a Commission, the Finish

After the main sections of the piece are stretched and stapled, I'm ready to do up the corners. This is done similar to the way of wrapping a present, all the while you're tugging to place pressure on the cloth for a smooth tight corner. This is a little difficult with a thicker fabric like cotton duck.

After the backing is completed and trimmed to fit within 1/4" on the strecher bars. I glue it to the back. If I've done this correctly the transfer will fit exactly under the silk organza photo to create the 3-D effect I call Holographic Images. I always dry with the image up to prevent any mediums or glue from creating blobs on the front.

I weight it down with heavy objects, beach stones and old irons, to make sure backing is in contact with the piece as it dries. Make sure the objects can't roll into your piece and make a pressure stretch marks and ruin it.

When it's dry. I add a label, hanger and wire and it's ready for it's new home!

 

Clear Light

Commission from Art 3 for the Elliot at Rivers Edge which is part of the Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH

Holographic Images- Multi-level Surface Design/Mixed Media.

Original image taken at Deer Isle, ME, printed on archival digital canvas. Sewn borders in hand painted and surface designed cotton duck, additional stitching line details, silkscreen and mediums.

A section of the image was constructed with transparent silk organza, providing a holographic effect.   30x40

Clear Light 1st finish

Clear Light full side-view

Scraps left over are used in my collage work!

"amazing-- ripples of water can look so calming and so serene- sunlit and inspiring work."
Thank you! Donna Watson
her blog here

Deconstructed Digital Imagery

OK, I'm washing out my thermal fax silkscreen after using it-

usually I squeegee out remaining paint onto a cloth whilst, ( don't cha love that word!),

spraying with water- a good start for another piece of art

cloth.

I was in a hurry and therefore was soaping it up to wash out in the sink.

AND it look goreous! The bubbles were so textural and the colors melted

together so beautifully that I ran to get my camera and shot some pix!!

I do take photo's of work in process, sometimes thats just the element I need and I can print it out or make a silkscreen- etc!!

AND to enjoy here with you all.

Geez, do I have a screw loose or have you all had similar moments that just

disappeared down

the

drain?

Beneath the Surface

I have been accepted to a juried invitational exhibit by the Dinner at Eight Artists. They will present Beneath the Surface, a special exhibit at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach, CA - July 22-25th at the Long Beach Convention Center.

detail

Shaking the Tree of Imagination Statement

In the artistic process, I discover more techniques, and inspirations along the way. This leads to more discoveries, an evolution. I make the art and then the art makes me. Each work is individual and a communication between my inner imagination and later, the viewer. This communication is the dream, wish and hope for my artwork.

I am a process person. My process is fed by my love of being outdoors. I’m passionate about coming up with ideas and working out the kinks. It speaks to me. Part of that process is photography. I can see the most exquisite scenes or combinations of patterns and want to share that beauty. My art represents these moments. They are what lie beneath. I bring them back to share, to remember, to remind. These moments become my source, my well. This is when inspiration strikes, allowing thoughts percolate up from the unconscious and become my art, or poetry or prayers.

Layers peeled back reveal the source, the inspiration, and my mad desire to capture thoughts, dreams and the beauty of nature.

Process

I made Shaking the Tree of Imagination for the Beneath the Surface Invitational by the Dinner at Eight Artists. I decided I wanted to explore my current interest in Photographic manipulation. The layering techniques I use in this process seemed suited to the theme.

I layered 3 photographs together to merge as one. The photograph started out as image from a walk taken in my local area’s forest. This is often the first layer to my artwork. The idea becomes reality though the process of my art, the inspiration. That is how the title of the work came to be Shaking the Tree of Imagination.

The other two photographs in this layering process were images of my painted fabric. This provides a rich source of color that can influence and change the final result, the digital layer. The photographs were divided on the computer into sections and printed using an Epson 2400 onto pre-treated inkjet cotton broadcloth. They were assembled on batting, cut apart and physically collaged. This was another layer, the physical. I printed 3 more sections on silk organza and fused those to the piece. Each section was creatively stitched with a spontaneous design. I added metallic paint accents, drawn with a fine nozzle bottle. The final pieces were mounted on a hand painted backing of cotton duck.

The piece was drawn from the imagination, layered digitally, printed, layered physically and then collaged.

Check out Fog Rising on the Textile Source Blog: Celebrating Textile Design and Innovation! Too very cool!

Collages

One collage leads to another or is it not working on my art since- well, November, due to the art business , I FINALLY got 'forced'  back to the studio to create some collages for Fiberart for a Cause, noted in previous post. I kept going and going, kinda like that cute pink bunny in the battery commercials, clapping my hands and making 3 collages at a the same time.  I have noticed when I get an idea it's a good idea to try it small first and then expand the idea into larger pieces. 

Check my etsy shop for more!