A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

SAQA invites it's member to bring together 6 quilts within a theme.
I choose "A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words"

photography on fiber inspires me.
The tender sensitivity of seeing,
sends me into inspiration!

My 6 selections are

Hope Wilmarth    •   Swept
Barbara Schneider    •   Still Life in Indigo, var. 3
Janis Doucette    •   The Light Shines Through
Deborah Fell    •   Passage of Time: Braunschweig 26
Eliza Brewster    •   The Museum on Mars
Jill Kerttula    •   Walking Home

To see my selections and more about the Auction visit here
and here is my donation-

Digital Fiber- Rocks & Water

One of a kind multi-layered fiber photographs. Images are printed onto treated natural textiles and other surfaces, combining painting and digital media into a one of a kind art piece. Organza Overlay.  Creatively stitched. 12x12

Long Walk

Digital Fiber  is a meld of two of my artistic passions- textiles and photographs!

I love taking the photographs everywhere! Playing with the photos in any photo editing program; cropping, changing, layering or otherwise manipulating them, can really make the result personal and unique.
Long Walk is a chopped image of rock and water taken on, yes, a long walk. This rendered a somewhat abstract photo. The colors were slightly saturated and darkened. It was printed on digitally ready broadcloth and over layered with the same photograph printed on silk organza. 

mounted- side view

Some of the organza is cut away, revealing different textures and of course it is quilted, adding yet another level of textural surfaces that so many fiber artists love!

more info-
I buy ink jet ready fabrics from inkjetfabrics.com, a fabulous company in CA. Tell Sandy 'hi' for me, if you buy from them!
Learn about preparing your own digital ready surfaces in my new book, Digital Fiber, due out in December but available for pre-order now on Amazon- click here. In fact, the book gives hints on creating your own personal photographs  with some of my own innovative ideas, as while as creating unique printable substrates.

Long Walk is available for purchase on the SAQA Annual Benefit Auction- click here for more information.

Coptic Bound Journals

I love books. Always have. Then in 2006, I took a workshop at Haystack School of Crafts in Deer Island ME with the wonderfully inspiring Paulus Berensohn and learned to create my own!

Each journal is created with covers made with paste paper. wrapped around a stiff board such as Davies Board.

 

Within the book are folded papers with shorter covers. These are called signature pages. 

Each section of signature pages are sewn between the covers.

I often paint the white pages too!

Love those Edges!

Making a Photograph into a Quilt

Let me count the ways! This is just one way- more in my upcoming book "Digital Fiber"

out in December and available now on Amazon- click here

detail

WoW Journals- Inner landscape= Outer Canvas! Another New Workshop!

Let go and be creative with a tactile fiber art journal! In-Joy this wildly fun & relaxing workshop! Explore a number of different techniques! Journals will be easy to create and so much fun. In the one-day class, we will create a 4x6-sewn journal with watercolor paper covers. 

Fill the journal with fabulous painted, printed and fiber photo pages. Enhance with hand stitching.

Number of techniques and journal configurations will depend on the length of the workshop. 1-5 days

NEW Workshop! Digital Fiber Mini Quilt

Forgotten Wings

Create a mini 12x12 segmented digital quilt with a new edge treatment! Based on Wen’s new book, Digital Fiber, create a fabric quilt with a photograph of your design. Wen will demonstrate her protective coating technique. Wen will print your cotton broadcloth fabric before the workshop.

Send her the photograph file one month before class. Send to wenredmondatyahoo.com with Digital Fiber Quilt Photograph in the subject line.

1 day

This is a condensed version of Wen’s workshop Segmented Fiber Quilts

Materials Fee $12.00

Supplies

1 or 2 colors of acrylic paint and a 2” chip brush

Pearl cotton & hand sewing supplies

Sewing machine & supplies

Scissors, rotary cutter & mat

13x13 or 14x14 backing fabric with enough to make a hanging tube

13x13 or 14x14 felt or similar very low loft batting

7 Points of View

My work is included in 7 Points of View in Portsmouth NH.

Join me on the 5th for the opening

Moments of Being

I did a series of work called Moments of Being. Each had a title with the word moment in them and were presented on 12x12 mounts.

Any Given Moment (Click Text to be transported for purchase)

The inspiration was a celebration of living, of life. To remind and remember that the past is gone, the future isn't here and all we have is the moment. The power is in the moment, choice is in the moment, the moment is now!

Moment of Zen

The collages were made with fabric, handmade or altered papers, digital cloth, interfacing, transparencies or  other materials and stitched. 

Take a Moment  (Click Text to be transported for purchase)

Power in the Moment (Click Text to be transported for purchase)

My book, due out in Jan 2017, is available as a pre-order!

inspirational printing ideas for fabric, paper and subversive materials 

available on Amazon - HERE

Rusting Fab Fabrics

Some friends and I are going to gather this week to do a fire and ice dye session. 
Michele will show Ice Dying and I'm going to share Rusting Fabrics. 
Soon I'll do a follow up post with more photos!

