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?

Paste Up Collage Exhibition

My piece Moon Fog was juried into Paste-Up 2010. This is a juried exhibition of small format collages, and each year they have some fabulous collages on display. Paste-Up 2010

ALL Arts Gallery

Lowell, Massachusetts

June 26, 2010 - July 18, 2010

Does it Matter?

Does it Matter?

Does it Matter to you,

that the wind blows,

gently?

At night, when the owls come out,

do you hear their call?

The slow movement of heron wings

sound like a million butterflies.

Can you see the sparkle of the sun

on morning waters,

reflecting,

waking you

from the inside out.

Making her Mark

Making her Mark

posted from Fosters, article can be found here

Sunday, June 13, 2010 by Bea Lewis bwheel@metrocast.net

Wen Redmond's journey as an artist began when she started making her own clothes as a teenager. 

Redmond went on to graduate from Mansfield State College in Pennsylvania with a degree in home economics. After retiring from teaching to marry and raise a family of three, she concedes she got "antsy" as her children grew and started making "artistic clothing." From there she evolved into making art quilts and now describes herself as a fiber artist.

"I've always been doing stuff even back in high school. I made my own clothes and prom dresses and just kept going. I love textiles," she said.

The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen has since juried Redmond in both stitchery and surface design. She has mastered a number of quilting and silk screening techniques. Along the way she said she still uses some of them as she creates a variety of wall-hangings and other pieces saying, "Because I know the rules now I can break them." 

Today, she combines painting and digital media into one-of-a-kind art pieces.

To make her holographic scenes, Redmond drapes silk organza — a transparent fabric — over photos of rocks, tree, utility poles and even her own shadow, giving the images a dreamy feel.

The elaborate surface designs that characterize Redmond's work are not serendipitous, but a deliberate effort to devise unique mark-making techniques.

She often takes her inspiration from nature but puts a unique twist on her digital photography, explaining she enjoys manipulating her photographs using Adobe PhotoShop. A photo of a rocky coastline on Deer Isle, Maine has been enlarged 10 fold and the lichen-covered rocks are now bathed in yellow instead of blue-green.

Explaining that she keeps an art journal, Redmond said she cuts potential ideas out of magazines and when looking at a mixed pile spread out on the floor waiting to be incorporated, she photographed "the pile of trash," and used the image to create the foundation for one of her pieces.

Dedicated to the creative process as a way of being, Redmond is attracted to the tactile quality of fabric and finds it ideal for rending a variety of subjects, including the natural world. As a fiber artist she is constantly challenging herself to do something she hasn't done before. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but she says the fun is in the doing and the learning. 

She is quick to point out, however, that mastery of a technique is not immediate, and that within every perceived failure are the seeds of future success.

She was just recently selected to teach at the Surface Design Association in Minneapolis in 2011 and was also tapped to teach fabric painting at "ProChem," a company that produces surface design material for painting textile crafts.

"What I enjoy most is the unexpected, just jumping in and seeing what happens," she said. "Now I'm manipulating photos in PhotoShop. With my holographic pieces I layer photos with fabric and it creates a whole different effect. I enjoy the exploration."

She will be demonstrating a variety of fabric painting techniques at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Shop in Meredith on Saturday, June 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Her work can be found at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen stores in Meredith, Concord, North Conway, Nashua and Hanover. More of her work can also be viewed at www.wenredmond.com.

Fiber artist Wen Redmond discusses some of the techniques she used to create this piece on display at her Rollingsford studio. She will be demonstrating a host of fabric painting techniques at the Meredith League of New Hampshire Craftsmen shop on Saturday, June 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bea Lewis/Citizen Photo

Colors on Cloth

I love to experiment with surface design, using all kinds of processes to see what they do and how things will work out. Heres a few of these...

painted cotton using diluted acrylics with a thermal fax silkscreen
simple sunprint on silk noil using buttons as a resist
painted masa paper highlighted with inked brayer
dyed antique kimono silk with 2 different thermal silkscreens
painted cotton with created foam stamps, and medium with small squares of gold stirred in

I started taking pictures of just the fabrics because I enjoyed how they looked. Just for fun. Nice.

Look for my fabric painting demo at the Meredith NH League of NH Crafts Sat - 6/19, 1100-200.

Solo at the 'Bean'

Come see my solo show at the Black Bean, a local cafe in Rollinsford NH, just North of Portsmouth NH. It's a delightful cafe with homemade foods that will sure titillate the palette.

