Seed Pods

Sat quietly and worked on this last night. Gelatin printed cloth, vintage glass beads and hand stitching done with threads and organza ribbon.

I am glad it's Friday.

Abstraction

Multi-layered monotype printed cloth....I have a vision for this....I'll keep you posted on how well I'm able to realize what I see in mind's eye.....

Into the LIght

Once you start using cloth you've dyed, discharged, printed, etc yourself it's feels odd to use commercial designer fabrics. With that in mind I do have to say that I like the funky, folk art feel of this piece. The blue beads on the bottom are these hand thrown clay beads that look like a child made them (and possibly did!). These beads are another treasure found in my recent yard sale score on a whole box of beads.

Fruits of Labor

Textile paint on cloth.....drying now....getting ready for stitching.....

Hand Work

It's been a beautiful weekend here in NY. Sunny, not too warm - just gorgeous. I hand stitched some of the screen printed silk organza into an ATC last night. I just love the beauty of silk ribbons and metallic threads.

Experiment

What happens when you screen print on silk organza? All kinds of very cool layers that retain an ethereal effect. This morning I had a 'what if?' moment when I grab a piece of silk organza, some paints and a thermofax screen. Not only are there possibilites for layering on top of other cloth (this is shown on some of my gelatin and screen printed cotton fabrics) but I'm 'what if?' thinking about how different printed pieces would look secured with matte medium on an artist's canvas. More on that experiment later.

Class Prep

Another small piece (not quite finished) that will - hopefully - help to inspire a beginner art quilter. I wanted to use all commercial fabrics for this one but I couldn't help it....I had to add some hand dyes....

Postcards 101

Time flies - both when you're having fun and when you're not. Awhile back I agreed to conduct 3 classes in creating art quilt postcards for The Wallkill River School, our local arts center. http://http://www.wallkillriverschool.com/Page_1.html

Apparently this is going to be advertised as a class for teenagers and adults so the mix of attendees might prove interesting. This class begins in 2 short weeks and I have quite a bit of prep to get ready - I would like to appear at least semi-prepared and qualified to lead!

I need a bunch of simple, even-a-beginner-would-be-motivated-to-try-it, sample of 4x6 art quilts. I think I'm going to do a few showing a range of different type of techniques that - hopefully - will prove inspirational to people in the class. The strip pieced piece above is my first sample and was quite simple to do although I suspect the free motion quilting might prove challenging to a new art quilter. But inspiration is about stretching too, isn't it?....encouraging us to reach for something outside our comfort zone....right?

Underneath

This morning my husband and I went and scoped out some yardsales (a favorite past time - you know, it's not like we don't have enough stuff!). One lovely woman had a large box filled with all kinds of small beads, sequins and pins neatly organized into individual baby food jars. Apparently these supplies were her mother's, who use to make Christmas ornaments. This lady wanted to give them to me (I insisted on paying her $5)....she was thrilled someone would put them to use. Welllllll....I came right home and added some as the finishing touch to this piece. See the little yellow & pearl beads? I, too, am glad these beads have found a new home that will love and cherish them as much as their former residence.

Textures

Messing around with textural stitching last night...I think I might mess around some more tonight...no doubt this will have more added stuff before it's done.

My day job continues to prove challenging but I'm surviving. When I'm feeling particularly 'used up' in my 9-5 world I think of art and what I'm working on or want to do and - all of a sudden - everything goes into its proper perspective. My day job is a function I have to perform. It is only a part of my life and meaningless in most ways - but necessary. But, the minutes and hours that are spent creating nourish my soul and have more to do who I really am than an A+ on a job performance rating ever will.

Tree Ladies Continue

Another tree lady needed to be made last night. This one will be a 4x6"'er and will find a home in Michelle's great little Maine gallery http://www.rougettegallery.com/ . Michelle purchased one of my very early 4x6" art quilt postcards on ebay - when? 2 yrs ago? - and has been carrying them in her gallery ever since. Michelle carries work that is unusual and outside the norm, most you'll never find in traditional fine art galleries. She once said that the beauty of my work helps to offset the edginess of some of her other artists. I think that is one of the most unique compliments my work has ever received.