Recipe-

1 Natural Fiber Fabrics- plain or lighter colors work best and give the best rusty 

results and clearest patterns. But don’t be afraid to experiment with colored or patterned fabrics. Try scarves, t-shirts or bags too! Some synthetic fibers will dye well; you can experiment to find out which ones. Silk can pit and create holes- so you have to watch those carefully when passive setting. 

2 Plastic bags or wrap

3 A small bottle of white vinegar and a bucket or tub. I used a 1/3 of a bottle to 1 cup water to dye 2 shirts. 

Tip- Try apple and wine vinegar to see what happens with those!

4 Rusty items- Wire, nails, bolts, tools, sprockets, pans, cooking items, irons, tractor or car parts, chain, hinges… the list is endless! And once you begin rust dyeing, you’ll be scouting garage sales, thrift stores, antiques shops and auctions for uniquely-shaped or –patterned rusty items.  

Note- You can rust non-rusty iron items. Put it outside in a shallow pan with a bit of salt, water, and vinegar. 

Soak your fabric in vinegar mixture and position rusty objects on top, making a shallow sandwich with additional fabrics and rusty objects. Place our fabric/clothing/whatever in a plastic bag. The plastic bag will keep it moist and place in a hot place for best results. Depending on temperature, leave for the afternoon of a few days. Check every so often to see what's happening.

Good Luck!!

Optional- apron & Plastic kitchen gloves

fiber art and the frame

I have framed my fiber pieces for about 15 or 20 years. 
I started using mixed media with fiber, digital processes and framed that with artist stretcher bars that I purchased. I like framing my own works using these bars because you have much flexibility with sizes. Commercial canvas are have set sizes and I prefer not to have the canvas under the work for several reasons.

assembling artist bars

In fact, for for series of work, I used semi transparent dyed and painted silk organza. When this was stretched on stretcher bars, the incoming light actually played a part in the display of the piece. The light entered the silk organza and bounced off of the white backing creating an interplay of light and color.

Perception

I use interfacing as backing instead of paper because it's durable and able to accept surface process. Sometimes I leave the interfacing white, sometimes its painted, or silkscreened, or use digital images on the back. These would be seen ever so slightly through the transparent silk.

This lead into a process that I've invented called Holographic Imagery. I print a photograph on silk organza,  which is sewn into fabric frames and mounted onto bars. The same photograph is transferred onto the interfacing backing.  When you look through the silk, the image of appears almost 3-D!

Stone- 3 holographic photos in one piece

Lately, for small work, I use wooden panels. I buy them at Dick Blick.

2 panels for encaustic diptych 

I use gel medium to adhere or construct collages. 

Experimenting is good and found wooden panels and old boxes have found my way into mounting my work.

found wooden side of a old box

I prefer not to frame fiber under glass but some of the folks who have purchased my art have done so. Shown is a piece at New bridge on Charles Senior Center in MA. 

Root of the Matter in shadow box frame

What do you use?

Announcement- New Workshops for Limited Time

Announcement- New Workshops for Limited Time

Explore several new workshops based on her new book on Digital Fiber, to be released late 2016.

Join Wen Redmond, internationally recognized NH mixed media and fiber artist, for a stimulating workshop. Wen works intuitively, encouraging ‘flow’, finding ones’ own artistic voice and listening to the inner muse in her workshop participants. 

Workshops
Digging into Digital Printing
Dig-it-al! Fiber Quilt
Holographic Memories 

Mounted Textured Image

Mix iT Up! MiXed MeDia CoLLage!
Mini-Puzzle Photo Collage Quilt
Spontaneous Fabric Painting
The Thermal Facts 

Check the her complete list click on workshop page at the top of the blog.

Her DVD's are still available too!

Thinking Spring! newsletter

I hope everyone has had a wonderful and blessedly short winter!

I have been busy too! I’m delighted to share some terrific news!

At present ..

League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Exhibit in Concord NH

“Emergence: Craft + Technology will feature work that exemplifies the ever-increasing intertwining of advanced digital processes with traditional hand-made craft. We are looking to celebrate the use of new technologies in the production of state-of-the-art craft. We believe that your work embodies the spirit of the new direction of craft and technology and would be very pleased to include it in Emergence: Craft + Technology.”

‘Rocks are Smiling’ was chosen for the Online Gallery and catalog 

for the Women's Caucus for Art exhibition "Trending: Contemporary Art Now!" 

Delighted to share my Solo Exhibit at Textile Center…

BREAKING THE SURFACE: CREATING DIGITAL FIBER ART

March 10 – April 30, 2016 • Library & Community Galleries

More information-http://www.textilecentermn.org/breaking-the-surface-creating-digital-fiber-art/

April Workshop MQX April 9 in Manchester NH

Expand your fabric art by inkjet printing on unusual substrates! Participants will be introduced to inkjet printing using their own photographs and printing on variety of fabrics, papers and mediums. Learn about digital grounds and explore the possibilities! 