It will be up until June 28th.



info-www.blackbeancafe.com

LESLIE AVON MILLER artist

I find myself returning again and again to the work of Leslie Avon Miller. Her work and the reflections in her blog bring me back- especially when I don't get to the studio. She takes me to a serene place where I remember I am a artist. Her art is zen, centering, calming- a meditation. Links to her blogs at the bottom of this post. I invite you to stop in and relax into her amazing work.


"Do you remember the very first time you purchased an original work of art? It’s 1981. My Mom and I are spending a day together including shopping at a mall in a larger town than ours. Artists of all kinds have set up displays up and down the corridors of the mall. Mom and I look at all the art, occasionally engaging in short conversations with the artists who are all there showing their work. I’m still in my 20’s and I don’t have money for art. Mom values art, she knows about design and she has a good eye. We stroll, and look and talk about the art we are seeing. Mom points out work that really grabs her eye. Eventually we circle back to the booth of j.krogh colwell. She is small, has long dark hair and is a quiet kind of person. She doesn’t use capital letters when she writes, which is kind of arty in itself. The three of us talk about art. She tells us about her art including where she gets her inspiration and about her medium. It’s an easy kind of conversation, relaxed and comfortable. My Mom offers to purchase a painting of my choice as a gift to me. Exciting! I walk around the entire display and choose “thru the dunes.” It’s a very soft water color of some dunes, grasses, the ocean and a bird in flight. The painting is serene. I love the subject matter of an ocean beach. I love the painting for its subdued blues, creams and sandy colors. I love it for its shapes, the sense of flow, and the way it is tastefully matted and framed. I love it for the way I see it adding beauty into my life. I don’t remember anything else from that day. I don’t remember what car we drove, or where we had lunch, or any other purchases that may have occurred. That painting has become part of my life and I have displayed it in seven homes. It’s part of my life story, of a day with my Mom and a generous gift of art. We can’t know how our art becomes part of someone’s life story, but it does. We can’t know how someone may remember an interaction with us. If the artist in my story had been focused on negative feelings about “marketing” her art, the exchange might have been much different, and perhaps the purchase would have been else where."

from LESLIE AVON MILLER's blog
"I am a mixed media artist and a life coach working with creative people. I create with a variety of water media and collage." blogs here and here.

Digital Collage Printing

I use a lot of ink jet prepared fabrics for my work. I purchase this in large rolls from inkjet fabrics.com (here). This way, I can cut the yardage to the desired size to print. This works out very economically and is less expensive than buying sheets. I do end up with a variety of different size scraps though. I have figured out a couple ways of using these bits.

You can fuse them to paper or cloth and print this as a collage that is ready to work on.

Or you can temporarily tape bits to a carrier sheet, remove and fuse these to a work in progress.

Carrier sheets can be as simple as a sheet of paper, freezer paper or even a flexible cutting board.

Try different things to see what you and your printer like best.

I like the effect of combining the different fabric textures in a single work.

I used this technique on Coming Back, now at the PSAQA's ARTQUILTS Illuminations exhibit in Durham, NC. It can be found on my website in the Digital Fiber Art Gallery.

Open Studios

Please join with me for the annual OPEN STUDIOS!

May 8th 2010 Studio #336

SATURDAY 11-5

Southern NH and ME- for directions WWW.millartists.com

Also- This was just included with the latest email from Quilting Arts Magazine. Pokey's favorite issue is the issue I published my article!- Holographic Memories, May 2007!

You can get a CD of my technique- here- item# DVD Item Number: 08QM18

Thank YOU Pokey!!

click here

Beneath the Surface Artist Interviews

From the roots that anchor a majestic tree to a song by Kings of Leon, "Beneath the Surface" has many connotations.  We look into dark water and wonder what lies beneath. We long to understand the meaning of a cryptic statement.  

What comes to mind when you ponder what is "Beneath the Surface?"

My work -Shaking the Tree of Imagination on right at IQF Long Beach CA and Houston. 

Recently I, as well as several other artists as Yvonne Porcella, Susie Monday, Jane LaFazio, Gerrie Congdon, and many more are being interviewed on Dinner at Eight Artists blog for the special exhibit "Beneath the Surface" that will be shown at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach, CA - July 22-25th. The exhibit will be sponsored by Moore's Sewing Centers and Brother International.

