Green Herons

 We acquire art that connects us. Darryl Abraham's shore birds series -- here you see two "Green Heron" birds --  are my new friends. Make you heart happy, collect things that make you connect.

Time Out

 Sunday night was a chance to be outside, distanced, and listening to lovely music. I'd already gotten my longarm ready to go for tomorrow, so Sunday night was mine.

The Room Where it Happens

I've got an old Bernina atop my table for quick seams, a long design wall, and another Bernina for long sit-down seams. The pile under the table holds the fabric I've printed that I've deemed "special" to use for my own work. Pretty much where it all happens.
 

What to Do With Great Fabric

 Kathy Doughty, an Australian quilter and teacher, bought some of my hand-printed fabric last summer. This is the quilt she made with it, blending artist-made with commercial fabric. I think it's stunning, and a good example of what to do with these prints in a traditional format.

The Plot Thickens

I've added a bit to this, but still not set with the major elements. Oh, well, not like I'm going anywhere. And it's raining, so I'm in the studio moving fabric around.
 

Little White Lines

I've used that little white line marking pen to doodle on some thickened dye-painted fabric. It's got a delightful quality, very fine line. We'll have to see where it ends up. 
 

October Take Two Class Now Up

"Sharks and Jets" was made with two one-yard pieces of my printed fabric. It's a challenge I gave myself -- to limit the amount of fabric-- and see how improvisational piecing would drive the composition. I'll teach this in a class I call "Take Two" in September and one I've just added in October 14-15.  My website has the details.

The Struggle Begins

It takes good looking fabric, yes, but something more. Here is the first slap down of pieces that I've held out for the next work. A couple are left whole, and some are torn to pieces. We'll get back to this in the morning, when it might start to look better. 

Returning Home

I'm returning home from a weekend visit to family in Baltimore. The hot summer just keeps going, and my first job was to give this garden some water. You'd think I had time to tend to this, but somehow I've been in the studio more and more. Weeds will have to wait.

 

Dozens More

 I've added about two dozen more yards to my shop. This one is quite experimental, and I think I'll use it again I've used a dry brush with the thickened dyes. So, perhaps with combined with other techniques for this effect. 

Site See

 I've posted the progress on making these three "sound panels" which feature printed and painted unsized linen. I got to visit them and take my own photos today. They look smashing, if I must say so. I love the fact that they wrap around the 3 1/2" frame. 

More to Add

 Just one of the yards that's set to go up this weekend on the web site. My store has helped me stay solvent, and I'm very thankful for all those who chose a yard or two for themselves. I love to print, and have a hard time putting these in the "sell" pile.

Form, No Function

 Darryl Abraham makes wonderful sculptures. That have an innocent, almost naive sensibility. But the form is sophisticated. I took a wander to visit a case of his shore birds and knew I'd love them. You can see them in the Victor Farmington Library. 

Oh Goodie, New Goodie

Thanks to the ever-sharing and ever-knowing Sue who was in my class last week, I've now got a swell new way to cut stuff up. Way handier than an x-acto, and safer as well. Amazon, of course. 

New Tips (That's Write)

 

A side effect of hanging around surface designers is their tips and tools for making things, drawing things, cutting things. I'm always looking for this white pen, and Gayle pointed me right to it. I'll figure out how to use it and use it and use it. 

It Works No Matter What You've Got

Last week's 8 intrepid printers worked in a virtual print class. I asked them to set up a working studio, and the variety was broad. Some were rented spaces, some built specifically for printmaking, some had a table between two cars. All  prints were spectacular, so there goes the special space theory.

What I Learn from Class

 Teaching leads me to discover methods of printing that I overlook. After my usual methods are set out to explore, I try things that might fit with a particular student's need. So, I've gotten out a large wallpaper pasting brush to add texture, and brushed over a hot glue drawing for this effect. 

Reveal

 Todat featured work from the print class, five days of 8 women printing, each a different style and hand. So fun to watch, and learn. My students offered me information, fed me corrections, and gave freely to each other. A treat to spend a week with them all. Thank you my Printers!

In Your Studio and In Mine

Eight textile printers have gathered with me this week for Glorious Prints virtually. I can be in their studio, they are in mine. We span from the coast to coast. All printing, all having fun with dyes, all tired after a day of class. Tomorrow is our last day, 

 

Down the Garden Path

 A walk in Maplewood Park tonight led me down the rose garden path. All I could think about was the printing class I had today. And trying to imagine how to translate this beautiful color, coral let's say, from light to dark. How could we do without color?

Monoprinting Heaven

 

We ended the day with monoprinting. It's one of my favorite ways to make a mark and print on fabric. Must be because it often related to the hand drawn mark. Can't get more organic than that. 

Go To Tool

My favorite way to spread the thickened dye is with a scraper. Maybe I got this in the home improvement store. It's plastic, has a little ridge on the top, and lets me see the color I'm working with. Also the white plastic helps me see the color I'm mixing. Day 1 of  Virtual Prints.

 

Let the Fun Begin

Got ready for tomorrow's print class. Mixed the dyes, mixed the print past, found fabric, got my cameras set up and computer set to go. Now let the fun begin.

 

People Live Like This

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 Last night I went to visit friends who are downsizing to pick up some cast-offs. But I really wanted to stop and get a last look at their marvelous landscape. They are avid gardeners, and I admire the boldness they have for tackling large projects. Large, living large. 

Making a Pallette

As I talked to my Line, Shape Setting class about selecting fabrics I used my wide design wall to pin up fabrics and discuss pros and cons of what to choose, why I use particular ones, and what grabs me most. This came about in the moving around, and I think its worth making. Later.Add caption

 

Having a Party

Ten brave souls took on Shape, Line and Setting with me the last two days. Fun, furious, and reFreshing to be with these surprising and giving people.We may only be lucky to meet one day in person. Thank you my class!

 

What a Mess is This

A good start of the two-day class Line, Shape, Setting has a pile of stuff left behind. If you want to bust your stash, just try doing doing a few demos or sketches of improv parts. Might have too make this mash into something.

Now That's Different

I've combined a screen print along with some scraped color and direct painting. Oh, and a squirt of line via a bottle filled with thinned dye and paste. It's a fun experiment, might try more. Later on. 

Sturgeon Moon

The Sturgeon Moon is this month's full moon's nickname. No, this is a fungi fill-in for a pic of the full moon. But I liked that it has fishy markings, but perhaps not exactly Sturgeon ones. Happy full August moon!

Boring But Necessary

It was washout and cleanup after a printing week. I'm using my standard issue kitchen grade faucet and hot hot water to remove the soy wax resist from the screen. Next week is design week. 

Trial and Fail

I tried and experiment using oil stick as my block. Didn't work. Must be the incorrect oil stick. No matter, there's dozens more trials to do.