This piece was created using my own gelatin printed and discharged fabric, plus some painted Lutradur.

Progressive Process or Step by Step

#1 - Gesso an 8x10" piece of mat board. Secure gelatin printed papers (or use any collage elements your heart desires) with matte medium and add modeling paste in thin layers. Let dry while practicing PATIENCE.

#2 - Add more papers and wash them with a soft color because you're unhappy with their previous starkness. Wonder if you did the right thing, say 'whatever' to yourself a few times and move on. Add acrylics paints in whatever colors appeal to you. Let dry while practicing PATIENCE.

#3 - Add more paints but when this layer is almost dry (after practicing PATIENCE) rub with tissue paper soaked with rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will pull up some of the paint and help to meld the paint layers. Then let it all dry completely. When you're done practicing drying time PATIENCE take different grades of sandpaper and rub, rub, rub until you get a finish that makes you happy. Along the way to can add more paints, pigments or inks if the spirit moves you to do so.

#3 - Finished for now. Let it sit. Sometimes these 'finished' pieces will tell you they need something else, sometimes you'll look at them later and feel the love.

Have a great Monday everyone - I suspect mine is going to be a trying one where I will have to practice a lot of unrelated-to-art PATIENCE. My day job life has been trying as of late.

Collage

A happy Mother's Day to all! Hope your day unfolds exactly how you need it to be unfold.

The collages I do with modeling paste seem to have a certain amount of popularity. I thought I'd show how this is done so - if the desire moves you - you can try your hand at this.

First thing I did was gesso an 8x10" piece of matboard. When the gesso was dry I matte gelled (glued) on a gelatin printed image (but you can use a photo, painted paper, transferred image, etc) to which I added other gelatin printed papers. When that was secured on the matboard I took a pallet knife and smeared Liquitex modeling paste on in thin layers. Now is where I get to practice patience (not a character trait I have in abundance) and wait, wait, wait for the paste to completely dry.

More when I'm done being patient.

The Gateway

The white flowers were tossed aside and replaced by representations of standing stones and cairns made from gelatin printed paper. This is a true mixed media piece featuring cloth, paint, foil, machine stitching, hand embroidery, hand dyed (by me) masa paper, hand printed (by me) paper plus a hand dyed (by me) cloth border. I am pretty happy with how this turned out.
This piece is 12x12" and for sale to a good home. If you're interested please contact me at daumick@hvc.rr.com
Happy day to all!

Growth

Today is the last day of the Collage Mania Art Auction to benefit the American Cancer Society. Over $8,000 was raised yesterday (yes, it was!!!). Please click on the link under the 2 collages at the top of the page to see all the wonderful art work still available for $40 at 9am Central time and consider purchasing a great piece of art at a great price for a great cause.

About the piece above...the flowers are bizarre and - for sure - unexpected but I like them and they're staying! I need to add some of the tall leaf growth on the left side, bind it and then call it a day. This has become one of my favorite pieces (of course they all are as I do them - afterwards I tend to get critical). For my next larger piece I have images of carnivals circling around my brain.....ferris wheels, cotton candy, merry-go-rounds......Americana.....can you see and feel it?

Opinions, Please

Don't forget! The Collage Mania reverse art auction to benefit the American Cancer Society starts today at 9am Central Time. Click on the link above (under the 2 collage photos) to view the art offered and join in the excitement! Many works by many exceptional artists are posted for your consideration.

On another note....I worked on this piece a bit last night and would love some thoughts on which direction I should take with it. I could keep it sedate and not incredibly unusual by continuing with the top piece OR I could collage in these funky flowers with roots (keeping with the theme of growth) for an unexpected twist. Either way more embroidery will be added to drop in more pops of color. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Growth Tree

This piece was done completely intuitively last night and early this morning. It tells me that we are free to create as the spirit moves us. If I want a Tree Lady to have painted circles for hair - she can have them! If I want to stick wooden buttons on a piece because they tell me they need to be there - I'm going for it! Oddly colored body parts - no problem! Can we all spell F-R-E-E-D-O-M? If you remember the Richie Havens song feel free to add the melody.