"Smack" Down

No...I have not taken up professional wrestling.  At least not yet....

As a resident artist at the "...And Then We Set It On Fire" blog, I get to try out a lot of new (to me at least) techniques...that's part of the fun, right!

Well, this technique - called "smacking" - was taught on that blog a while back and I had yet to get to try it out.  Until NOW!! While I was concerned when first seeing the title, the realization of what it meant for artists was exciting! In the interest of trying very hard to catch up with all I've wanted to do, try out, experiment with, etc....I finally got to do some of this technique!!  (Better late than never, right?)

I had plexi and a "smack handle" but I would have had to walk all the way out to the barn to cut the plexi because it was too big.  In the meantime, I had gotten from FreeCycle a bunch of those clear plastic photo/sign holders. Figured they would work just as well so I was off and playing.

Below is the process I used and the result of my work.  I used a few colors of acrylic paint, a piece of my hand-dyed fabric that needed something else done to it, the sheet of plexi and the plastic frame.  You can follow the process in the photo collage below (starting top left and going clockwise).  I "smacked" the plexi with the paint-covered frame, then put the fabric down onto the "smacked" surface and pressed it down.

I'm very happy with the results (this piece will be going into my box of fabrics chosen for my "Pecan" series.  And yes...I'll be doing it again!! Now on to my next experiment.........

Weathered Red Door

Just completed another of my Up Close and Personal pieces for one of my groups.  This series is based on several favorites of my own macro photos which I wanted to "redo" in textiles. Ancient Cactus was my first piece.

This is from another photo I took in a small town in Texas during a trip there. I LOVE peeling paint and old buildings and doors and this just fit all of those. It is from an old store front but the premises were empty at the time we visited. Wish I could have found a date on the building or something but all I know is...it was very old.

The door is from a breakdown screen print I had done at least a year ago. Found it interesting how much it looked like the weathered red door without a whole lot of altering!! I cut out portions so the black could show through when appliqued. I also used a bit of acrylic paints and Shiva paint sticks to get just the right look.  The "grate" in front of the door is some silver mesh.  It was way too shiny for this old door so I painted it with a charcoal gray acrylic.  I love the way it turned out.  So....here it is....along with it's inspiration photo.

Weathered Red Door

I'll be posting this on Nina Marie's Off The Wall Friday.

It's All In The Timing

Don't you just love it when Serendipity strikes and things just fall into place?

I just had an experience like that.  One of the challenge groups I participate with has a theme for March of POEM.  Well, my favorite poem (and life inspiration) is the poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost.  As I live in Minnesota...a yellow wood is naturally aspen or birch.  Now....how to make the trees in the woods....

SERENDIPITY!!  On one of the many artist blogs I follow, an artist did a demo on painting shibori. Now...I had done painted shibori before but for this application it just didn't come to me naturally. Now if only I could remember the artist who did the demo. I'm searching for her and when I find her, I'll edit this post to include her name (if any of you who follow this blog know whom I talking about...please post it in the comment section and I'll be sure to include it in this post)  (Credit where Credit is due....this demo was done by Vivica on Quilting Arts. Here is the link: http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2013/03/28/paint-a-shibori-forest.aspx   Thank you Beth!!)

I dyed a piece of fabric with an appropriate sunny yellow and then wrapped it around a large PVC pipe. The next step is to wrap the string around the fabric and scrunch it down the pipe.  For the first layer I painted the ridges with a dark gray.  Took the fabric off the pipe, laid it out straight and let it dry overnight.  The next day I repeated the process but used slightly wider wrapping of the string and painted the ridges with white. For the "leaves" I used a brayer wrapped with rubber bands with brown and orange acrylic paints.  Here is the result:

Painted Shibori Yellow Woods

Now on to finishing it.  Putting in the diverging roads has been a challenge but I think I have it now...all I need to do is complete it! 

I'm linking this post to Nina Marie's Off The Wall Fridays... 

What a week!!

This has been a strange week really.  Very sick so that was the downside.  BUT, at the same time, I found out that I was accepted in 2 more exhibitions!!

