Good to Talk

Spreading out to the main hall outside of Studio 301 we gathered to talk about the work a it progressed. This was a private group of printers who braved the snows of upstate New York to print for a week. No frills, just a chance to dive deep into printing on cloth. And to talk art for five days.
 

Washout

I've washed out the first set of prints, where I've used a weaker mixture of thickened dyes. We're working in a room that is at most 65 degrees. The effect of the cold on the dyes setting is that it is a weaker bond, hence lighter colors. I'm fine with that as I lack lighter prints as a whole. Plus I know how to fix this.
 

Same Motif, Different Models

The assignment for the day was to start two identical prints, but finish each in a different way. My table was getting more and more complicated with tools, but I managed to finish a couple of prints that I hope will hold their brilliance through the wash. 
 

Screen Day Begins

My favorite printing method is the silkscreen. The techniques, applications, happenstance, and compositional choices are nearly endless. One could be paralyzed with the choices, but that's sometimes the fun. I'll be teaching "Just Silkscreens" end of May at the Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn, NY.

Printing Day

The studio was flipped from a sewing/design space to a print space for the week. We all braved the sub zero temps for the drive in, but are promised above freezing tomorrow. Let's hope. Day one was fun, focused, and we were all in by the end of the day. The screens show up next.
 

Looking for Space

After tripping over camera and lights for a virtual class, it was more than tempting to seek a space that would give me elbow room. So, a Sunday visit to an open house offered this solution. Can't say I'm ready to move, but I am always looking. 
 

New Big Leaf Day

With the snow fall, temps in single digits, I spent the day virtually with the Ohio Modern Quilt Guild making The New Big Leaf. I ended with a demo leaf, and I like the quirkiness of it. If I had time, I'd finish, but tomorrow I'll set the stage for a print class, if I can get out of the drive. Still not shoveling.

 

First Friday Fab Four

Shameless self-promotion not from me, but a great group who stopped in to visit on First Friday. What fun, especially with one who shares my birthday. I'll have to send him a birthday card! The best laughs I've had all week, this is a great crew. 
 

Ready for Saturday

Saturday the Ohio Modern Quilt folk will join me in a virtual workshop to work with freezer paper methods for construction. We'll take on The New Big Leaf, and it's wonderful to see how each interpretation differs from the next. I'll put up the thermostat, it's a chiller out there.
 

Still Not Shoveling

The lump of snow outside my door is mainly most of my roof (I raked it 2 weeks ago) but the stuff on the chair and table are fresh from the sky. Today was set up day -- gathering what I'll need -- for next week's printing class. And hours and hours of computer wrestling files to send off. Why am I thinking of spring?
 

Third Block

At 18" square, this one might be my favorite. It has the raw strokes of the printed mark, some of the 'print the table' action, and a bit of improv piecing. I've only to mark the corners and send it off to England. It will be some time before it is combined, but that's fine. I'm happy to finish this before spring shows.