The Machine- Created for SAQA Silver Anniversary

Digital Fiber

A photograph of a reflection in a store window filled with antique sewing machines of all varieties

detail

Printed on Textured Molding Paste, stitched, and cut into segments. Each segment is hand-tied together.

molding paste drying

inkAid applied

Digital Broadcloth, paint, medium, pearl cotton & thread

34.5x45 

on table with backing and getting ready to cut into segments

Created for SAQA Silver Anniversary

A photographic reflection of a storefront window filled with sewing machines. This piece is dedicated to SAQA and the Machine that made modern fiber art possible!

The Machine

While walking on a street in Boston with my son, we passed a storefront window filled with antique sewing machines of all brands. What a delight! I took several photographs because I found it so interesting. The glass of the window captured the machines and the street we were standing on in a hazy reflection.

 The combination of the old sewing machines with the urban scene strike me as juxtaposition, representing the lengths that art quilting has traveled.

I chose to present this image printed on a molding paste substrate. I prepared interfacing as the substrate, spread on the paste & coated with an ink jet preparation. The image was divided accordingly, printed and quilted.

Some of the machines in the photograph are distorted and hazy so I quilted the machines in black at first, but they needed some additional highlighting. I choose a variegated black & silver to continue the theme of SAQA’s Silver Anniversary.

Each section was then reassembled viva hand stitching and tying. This technique resembles how SAQA holds all of the great variety in the art quilt world together.

Who else would appreciate the sewing machine as much! This piece, The Machine, is dedicated to SAQA and the Machine that made modern fiber art possible!

original photograph- can you see my son & me? 

Works to be Included at Art Quilts Lowell, MA

My work's Soar Frost has been accepted into the Brush Art Gallery's Exhibit, "Tangled up in Blue", Art Quilts Lowell, MA.

 And Into the Silence was accepted at the Whistler Museum's exhibit "Whats My Line"

Tickled!
Always a great time in Lowell!

In Disguise

In Disguise

mounted on 3/4" black painted canvas

In Disguise

Digital Fiber- Image of an artist’s journal page.

Images are printed onto treated natural textiles and other surfaces, combining painting and digital media into a one of a kind art piece.

Creatively stitched. Segments are creatively stitched and held together with a hand-tied bookbinding method.  12x12

detail

Long Walk

Long Walk

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 

mounted on 3/4" black painted canvas

Available at Exeter Fine Crafts, NH- info here

Forgotten Wings

Forgotten Wings

Digital Fiber- Image of an artist’s journal page.

Images are printed onto treated natural textiles and other surfaces, combining painting and digital media into a one of a kind art piece.

Creatively stitched. Segments are creatively stitched and held together with a hand-tied bookbinding method.  12x12

detail
mounted on 1 1/2" black painted canvas

Leaving Home

Leaving Home

Digital Fiber- A nest

Photograph of a found nest fused digitally with a photo of my painted fabric.

For printing on fabric, 

I often increase saturation as fabric can be dulled or more mat as ink absorbs.

For this piece, I printed on a combination of leftover inkjet fabrics. I collage these on fusible and cut to size. 

Printed work is batted with thin felt, quilted to emphasize details in the photograph or to create additional design elements.

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.

Creatively stitched. 12x12

Mounted on 1 1/2" painted black canvas 

Short Memories- new work

Short Memories

Digital Fiber- ocean sand & puddles

Images are printed onto treated natural textiles and other surfaces, combining painting and digital media into a one of a kind art piece.

Creatively stitched. Segments are creatively stitched and held together with a hand-tied bookbinding method.  12x12

mounted on 1 1/2 canvas

Making a DVD- Textured Photos

After flying to Denver, I found a shuttle and was whisked off to Loveland.

I arrived the day before the shoot so I would be rested. Excited, nervous but rested.

I practiced and practiced so I was ready. I had lots of steps outs, ideas and techniques to show.

*I have to add, my MO is to stuff as much as I can into a workshop- same here. The DVD explains the process of printing on lightweight molding paste to add texture, interest and lots of fun to digital fiber. It is long but, well, thats good- right!
Looking calm (below)- not!

* a quote from the blog post below- "I discovered Wen and her innovative, cool experiments a couple of years ago. When I get frustrated or bored with my work, I just ask myself : "What would Wen do?" She is the best! I use my digital camera or a scanner to make images of my work. The college where I teach (Paul Smith's in New York State's Adirondack mountains) has a couple of great large scanners if I have a larger piece. I'm also working with a friend who aspires to do professional photography."
*nice blog post here

The staff was very helpful and patient. This photo show how the camera will pick up what I'm showing on the computer. I love this stuff!

*the DVD can be found here

Digital imagery in Fiber Art

Digital imagery in Fiber Art: Using Textured Backgrounds for a Painterly Effect with Wen Redmond

Join fiber artist Wen Redmond and learn her captivating technique for adding unusual dimension to fiber art with textured photographs.

First, you'll journey through Wen’s step-by-step process for printing a photograph on a textured background by spreading lightweight molding paste onto a stabilizer base and adding textural markings. Then, learn how to add another layer after the substrate dries by using it as paper in an inkjet printer. You'll also discover tips and tricks for printing using both Adobe® Photoshop® and Microsoft® Word to create a painterly photo thin enough to be sewn and manipulated. Finally, you'll love adding finishing layers by playing and experimenting with textured mediums!

Embark on a wonderful and fun journey with Wen Redmond and celebrate the limitless possibilities of combining digital photography and texture.

watch a clip!