So in addition to Art on Main (my first public art exhibition) in the previous post below, I will also have pieces in the Fiber Arts exhibition at the Poudre River Gallery in Ft. Collins, CO, April 4-27, 2013. They accepted my small 12" X 12" art quilt entitled "Snow Tree".

"Snow Tree"

Then shortly after that, I received word that my two pieces entered for the Celebrate African Grandmothers were accepted.  These two pieces were made especially for this exhibition that will tour Canada this spring. Both are Mixed Media Textile art on canvas. The tour and subsequent auction of the works will raise funds for Royal City Gogos. It is a very worthy cause that, being a grandmother myself, I am  privileged to support.  For more information on Royal City Gogos, click HERE.  "Wall of Courage" was inspired by one of their promotional pieces in which the African Grandmothers were described as a wall of protection for the generation of grandchildren orphaned by AIDS. I imprinted the wall AND the clothing of these women to signify their solidarity in standing as protectors and support for the grandchildren they have chosen to raise. The symbols on Wall of Courage signify bravery and valor. The fabrics for their clothing are from Africa, as is the bark cloth in the background.

"Wall of Courage"

The second piece for Celebrate African Grandmothers is entitled "Tears of Joy" inspired by another comment in their promotional video that says these grandmothers prefer to look with joy and hope toward the future of their grandchildren.  Again the fabrics are from Africa as is the bark cloth. The many tears surrounding the main teardrop of a grandmother holding her baby grandchild, are crystal beads. The symbols in this piece signify unity, safety and security, and learning from the past.

"Tears of Joy"

Have to say...all this good news helped me feel better! Now I'm physically on the mend although still without a voice. 

Completed Today

The challenge topic - Favorite Movie

This sounded easy at first but proved to be a bit difficult. Many of the movies I love and the parts that make me love them are more concepts and not readily expressable (a new word I just made up!) in 2D art. But someone reminded me of Fiddler and I knew at once that was what I wanted to do.

I love this story. I laughed...I cried.  And many of the lines and songs from this movie are a part of our life now.  One of my favorites is when Tevia is talking to God in the barn about wishing he were a rich man.  "Would it spoil some great eternal plan...if I were a wealthy man?"  And the relationship with his wife and the loves of his daughters...so many faces of love and devotion.

Fiddler On The Roof - Kelly

This piece has all kinds of my own fabrics - hand-dyed, snow-dyed, discharged, ruching, confetti dyed, stamped, drawn on, painted. Only the fiddler is not my fabric but black Kona.

I have a couple of other pieces that will be completed by Monday. LOTS of handwork these coming evenings!

Finishing out 2012

Yep...I'm a few days late (and after Christmas.....more than a few dollars short!!  LOL!!) but this one is my last piece to complete my challenges for 2012.

A Burning Passion - This is my last VoyageArt piece for 2012 where the theme was to be Who Am I?  After such an amazing year, I seem to have discovered that art is definitely my Burning Passion.  So what better way to complete my self-disclosure?  It also is a great catapult into 2013 because I will be concentrating MUCH more of my time on my art this coming year.

Fabrics in this piece are my hand-dyed ruching and pole shibori and a few other hand-dyed fabrics from my stash.  Size is 10" X 20".  This isn't the greatest photo....cuz I took it.  I can hardly wait to have it done professionally by Shawn Nielsen (see link in right sidebar!!) later this month!!  LOVE the difference it makes!

A Burning Passion

Now onto all my fun plans for 2013...unencumbered with any unfinished projects!! I'm so excited about my series, etc for the coming year I can hardly wait to get started!!

And the Snow Tree is done!

FINISHED!! Have to say...this is one of my favorites. The theme for this challenge was Snow.  After receiving a foot of the beautiful white stuff. I was inspired both for the technique (snow dyeing) and the subject matter.

I cut the tree out of a white-on-black commercial fabric, I had a stone fabric which made a perfect wall. The snow is cut from all black-on-white commercial fabric. Each piece is individually applied to the background as raw edge applique.  I love the feel of a cold gray day the background gives, with big clumps of wet snow clinging where it can.  I also like how the wavy cut of the woven fabric background gives a feel of the cold winds of winter in the frozen northland.

The front fabric is folded to the back and stitched instead of a usual binding.  I didn't want to break up the tree or distract from it.

