Leaves

Wind swirls madly,

a mass of color,

challenging me to fly.

Fly like the leaves 

or just delight. 

Frosted leaves

Holographic Images-

Multi-level Surface Design/Mixed Media. Original digital image, printed twice for holographic effects. Silk noil, organza, fabrics’ hand dyed, sun printed, painted, or stamped.

38”Wx20”H 

Trees to Poles

Taking photos has been an interest since I first laid my hands on a camera. I have shared some from time to time. Many influence my art viva composition, pattern and design. While others become the subject of work. They can be the entire piece or added with silkscreen or collage. And now one can take photos into Photoshop and do amazing things. A new way to create in the 21st century! For this work, called Trees To Poles, I used almost all these techniques. I layered these two photos, below, in Photoshop and used them as my Holographic Image insert. I collaged additional photo elements with painted and pieced fabric.  String was embedded in the layers, which was highlighted with paint sticks afterwards. The piece was finished with stitching.

Breaking Free

Breaking Free

‘The Day is yours.” My husband quips.

I am unburdened at the moment from worrying thoughts, loved one’s dilemma’s, even my usual mad dog push, push, push.

“Relax, I say. “ How is it I feel like I’m sitting upon a rockin

g lid under which boils my tempestuous creative drive.

Sometimes I feel like a spinning top with an arm extending out every so often to tweak an art piece, paint fabric, create a digital collage, and come up with yet another way to display fiber art to a curious public.

Ideas whirl though my head.

“Focus.” Says one of my mentors, “Only this moooment”.

“This Moment- and this and this!” I respond!

This day, a bubble in the weeks of planned activities. This day, a day of my own, without focus, direction, or plans. A chasm to be filled at my discretion. What joy!

I walk though my studio gathering items intuitively. My art jour

nal, a pile of snipped out images of art and other stuff from magazines I buy to expose my yearning for beauty. My glue stick and pen.

These journals mirror to me what I like, what inspires me, provide a directional compass.

Outside into the glorious sun coolly lit in the first hints of Autumn. I sit and begin to turn pages. I see notes from years past, re-pasted in each new journal. Journals handmade, sewn with curses and love. I just turn the rich pages- absorbing, reminding, revisiting.

 And the magic happens. 

Fall Workshop and Events in NH, ME & MA areas

Would love to meet you at 

September

As part of Wen’s Fabric Transformations Workshop Series, she will offer the ever-popular Fabric Painting and Innovative Stamping Workshops at Exeter Fine Crafts on September 18 and 19.

AND

Thermal Facts Workshop

Thermal Fax screens are detailed silk screens made form B&W photographs, or drawings. Any image you can think of! Your own photographs can be converted into silk screens!

An artistic compliment to your photographic fiber art.

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.

Can't Resist? Leaves, feathers and String, Oh My!

Recently I held a Resists Workshop that is part of my Fabric Transformations  Series. 

We had a blast. We started with resists you apply and wash out, then moved on to removable masks and finished with discharge.   Pictured here, from top, is a fleather resist with discharge, leaf resist with spray paint and string and glue.

Fabric Transformations Workshop Series

This 4 week series covers a variety of low tech surface design methods; Fabric Painting, Sunprints, Resists, Momoprinting, and more. 

Take one or All! Make your stash NEW!!

You'll learn new techniques or be inspired by new ideas. I will offer the workshops at my studio #336, at the Salmon Fall Mills, Front St , Rollinsford, NH (Directions at www.millartists.com)

The workshop run is 4/11- 5/2/09 from 10-4. The first day will start at 9:30 for registration and payment. The cost is $200.00 for the entire series or $55.00 per individual class. There is a small materials fee. 

To register or for information- contact me at wenreddy@yahoo.com. Please indicate "surface design class" in subject box.