art of making fish skin leather and to teaching classes virtually to local and international audiences.