SNOW  TREE

12" X 12"

Snow! Glorious Snow!

In abundance and just 2 steps out of my door!

Did a snow dyed backing for the gray woven background piece.  Continuing with my addiction to have a backing that goes with the front whenever possible!

Also did three snow dyed pieces for the Pecans series.  I LOVE them!! And I know they will be very useful to mix in with all the others since I used the same dye mixture.  Also, decided to add a couple of my favorite rusted pieces to the pile of available fabric for Pecans.  Think they might add an interesting bit once in a while.

Snow Dyes

Rusts

Now to see what other trouble....I MEAN...creativity I can get into with this series.........

Pecans - the beginning

Pecans - the series.

A couple of the online groups I belong to are doing art pieces in a series as part of the challenge for the year.  For one of the groups, Free Spirit Artists, I decided to do a series on Pecans.  This fall my dad died. He was a wonderful man and a great loving dad. And one of his passions was pecans.  They had a HUGE very old pecan tree in front of their house and he even planted a pecan orchard.  He subscribed to magazines for pecan growers.  Oh and he enjoyed eating them as well!!  (something we had in common!!) So, I decided to do this series in honor of my dad.

So far the series will depict the  different stages of the pecan.  1) sapling, 2) a grown tree, 3) mature pecans on the tree limb, 4) pecans on the ground at the base of the tree - ready to harvest 5) a barren tree after all the pecans and leaves are gone 6) pecans harvested and halved, etc and 7) the piece honoring my dad - it will have his photo in B/W transferred to silk organza, pecans, perhaps other photos, and my mom's pecan pie recipe.

Well....I have done a bit on this series already.  Ordered screen prints, cut out templates, etc.  But dyeing the fabrics felt like the project is actually underway.  After a couple of days of dyeing....here are the basic fabrics I will be using in all of the pieces in this series (6 or 7 planned)

They are all dyed in a 6 step gradation.  Here is one of the brown all set up to batch.

And here are the completed dyed fabrics --

Browns (yes I know some of them don't look brown but they are named "brown" something) -  From left to right...Tobacco, Cocoa, Golden Brown and Dark Chocolate Brown

Greens - Left to Right...Emerald, Dark Green and Forest Green

And Blues - Left to Right... Well actually they are so close it is difficult to tell the difference even in person! But I used Cerulean and Intense Blue.  I took these down a couple of gradations because I wanted some light blue sky with "clouds".  I'm very happy with the results.

Ordinarily this would be the end of dyeing...however after just completing the snow dyeing for another challenge...I HAVE to do some pieces for this series!! Hopefully I'll get to that tomorrow if not starting some today.  

Snow Dyed Woven Background

One of my challenge groups has the theme "Snow" for December.  Well.....I mean I HAVE to snow dye the fabric for that one right????  AND we DO have enough snow!!!

First I have to prepare a place to put the whole snow dyeing process.  I like the melted snow and dye to drip below the fabric so that the fabric doesn't bathe in the dye.  One thing I say...."the right tool for the right job".   I'm so glad I picked up those big tin snips when they were on sale years ago!!!  The metal mesh is for a leaf shield on gutters.

Then I just placed the scrunched up fat quarter of PFD that had been soaked in the soda ash solution onto the screen and covered it well with snow

I had mixed up two strengths of #44 New Black from Dharma.  Also added in just a smidge of blue dye in one and a smidge of purple dye in the other for just a bit of contrast.  Then just waited for the snow to all melt.

GOING...

GOING...

GONE!!!

Results side by side

A while ago I had done a woven background like this one with an abstract tree. I wanted to do something very similar for this challenge.  So on to weaving the background.

First I cut each piece to the appropriate size - this time 15"X15". I ironed MistyFuse onto the backs of each of the pieces. Then I use my rotary cutter to slice the pieces into wavy lines.  (NOTE: On one piece, leave one edge in tact to make weaving easier to control) Also...it is important to keep these strips in order so they will fit snugly when woven.

Next I started weaving the horizontal pieces into the vertical strips. I just go ahead and set this whole weaving part up on the batting so when I iron it in the final step...it is ready for the rest of the process without having to pick up the woven piece on its own. You can see the black MistyFuse on the back of the strips that are flipped up ready for the next strip.