Blog promo for my DVD by Interweave Magazine 

http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2012/09/18/make-textured-photo-quilts-with-digital-imagery.aspx

Can be purchased! 

League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair

My work Lichen on Stone Yellow won Best in Fiber at The League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair, Living with Craft Special Exhibit!

Taping Video Workshop at Interweave

I visited the studios of Interweave today and video workshop of 

one of my Digital Fiber Techniques; Textured Photographs.

Everyone was so kind, helpful and encouraging.

Getting into to computer tech connections.

Trying hard to stay cool.

It's a GO!
This should be a great tape.
 Interweave, the publishers of
Quilting Arts Magazine.

Outside/Inside the Box

My work Cormorant's Perch is honored to be included in this exhibit.

Outside/Inside the Box

Crane Arts Building, Icebox Project Space

March 2 - April 15, 2012


1400 North American St, Philadelphia, PA 19122

Wed – Sun, 12 - 6pm; until 9pm on the 2nd Thurs of each month

Wheelchair Accessible

www.fiberphiladelphia.org/outside_inside-the-box

Slide show- here

Cormorant's Perch

Digital Fiber

Digital manipulated interpretations of a single photograph, created by melding the photograph, and painted fabric in photo shop. This is fused digitally and printed with an Epson 2400 on a variety of inkjet prepared fabrics. The digital fiber photographs are mounted on free sections using heavy stabilizer. Segments are creatively stitched and held together with a hand-tied bookbinding method using dyed pearl cotton.

Edges and top are sealed with UV medium and paint.

30x47

YES! In Visions Art Museum

Visions- Interpretations

November 4, 2011 to January 22, 2012

This juried biennial presents art quilts by Visions members.

Shaking the Tree of Imagination was accepted into this prestigious exhibit. 

 I layered 3 separate images in Photoshop, and collaged digitally. The 
photographs were divided on the computer and printed using a Epson 2400 onto pre-treated inkjet cotton broadcloth. They were assembled on batting, cut apart and physically collaged. I printed more sections on silk organza, divided and fused those to the piece. Each section was creatively stitched with a intuitive spontaneous design. I added metallic paint accents, drew with a fine nozzle bottle. The final pieces were mounted on a hand painted backing of cotton duck.

more info here

Wichita National All Media

I was fortunate enough to be accepted again to this prestigious gallery event. Last year Pause and I came Singing were displayed. This year...

Opening

Fiber Holographic  Images,  Mutli-level Surface Design-Mixed Media

additional stitching details. 20x25

Land Locked

Mixed Media Collage, Digital fiber. 19x16

more info here

When I Think of You

When I Think of You

College of hand dyed organza. Surface design includes printing, stenciling, painting, and cyanotype, sprayed and creative stitched. Bonded with medium.

12x12”  

Shine

 I was inspired to create a holographic image, one of my trade mark processes, from this photograph. It captures the early morning salmon rays on every crystalline covered branch.

.

I divided the image, top bottom, right and left in PhotoShop. On each piece I increased the size of the canvas to create a border for sewing as well as the increasing the size of actual photos.  I wanted it to mirror the holographic section in the center. I printed these on cotton broadcloth.

Next I painted cotton duck in colors that would accent the original photo. 

Shine finished

Shine side

This piece was exhibited for the first time at League of New Hampshire Crafts Sunappe Fair last year in Living with Crafts. It sold! 
more on post WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2010

Fiber Revolution

Gotta love that name. I have been nominated and accepted into this wonderful and passionate group!
Their link is on the sidebar or here.
Among several projects going on- keeps my head spinning- Is an upcoming show at Morristown Museum, NJ, June -October. More on that!
directions here.

I am including my piece on this post. It is similar but completely different from the piece that will be in Quilt National!!

   Dig-it-al!!  Digital Fiber Constructions

I enjoy photography and the creative processes now afforded by contemporary

Digital technology. My fascination with photography is finding expression by printing        manipulated original photographs directly onto various

substrates, and specially treated natural fibers. Images are printed with an Epson

printer to create unique photographic stitched textural constructions. I call this

work, Digital Fiber.

My new work continues the creative process in Photoshop by changing

the actual image, layering and digitally fusing with photographs of my painted

cloth. When I finish composing an image. I decide on presentation,

such as a whole cloth photo-art quilt, or divided into multiple images as for my latest

work or collaged into mixed media art.

I print the completed photos onto heavy canvas. I either size the work in

Photoshop and print or I print cutting the resulting photo into sections. These

are mounted onto heavy stabilizer, felt, or interfacing. Stitched or quilted, leaving the

edges remain unbound. I seal the edges with gel medium to secure the loose

threads and finish with a touch of accent paint on the edges. I finish the top with a protective UV medium.

Only after all of this is dried, do I assemble the work using a simple bookbinding method, using artist dyed pearl cotton or wax linen threads.

Flown                                                                                                            2011

 Layers peeled back reveal the source, the inspiration, and my mad desire to

capture thoughts, dreams and the beauty of nature.

Each work is individual and a communication between my inner imagination and

later, the viewer.

Blue Door Gallery

Accepted in NYC at the Blue Door Gallery!

I dreamt I knew a man who was a tree. He described the wonderful lights that he could see.

Detail

Digital Fiber

Digital manipulated interpretation of a photograph.

Printed on inkjet prepared cotton satin and silk organza.

Creatively stitched.

19x27

SAQA's own Arlé Sklar-Weinstein, Director: Blue Door Gallery, was the Juror for Fiber PLUS!

more info here