Drawing Challenge - Dnah Tnanimodnon

The challenge evoked a memory of drawing class at University with one of my favorite and most demanding professors who often gave us this type of assignment.

non-dominant hand in 8x6 'gamma' sketchbook

Also, this week: much new work flying up on the old design wall.  I washed out the procion dye paintings started last week.  (The best was to do this: soak the cured paintings in ice water for half an hour or so, followed by washing them in the machine with cold water and synthrapol detergent followed by a hot water machine washing).

The three on the right below are textile paint on low-water immersion dyed cotton. These paintings and the ones above will all be machine stitched and who know what else on the way to completion.

Lots of miles to go on the way to hanging my show in September, but I feel very fired up about the journey!  Where are you headed next?

Make sure you go have a look at the other non-dominant links over at Norma's!

Hatching

Several small works emerging from a larger piece of raw silk eco-dyed last summer and textile painted in the fall are now being stitched and beaded.

the raw silk was dyed with onion skins and rust

After being fused to two layers of felt and machine stitched, the cloth hung on the design wall all winter.  Sometimes work has to incubate, right?  It's fun hatching a new little series this way, chopping up and re-configuring the pieces.  I plan to add hand stitching and seed beads, and whatever else seems right as I go along.

Three Ring Circus

Whew!  The days sure flew by this week, kicking off with a wearable art workshop I taught through our wonderful local library.

I had one student, J, a very focused third grader who brought her own recycled fabrics and great design idea drawn up in her sketch book.  Very impressive!

headband sketch by 8 year old student

While my librarian friend and I cut out flower shapes for her, J stitched away on her project, attaching the flowers to her t-shirt with buttons and beads and sequins.  

She designed this charming headband to accessorize her outfit (see sketch above).

After 2 solid hours of determined hand sewing, J's wearable art was complete. She was pleased and we were amazed at her tenacity.

Back at my studio, more wearable art is evolving as I develop a second 'look' for next month's show.  This one will be modeled by a young friend of mine.  

The base for the head piece is 16 ga. wire bent to encircle the head and rest on the shoulders

Cardboard shoulder pieces being attached to the wire frame with paper mache.  (My paste recipe is 1.5 parts flour to 1 part cool water plus .25 part white glue, stirred smooth).

These silk yoyos will adorn the head piece, along with leaves fashioned from the velveteen I dyed last week.

Hand-dyed rayon with Dynaflow textile paint vines and leaves.   (These are incorporated into the skirt).

I also spent some time wandering through my fabric deciding on a split complementary palette for the next Fiberactions challenge.  All in all, a great work week.  I like the three-ring circus approach, do you?

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.

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!

And the winner is...

Thanks to all who left a comment on my first give away post last week.  The prize will be going to blogger and artist extraordinaire, Zom.  Thanks as well to all of you, new readers and long-time friends, who follow Flossy and I as we trudge the art trail. 

 

Today was extremely cold here again (it's January in Alaska, right?), but in my studio things were cookin'.   I started two new pieces, and bubbled with ideas for more.  It was one of those getting happily lost in the process days.  I am using a commercial batik for one and a commercial quilter's cotton for the base of the other, and applying textile paints with my rubber stamps as well as stencils, screen prints and brushes - creating chaos which I am bringing my own version of order to.  I will stitch this work eventually.

 

Here's a random picture of my work table mid-day.

I want to recommend a smashing read, 'A Game of Thrones'.  I just started the book but find myself thinking about the characters - and the world the author has created - when I am not reading.  What are you reading this month?

An End to the Doldrums

I rejoice to say: sure enough the malaise has lifted - progress made on the challenge piece for Fiberactions - and ideas bubbling around for new work in the New Year.  Here is a little glimpse of the challenge, just a little detail because the reveal is not until January 15 here.

raw silk dyed with rust and onions; cotton dyed with procion; textile paints; beads

The last spectacular sunset of the old year happened last evening.

I share it with you here along with more trumpeter swans...

and best wishes for a creative 2012.  See you there!

Winter Walk and New Explorations

Over the weekend 24 inches of new snow have transformed our island from fall to winter.  The beach - cleared of snow by the tide - makes for the easiest walking before it gets too dark in the late afternoon.

In the morning, I walk to Falls Creek.  Standing on the bridge, the stillness is profound, broken only by the creek's whispering as it rushes toward the falls into the Wrangell Narrows.

Flossy breads herself in snow.  She is impervious to the cold with her double coat of fur.

At the studio I feel the influence of the grey winter days...

'South Mitkof' procion dye on cotton with machine stitching, textile paint and beads

...and experiment with textile paints, building up layers on cotton and linen with stamping.

detail - work in progress

Thanks to those of you who have recently posted about following your intuition to do what you WANT to do rather than what your internal Judge tells you you SHOULD do in the studio.  Very helpful to feel validation for honoring my open-ended explorations.  Everything does not always have to serve an immediate goal or purpose.  Ramble on  - the process is its own reward!

New Projects Emerging

Years ago (mid-2000's) a bulletin cover from a Sunday worship service caught my imagination's eye.  

Bulletin cover on the left, my sketch on the right, from 2006.

After five years of percolating on the edges of my consciousness, the inspiration began its journey into reality this past week.  

I stretched an 84"by 48" piece of Strathmore drawing paper on the wall and got busy with pencil and eraser.  No overhead projector - this was done free-hand referring to my original color drawing.  Next step will be dyeing the fabrics.  I'll keep you updated.

The little sketches stacked near my sewing machine from the end of the winter got attention at last, too.  Working back and forth between stitching and painting with textile paints, Prismacolors, and oil sticks was mesmerizing.  

Procion on cotton with untrimmed flannel batting showing, these are works in progress.

The bird image near the center was made with oil stick and stencil.

This piece is now resting, as I make decisions about how I want to finish the edges.

This one is about 6 inches tall, Procion on cotton with a kitchen sink's worth of other media including both machine and hand stitching.  No title yet... heck, it may not even be in its final state!

Thanks so much for visiting!  Have an amazing Saturday.