It may be necessary to futz with each strip just a tad to be sure it is in there snugly.

And finally, when all the strips have been woven in (you probably won't have room for the last one or two pieces of your horizontal strips but it doesn't matter).  I iron it to fuse the strips together and the whole piece to the the batting.  I love the subtle play of the color in this muted background which will depict a gray winter day.

And here is a detail shot.

Now it is ready for the tree and the snow!!

Gathering Pieces

I'm beginning to gather fabric, screen prints, etc for a series I'll be working on in 2013.  While some friends were here at the studio for a "play day", I did some pounded fabric to have on  hand for this series.  Tonight I remembered to check on it and it was all ready to iron.  I'm very pleased with how it all turned out! Love using Lumiere paints in this technique!!  These are close up photos.

Weekly Creativity - Week 6 - Large Screen Prints

While I have a "regular" sized screen for printing, I was excited when I read somewhere about how to make large screens...especially for more organic forms.  I so wish I could remember where I saw it so I could give credit to the person from whom I learned this technique.  If you know...please post it in Comments below!

The "screen" is made from organza taped at the edges.  Lesson for next time:  It is pretty much a two people job...at least for me it would have helped to have an extra pair of hands!  The organza shifted at a breath and the duck tape has a very permanent stickiness!!  But I kept on and finally got a fairly workable screen.

The completed "screen"

I then got out my Golden Matte Medium to spread in a rather haphazard manner onto the screen.  I put it all on top of some packing paper so I could just throw that away when it was done.  Lesson for next time: Don't even TRY to use a plastic spoon!  The sturdy wooden one worked MUCH better.

The medium

With the gel medium spread onto the organza screen, it needed to dry very well. I hung it up to dry overnight.

Drying the screen

When it was very very dry, the medium is quite sturdy...at least so far.  I used the duck tape again to lace a spare piece of  fabric down onto my painting surface. It needs to be very stable I think.  The first printing was made with light blue acrylic paint applied with a squeegie thingie.  Lesson for next time: It does take a good bit of acrylic to cover this size.  I had to get out another small bottle. 

First painted layer print

I then removed the screen to see just how the printing went.

Screen removed

Mainly because I used acrylic paints, the screen had to be rinsed right away. I just filled my sink enough to cover it and soaked it for a minute, then used the sink sprayer to get all the paint off.

Screen Rinsing

I then repeated the printing process with two different colors of green.  I rather like the effect.....kind of like peeling paint.  I especially like the part over the clocks.  

Printing completed with second layer of two greens

Clock detail

And the screen is very much usable again! I'm not sure how many times it will last but it has already been worth the effort.  Now I want to try making a large screen like this but use a more regular pattern or form stamped with the gel medium.  

The Finished Piece

Just completed it....binding, sleeve and all.  Even added some real watch parts.

The Sands of Time

10" X 20"



Burned For a Purpose

This saga began almost a year and a half ago.  We were visiting NE Minneapolis art district for the annual Art-A-Whirl.  Some amazing art caught our eye.  Very ethereal....haunting almost.  Imprints of leaves mostly.  Breath-taking.  We asked the artist how she achieved this beautiful effect.  The answer....gun powder.  What????  Yep...gun powder. The prints she produced stayed with us all day.  As textile artists....and risk-takers in general....our natural inclination was...."I wonder what would happen if we did it on textiles?"  We didn't get to it that summer....but this summer we HAD to try it out.  We gathered our supplies.  Bought the gunpowder (I'm always amused by people's reaction.  These two women asking the clerk where to find gun powder. "What kind do you need?"  ummmmmm we don't know.  We are artist and are using it in our art.  "Ahhhhh"  - like that explains everything!!  Too funny!)  So anyway, after we found out that we for sure didn't want the kind that exploded....just burned, we were on our way.

We got one or two good pieces out of it....well, my friend did anyway.  We worked with the leaves...it was a windy day....enough said.