            We will print 4x6 samples that you can use for postcards or other projects. Several demonstrations of mediums will be shown and prepared dried samples will be provided.

            Wen is publishing a book with CT Publishing with the working title of 'Digital Explorations in Fiber and Paper'.

E444-16 Digital Explorations in Fiber and Paper

http://www.mqxshow.com/MQX/East/Classes/ClassCalendar/index.cfm

I'm working to get my Studio Sales Blog up to date. Some of these works are older but still in terrific shape. Some are new but in-between galleries. Some are experiments. Use PalPay buttons for simple purchase ( no account needed) I hope you’ll visit!

http://wenredmond.blogspot.com

Thinking ahead…

Artist of Month in May 

at the Hanover, NH’s  League of NH Craftsmen Gallery

I will be in Florida on the 28^th  to speak about my piece in the Radical Elements exhibit at

RUTH FUNK CENTER FOR TEXTILE ARTS

Florida Institute of Technology

150 W. University Blvd.

Melbourne, FL 32901

I give a talk with demonstration- from 10-1

and a Gallery Talk in afternoon- about 2:00pm- about processes my piece shown in exhibit.

hope that you can come!

Sandra Sider will include an image of my holographic work Fog Rising in her PowerPoint lecture for the SAQA regional conference in Florida 2016. 

Eventually I will do a fancy newsletter on Mail Chimp. If you no longer wish to receive news- just let me know!

Thanks for you artful support!

Wen

BREAKING THE SURFACE: CREATING DIGITAL FIBER ART IN MINNEAPOLIS!

The Textile Center will host a large collection of my works from March 10 – April 30, 2016, in the Library & Community Galleries.

First Light

I hope you get a chance to visit and if you do -please send me some pictures! I won't be in attendance but I'm there in spirit! 
more information here

Great Uses for Old Irons

I often use old irons to help me hold things on my work table. They are like a third hand! 
When I make a long cuts, I'll place an old iron at one end to hold the ruler firmly while I cut. 

They're great to cut slippery fabrics too. I'll use one to hold the fabric in alignment with my rulers markings while I position my ruler, then move it onto the ruler to hold it firm and make the cut. 

I have a collection of large beach stones that I can use if I don't have enough irons.

Serendipity Collage or Postcards

mounted section of larger substrate

Serendipitous Collage embraces the unknown and unexpected- magical!

Techniques will include Serendipity Collage Technique & painting techniques and an introduction to some medium enhancements. This workshop encourages the use of recycled materials and supplies you already have to compose a series of fabric collage postcards. Focus will be on spontaneous creativity & freedom of expression. 

Partially based on Wen’s article in Cloth, Paper, Scissors Jan/Feb 2011

2-4 days

mounted section sewn on painted cotton duck and stretched on artist bars

larger collage being cut into smaller sizes creates instant serendipitous compositions 

painting the edge for sealing and accent

postcards can also be matted

I loved teaching this workshop and would consider doing it on occasion. contact me if you'd like this fun workshop for your group or guild.

2015 Wrap UP

SELECTED AWARDS

Artist of the Month at Exeter Fine Crafts, Exeter NH
Panelist on the SAQA MA/RI regional meeting Natick MA
Beyond the Edge Solo at the Emporium Galley, S Berwick ME
Featured Speaker at the Sharon Art Center, NH

PUBLICATIONS

Quilting Arts Magazine

Quirky Quilts to Modren Art Quilts Book

Inspirations-Art Quilts Sandra Sider

EXHIBITS

Quilt National Athens, Ohio

Art as Quilt Transitions Fuller Craft Museum, MA

Visions Art Museum, CA

Invited exhibitor Emergence: Craft & Technology, Wayne PA

Quilts=Art=Quilts at Schweinfurth Art Center, NY

Invited exhibit- Digital Alchemy IQF Jane Dunnewold

Fiber Currents/Current Fiber Perrella Gallery, Johnstown, NY

WCA/NH, Force of Nature

Karl Drerup Art Gallery,150 Main St, Plymouth, New Hampshire

Synthesis at the DVAA in Narrowsburg, NY;

Whistler House Museum of Art, MA

Westbeth Center for the Art, NYC, Women’s’ Caucus for the Art Exhibit

Textile Center Member Exhibit, MN 1/8-2/28

Grand Marais Art Colony MN

SAQA Celebrating Silver exhibit travels various venues

Invited artist for "THE 100," Fiberart For A Cause's 2015 fundraiser for the American Cancer Society sponsored by Virginia Spiegel 

Gallery Seven, Maynard MA 2/24-4/4

Branching Out: Trees Interpreted, Emporium Gallery, South Berwick ME

League of New Hampshire Craftsmen- Headquarters Exhibit, Concord- Blue

Sharon Arts Center Exhibit, Peterborough, NH 

Thank you all for your support and encouragement!