Works in Progress

This cotton was soaked in soda ash and dryed, ironed, and stamped with thickened Procion dye.  When it dried, I tied one piece up with rubberbands and folded the other tightly.

bound for the dye pot

They both went into low-water immersion dye pots and sat there overnight.

Here's what they look like all ironed out.  I have them on the design wall at this point, considering my next move. 

 
The rest of the work week was spent finishing my wearable art for next month's show.  Here are a couple more peeks:

head gear

neckline

Spring equinox is right around the corner!

Monochrome Challenge

The Fiberactions challenge this time was to create with a monochromatic palette (one color plus black and white).  Hope you enjoy seeing details of the two pieces I finished in response to this excellent creative limitation.

'Moonlight Flight'; 21"x14.5"; textile paint and machine quilting on commercial cotton

'Village'; 15"x42.5"; textile paint and machine quilting on commercial batik

I used textile paints applied with brushes and my own original rubber stamp designs.   All the stitching is done on my Viking ‘Lily’ sewing machine with some metallic threads for accent in the blue piece.    

The batting is two layers of cotton flannel.  The binding is rat tail cord zigzagged around the raw edges.

Scene Recently, #23

New Old Stuff

studio window sill and a small assemblage made with found objects

I got out my Procion dye now that the studio is warm enough (barely) to cure it, and I had to have more organza for my wearable art Dragon Gown.  Wonderful to be back pouring pure colors over white cloth again!  Really, really wonderful.

I found a small (12"x18" or so) cloth I had started as a sample in the class I taught last spring and added to it with thickened black dye using my stamps.  The next day I threw it in a container and poured dye and soda ash on it.  I can't wait to get back and rinse it out.

There was time to contemplate the window sill, and think in the studio sketchbook which lead to drawing which lead to cutting a few new stamps.

This week some major stuff is going to be different suddenly.  The Sailor is shipping out.  An old friend is coming back for a visit. There is disturbing news from Other Parts of the World.  I need to stay here, now, not living out there in the future or slogging away in the past.

 

Art will be my Savior.

Daily Drawing

If you have been reading here for awhile, you know that I am an advocate of drawing, and make it a priority each evening, stopping whatever I am doing by about 9:30pm to dive into my sketchbook for awhile before putting the cats out and climbing the stairs for the night.  (Flossy sleeps in her kennel).  This sketchbook time is valuable for lots of reasons - here is a partial list:

1. Drawing is very relaxing.
2. Drawing keeps my hand practiced and my eye sharp - important since I have the Mighty Mighty Day Job three days a week instead of studio time.
3. Drawing helps me figure out issues I am dealing with in my studio work.
4. Drawing is a way of recording the events of my day and my inner emotional landscape.
5. Drawing is PLAY!

Here is what I have drawn in the past week - notice the variation in style which I think is a product of allowing myself to wander freely about the page (or my unbalanced mental state)!

 I am working in a 9"x6" (22.86cmx15.24cm) Aquabee Super Deluxe book with rather rough paper.  The advantage is that it takes wet media very well, however I don't like it as well for my Prismacolor pencils, which feel better to me on a smooth sheet. 
Happy weekend to you all - we are awash in slush this morning here.   I am off to the studio where it is always sunny!

Lots of Winter Still Here

Ice on the beach one day...

...followed by a day of heavy, wet snow.  We slogged to the Slough.

 

The next day, a break, with a dramatic evening sky.  I was struck by how opaque the line of clouds right above the mountains across the Narrows looked.

Winter is lingering just as the Ground Hop predicted, but seems to be loosing its teeth and claws.  Spring is coming, but today, I can wait.

Change in Plans

Sometimes a plan doesn’t work out.  My big idea for big origami wearable art was unsatisfactory, so I have moved on to another scheme.  I cut up a rayon dress acquired at the last clothing exchange and started sewing, painting and pondering.   

The silk organza triangles I stitched together became dimensional in a surprising and much more interesting way than I imagined. 

 My goal for this project is to use only what I have on hand in the studio already.

Stewart Gill textile paints come in a glitter flavor with amazing properties of transformation.  I used them liberally to enhance the plain rayon.

Here is a glimpse of the front of the dress early on in the process this week.  The rest must remain a secret until after the wearable art show next month.

Ever have to change your plan?  I'd love to hear about it.  Happy weekend to all!