I've been so wanting to try it out myself and just waiting for a project that could benefit from this technique.  Then I had it. The 10 X 20 group - I still have 2 pieces to complete for this year.  One was due Oct. 1 so yes....I'm a bit behind.  The difficulty wasn't the gun powder bit....but finding an appropriate background.  Finally I found a piece of what felt like a twill.  Liked the subtle dyeing that had already been done to it. Only one problem....didn't think about what the fabric make-up was.  I mean I hardly have any textiles in my studio that aren't cotton or silk or linen.  So I go merrily on my way to experiment.  POOF!  The gun powder went off and the cardboard on top was burning a bit around the edges still....not uncommon.  I picked the cover up and the fabric itself was burning and melting.  Can you say synthetic fibers???? Put it out right away so no horrible damage was done.  But....as they say....you learn something new every day. 

Still...I got the results that worked for this particular project. There will be additonal experiments - on cotton - but I'm happy with the results for this time.  Below are photos of the process along the way and the final results, of course.

Screen printed clocks in Latte acrylic and ironed on the masks of freezer paper

Taped the fabric to the board and applied the gun powder

Set the gun powder on fire (and the fabric as it turned out)

Resulting fabric with masks removed (you can see the burned edges)

Another layer of screen printed clocks, this time in Lumiere Old Brass - and a few stamped clocks as well

Now to do the stitching.....and probably adding a few watch parts as well.  Hope to have it done by Monday if not before.



 

Weekly Creativity - Week 4 - Confetti Dyeing

Ok, you just gotta try something that says "confetti" right? This is just one of the options for this process.

My original purpose was to obtain a background for a new art piece I'm working on.  Alas....neither of these new fabrics will work.  On to plan B for that project.

Stil...I do love the fabrics and KNOW they will find their way into my art and probably soon.

Here's the process

Soak fabric in soda ash
Place wet fabric in a flat container (so you can spread it out but it doesn't need to be totally flat)
Sprinkle dry dye powder onto the fabric (I used a mesh tea ball for this and it worked really well! still..it takes a light hand)
Scrunch the fabric up a bit more
Spray with a mix of water and soda ash (I just used liquid from the water/soda ash which I soaked the fabric in)
Let it batch for a few hours at least
Rinse, wash, dry, iron

And here are the results:

Confetti Dyeing - 1

This piece of fabric I left at the full 40" long



Confetti Dyeing - 1 - detail

This piece was way to dark so I thought I could try for a bit lighter the next time. Used a good bit less dye powder
Unfortunately, it is still too dark for what I need.  But, especially in the detail shot, you can tell why it is called "confetti" dyeing! The dye powders do separate into their component colors

Confetti Dyeing - 2

Confetti Dyeing - 2 - detail



I used white cotton PFD, Dyes (Ecru, Straw, Hollandaise, Bronze and Pewter)

Weekly Creativity - Week 3 - Sugar Resist

This week I tried a new resist technique I had read about on another blog (And Then We Set It On Fire). I've done resists with commercial products, flour, even baby cereal...but never sugar! So I just had to give it a try.

While the main emphasis was on sugar syrup that one makes with granulated sugar and water boiled, etc. I had limited time so I just found the other sugars mentioned by someone else on another post....pancake syrup, molasses, and corn syrup. Sounded like enough to give the technique a try and see what happens...and here are the steps and the results.

First I set everything out - vinyl work cloth, palatte for resist, fabric, resist printing tools, syrups, and Jaquard Dyna-Flow paints (on the original tutorial - thickened dyes were used but again - time constraints won the day)

All Set to Start



Then I applied the resists

Pancake Syrup / Computer part

Molasses / Commercial Stamp and Punchinella

Corn Syrup / Squiggly Straw and tray from package of glue sticks

Jaquard Dyna-Flow paints were applied with syringes. I used Violet, Periwinkle and Midnight Blue on all the pieces.

Pancake Syrup

Molasses

Corn Syrup





And here are the results

Pancake syrup

Molasses

Corn Syrup

So in the end, when I had hung the pieces up to dry, I had a very interesting design of paint left behind on the vinyl work cloth.  I decided to use it for a monoprint. My bonus piece from this technique experiment!

Bonus Monoprint

I really like the results from this technique. So much so that I'm sure I will give it a try sometime soon using the thickened dyes and maybe even make the sugar syrup!