My interview follows

The artists behind the exhibit are Jamie Fingal, an award winning full-time artist who lives in Orange, California. She is the author of “Embellished Mini Quilts."see Jamie's website and blog.

AND Leslie Tucker Jenison is an award-winning textile and mixed-media artist who works primarily on the quilted surface. see Leslie's blog.

1. How do you describe yourself? My logo is ‘Contemporary Art in Fiber- An unusual use of fibercombines painting and digital media into a one of a kind art piece’. I consider myself a mixed media artist. Jason Pollen recently said “We are artists, you don’t need to say fiber artist- artist will do nicely’. My general artist statement is “Making art is like a meditation. I put that energy into my creations. Later, viewing a piece, revisit that feeling; like reading a poem or familiar story. It brings you back.”

2. What is your creative process? planning, drawing, notes, etc. 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.

3. What's your style? Abstract, pictorial, surface design, whole cloth, etc. I do all of these. My main works are digital, collage, and surface design; sometimes works will feature one of these styles but often they blend together.

4. How long have you been a quilt maker/fiber artist? I took to fiber in High School- making my own clothes and prom dresses, graduating with a BS in Home Economics from collage. I started the artistic part of my fiber-oriented career with batik soft sculpture in the late 1970’s. When I moved to NH and joined a quilt guild I mastered hand piecing, and quilting, slowing processing back into doing whatever I chose to do. I embrace the pioneering fiber art movement of today.

5. Do you listen to music when you make art? what kind? Music comes and goes. Sometimes, I need it to provide distraction from outside sounds, other times I need the meditative, joyous, blues, even rock music to bring in certain flow. It all depends on my state of mind and where I am in the creative process. Often I work in complete silence because my inner muse is whispering.

6. What do you do when you are blocked creatively? I haven’t been blocked in years, especially now- I almost feel like I’m bent over backwards on top of a rocket, watching the inspirations wash over me as I fly skyward. However, that is not to say I haven’t been blocked. I find that is time to step back and feed the soul by walking on a beach, in the woods or sitting by a lake; or taking myself to museums or galleries. I journal; I make hand bound books where drawings are kept, inspirational quotes and clippings. I can be inspired by a well put phrase or poem in addition to the visual.

7. Do you teach? What's your favorite part about teaching? I have taught for at least 20 years at a very easy pace. I kept this slow allowing plenty of studio time. I have ‘put myself out there’ this year and will do so for a while until I need to retreat. I love interacting with fellow fiber fellows. The energy is greater than the whole and I always learn from my students.

Current Workshops

Holographic Memories Fabric * Transformations Workshop Series; Fab Fabric Painting Techniques, Stupendous Fabric Stamping, Irresistible! Resists and Masks, Make your Mark! Mono Printing, Gelatin Printing, Easy Image Transfer, Journal Creations, The Thermal Facts, Digging into Digital Fabric Printing, Mixed Media Collage Workshop, Piecing in the Flow, an intuitive curved piecing technique, Petite Collage "Inspiration=Art Pieces

8. Are there artistic endeavors that you have yet to do? Yes, I am by no means without plans. This is such a vibrant green growing thing.

9. How do you balance your family life and art? That is a challenge that many female artists face. I chose to have a family and for many years worked in bits and pieces snatching time here and there. After the children left home, I had a difficult time adjusting to longer working hours. Now I can work and not know the passage of time. This is a gift I honor.

10. What is the best part about what you do? I love what I do! I love the processes, the places I go when I see color or get inspirations, and the connections with artists. Artists tend to be a little left of center. They see more, feel deeply; they are kindred spirits on so many levels. I must do my art.“

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” Thomas Merton

Art Quilt Elements 2010 again!

Wonderful show of cutting edge work. I was proud to be in attendance. Here's some press and vid's about the show.

Enjoy!
We received great press from the Philadelphia Inquirer in the Friday Weekend section that should bring in many more visitors.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/weekend/20100423_A_rich__lively_competitive_exhibit_.htm
from Carolyn Lee Vehslage

John Hopper of The Textile Blog wrote about the exhibition, its history and showed 6 examples of the work as well as the 3 minute teaser video of the collection. John's posting remain on top for a week, so please direct viewers to it. http://thetextileblog.blogspot.com/

And a visitor named Mariee has be making multiple postings on her blog about the various pieces in the exhibition in terms of Texture, Print, and Color.
http://colored-thread.blogspot.com/

Finally, above, photo of all the artists who made it to the opening. I'm on far left- (hmmm).
and a personal note from John Hopper!!

