My Window

 

I love using my photographs in my fiber work.  I print them on a variety of surfaces and fabric, make them into Thermal fax silkscreens ( see posts Jan 12 09, Dec 10 08 for details ) or work them into new images in photoshop. Inspiration can be generated by walks at the beach or in my woods, travels, driving in the car, just about anywhere.

My bedroom window faces east, waking me with wonderful surprises. I have used images taken there in a number of pieces and will continue. I thought I would share, from time to time, some of the photographs that inspire me, whether or not they end up in work. 

My Window, a silk organza piece. Sunrise and Raindrops.

Piecing in the Flow

For many years I taught an intuitive piecing workshop. The focus of the workshop was to teach direct cutting into fabric without prior thought, ruler or pattern. Piecing was taught using a really simple curved piecing method. Assembling fabrics that worked together with a few for contast was a key design clue.  Once you got into the act of cutting and piecing, you begin to loose your 'decider' self and proceed from your basic instincts of color and design, thus creating flow. When I first started this, curved piecing was a relatively new idea. 

Postings showing more of this work from 2/15/09, Blast from the Past, 4/20/09, Batting Average- a short history of batting, 12/4/08 Colors on the Brain  and Piecing in the Flow Workshop At Portsmouth Fabric Co. 3/9/08 which describes the workshop.                                 

Poem below from the early 80's.                                                                   

Tree (2003)

IN THE FLOW                   

I go to my table
Filled with my thoughts and my cloth palette.

Cutting through the fabric,
layers in my mind. 

Opening me,

possibilities,

Spirit finds me! Flow!
Standing back,
I see a new thing.
Collaboration!                                                                  

               

Moon Fog

I just finished mounting a piece, an off spring of my Pages collage series. I really enjoy using my photography in my work viva printing, transfers or silkscreens. This is a really old photo from the 70's that I scanned and printed onto silk organza. It was fused with more dyed organza, painted stabilizer and scrim. I stitched into it and highlighted sections with copper paint stick. I decided black stitching would be too distracting to the dreamy mood. Any comments?

Pages, a new Collage Series

I just finished a new series of surface designed fabric collages. They are fused and stitched, then mounted to 6x6 artist canvas. The backs are covered and fitted with wire- ready for hanging. The stitching motif is a variation on a circle, so when purchased as a group or for display, they present as unified.

I am really seriously happy with the results and will probably continue.

I will place them on my Etsy shop very soon. 

I hope you like them too!

Defining Style

Before I Knew You 2008

I think artists find their style by following their heart or muse. Trying different medias may lead to a style or a style could be a combination of different medias with subject or color schemes as the unifying factor. I use lots of fabric painting and surface design in my pieces, including intuitive stitching.

I Came Singing   2008

 I also enjoy working with imagery in photoshop and printing on fabrics. I think when viewing my work that they come from one vision.

Its not the style that matters, it's the tapping into flow that takes you to your style.

Art from the heart.

Driving Force

"Passion will make it happen."  Those of us old enough will perhaps recognize the words from FlashDance- one of my favorite movies. An untraditional dancer braves a traditional audition, with encouragement from an attractive admirer. Ah. Kinda of like the Modern Art Quilt/Textile Movement in the world today. We have struggled and gotten all kinds of things accepted that were forbidden just 25 years ago, machine quilting ( a biggie), free or unbound collage, painting on fabric, surface design of all varieties and my favorite, digital fabric printing. We are a moving and shaking force and expanding. "May the force be with you!" (another movie quote- guess?)

                 A new piece called A Thousand Wishes, recently exhibited at SDA Conference. Painted cotton duck and printed manipulated photo. The photo was reprinted on silk organza and sliced after sewing on top of piece. Not sure I'll repeat this, but it was fun to experiment!