Hello Wen
"Just to say how impressed I was with your entry into the ArtQuilt Elements 2010 exhibition. I came across Perspective with Trees when the organizers asked me to help publicise the event. I must admit that it is my favourite and I wish all the success you so richly deserve."
John (the Textile Blog)

(I'm gushing!!)

Art Quilt Elements 2010

I have just attended the SAQA Symposium at the Wayne Art Center in PA. This cutting edge show encourages joyful endeavors into the wide variety of art quilting- from collage, free form, digital and surface design- the show is sure to stimulate the creative juices.










Folks were warm and pleasant- all kindred spirits.

We were treated to the background roots of the

jury process with a panel discussion of jurors Jason Pollen, Robin Schwab and Deborah Warner.

I particularly enjoy Jason's effervescent, embracing spirit.

Later, Sandra Sider gave us insight into the art critique followed by a lively dialogue SAQA's president, Lisa Chipetine on

using the available technology for promoting

ones work. This was

followed by a short mentoring session by attending artists.

I always learn or am surprised by something at these events. Today, I had the pleasure of putting work to faces, to meet many of my favorite artists. And seeing the work eyeball to eyeball highlights the textural aspects, the myriad of innovative constructive techniques. I've included a few images of the show here-

some whole and some details.

However if you can't come here, they do offer a lovely catalog, a nice addition to any art quilt book collection. here

works shown- Robin Schwab, myself, Fenella J Davies, Yael David-Cohen, Luanne Rimel, Peggy A. Brown

Work at Dana Farber and New Bridge on the Charles, MA

It is always so much fun to see one's work displayed in it's new location. I love it when folks send me pictures too. I was fortunate to be able to see 3 works in their new homes.

South Shore Hospital –at the new Dana Farber Cancer Building

55 Fogg Rd, South Weymouth, MA 02190 -

artwork is on 2nd floor waiting room

Ripples

A moment alone. Manipulated digital image of water.

Original image printed on archival digital canvas, bordered in hand painted and surface designed fabrics. A section of the image printed on transparent silk organza, providing a holographic effect.

Additional stitching details. Set of 3 24x24

and

New Bridge on the Charles, Dedham Ma for directions.

Your artwork is located in the Health Care Center on

Level 1, North RSU, Wing 7115 and on Level 1, South West entry corridor.

Rooted in Matter and Winter Tree. (Winter Tree can be see here)

Quilter's Connection

I had a marvelous time with the warm and wonderful

fiber folks at Quilter's Connection Quilt Guild, Watertown MA. They hosted me for a back to back Piecing in the Flow Workshops on Saturday and Sunday, and a Presentation at their Monday night guild meeting.

Here are some shots of those events.

Thank YOU QC!

1000 Artisan Textiles

I am shocked and very pleased to find out 5 of my pieces will be in new 1000 Artisan Textiles book!

Quayside Publishing's new book 1000 Artisan Textiles by Sandra Salamony & Gina M. Brown
Inner Heart, collaged digital prints and surface-designed textiles, stitched

Angels Do Listen Collage, Hand Dyed painted, transfers and digital print. Donated to SAQA auction 2009 here

Hard Ball, Holographic Fiber- digital-printed cotton sateen, silk organza, and Belgian linen, stitchedUnhinged, Holographic Fiber- digital printed, hand dyed, paintedTrees Seen, Forest Remembered, Free Fabric Collage- digital printing, fused on canvas with hand-painted and silkscreened fabric

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.

Transfer the Way You Add Images to Your Art

Image Transfer Workshop

I love incorporating photography and fiber! An image transfer is transferring an image from one source to another, giving wonderful transparent effects. This allows layering of images or let the surface show through.

We had an intense but satisfying time at the image transfer workshop at my studio yesterday. We transferred with many mediums, hitting on a variety to make samples to remember and explore techniques. We used glue or what I call acrylic transfers, tried some with freezer paper and sheets labels. We even used a very non-traditional medium that works spectacularly!

transfer with trans-web, my favorite fusible.
printed on painted cloth

Secret Method

Transfers create a lovely aged and distressed image due to the natural imperfections of the technique.

I’m offering this again at Portsmouth Fabric Co. in Portsmouth NH on April 24^th.

I will be demonstrating some of these techniques at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Meredith Gallery on June 12, 11-2.