Imprinted on Cloth

Tonight was the opening of the Schweinfurth Art Center's exhibition with four surface designers -- Petra Fallaux, Karen Schulz, Margaret Boys Wolf, and me. It is a lovely look at rich  color applied to fabric, unique voices and motifs, and a wonderful statement on current surface design in fiber work. Go see!
 

Deceptive Color

Top pic is unwashed, with my mystery color (turquoise and magenta), with mixed mystery and turquoise. I know what happens, so I'm not shocked with the resulting color. Turquoise goes down dark when wet; my favorite purple is that mystery blend. I like what I have, and I'll plan to do it again. 
 

Scarf VS Shirt

I've two one yard pieces of crepe di chine that were tagged for scarves, but wouldn't it be fun to use as a shirt? Lord knows I've a few more things to get finished before I try more garments, but I can maybe move this up the list a bit, can't I?
 

Your Invited Saturday

Drinks are on the house, er, the Schweinfurth Art Center. It should be a wonderful set of works who share the art of printing on fabric. They may even have cookies, too. 
 

Taking a Bow

I'm heading to the opening of "Imprinted on Cloth" at the Schweinfurth Art Center this Saturday for the opening. Slight of Hand, on loan from a collector, will be shown along with work by Margaret Boys Wolf, Petra Fallaux, and Karen Schulz. Join us in Auburn, NY, May 31 from 4-6.

 

Screen Time

I've got some screen time waiting for me, and the silk fabric is in. Two kinds of silk scarves are on my table for next week, one that is a round and 60" long, the other a large 42" square. I know we're heading into hot weather, but my calendar calls this task before it heats up. 

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The Print Table

I'm using the dyes leftover from the class in Auburn; there's not much, but enough to cover this yard. It is mainly red and turquoise, but the wet turquoise always looks black, so this view of a wet print is deceptive. It'll washout completely differently. Plus, I've added red to purple it up. 
 

Next Up

When I get the chance to work in the studio again I'll take on this construction. I like the motif, and there's good movement in the background where the color shift is working well, so it's a matter of shifting the elements to strengthen the composition. Which is to say, it'll take a bit of finagling.

Groundwork

When I'm printing, I'll have several puddles of color, much like a painter's palette, waiting at the ready. At the end of a print session, I hate to scrape them up and wash away, so I've used them in a color block background. I'll add a background heavy motif over this allowing the colors to come through. 

 

Short Time Work

Good to steal away to the studio for a little bit of time. I went back to what waited for me, kinda liked what I had, but then reinvented it. I'm not finished, but I think it's improved. Here's the before and the after for the session.

 

Finishing the Last Layers

Monoprints I make as demos for workshops come home with me. They allow me to take a second look at how I'd finish them, use the print as a base or a starting layer for the square. This is not yet washed out, so I can't tell how deep the colors will be. But I do like the spread of motifs and the color blocking. 
 

Here's Lotusland

Emerging at about 6' square is Lotusland. It will go with me to Birmingham, England for The Festival of Quilts at the end of July. I've only to add my embroidered signature and it's finished. And just to be special, here is a full frame of it as well.

 

You Know the Tools Necessary

It's time to sew down the facing and add the sleeve. And that means I can binge some mindless Netflix series. So yes, the scissors, thread, pins, and needle cozies up with the remote gang. 
 

Trim and Cut

Sundays are quiet at the studio. It's easy to plow through squaring, trimming, and adding the facing. I'm trying to match this work with an existing work's dimensions to hang them back to back on exhibit in Birmingham, England's Festival of Quilts this summer. I'll be teaching, with a lecture, and exhibit. 
 

Pack and Ship

It took the better part of the day to pack and send off the works for the New England Quilt Museum yesterday. There are lists, hanging slats, and mailing labels. The exhibition will be up this summer. I'll give a lecture in conjunction with my show August 23rd there.

Switch 'Em Out

I'm always happy to put up a new print outside my studio door. I gives me ideas of what their value is, what works in the piece, what I can do without. For my floor mates, it tells them I've been around. 
 

Lilac Festival

We visited the lilacs in Highland Park today hoping to dodge the rain. It turned out to be a mostly rain free day, and the lilac were beauts. I also managed to embroider my name on half a dozen works that are slated to be shipped out for an exhibition. But they make dull images compared to these lilacs.
 

Another Set

Since I've two design walls, I can populate each. This set appeals to me as well, and I'm intrigued with the many 'windows' that are throughout the piece. I may change the rectangle, but this is a start that I like. Notice, I've now a receding sunlight pattern as it's angle is higher, and less direct light. 

 

Return to the Wall

Finally some quality time at the studio after 6 weeks away! These were prints from last week's workshop in Auburn. You are seeing three pieces of fabric, but the two in the last layer look like one because they share a common color on one edge. Seamless, almost. One way to move across a background.
 

Flower Moon

 

I promised myself that when I get caught up in my computer work, I'd visit the garden stores and add to my garden. For now, this viburnum, as sweet and fragrant as it is, will have to do for the Flower Moon this month. And it might be a few days before I'm ready to get those annuals.

Gatherings Round Town

I was a guest at a birthday party on the outskirts of Rochester. While the party was hopping, I slipped away to the grove of redbuds to take in the evening light. It is both wonderful to be with people I meet 'on the road' teaching and also to be back with those who have known me for years. Old, new; both good.
 

Botanical Prints

One of my favorite motifs is leaves. Cheri made a screen using soy wax and the print was delightful. The complexity of the resist in the drawn and painted leaf, has a quality of lithography in the mark that resulted from using the silkscreen. She has a gift for drawing an expressive line in her work.

 

Spine Tingling

 Laurie is setting up a piece with a motifs that has a spine. Connecting is the game. And the spine is the way to go. The Schweinfurth Art Center has a great facility, we're taking all advantages.

Favorites from Others

Each person in the class chose someone else's piece to talk about (for a change!) and it's always the best time. Because the speaker starts with "I love..." and the rest is wonderful. We are so fortunate to have the space to do this and enjoy the work we did through the week. 
 

Wall Art2

 We're using 4x8 Styrofoam to drape our prints. As we round day three, motifs galore appear, colors become more sophisticated,  and more techniques for printing are tried.

My Big Table

 I so enjoy the extravagant amount of space the Schweinfurth Art Center has for their surface design classes. My ordinary table is outfitted with an oversized top and leg risers. Plus drop tables behind me. 

Wall of Prints

 If you recognize the green walls, you know we're at the Schweinfurth Art Center. I've a week of printing, and we are all excited to start digging in to print!

Back Home with Magnolias

There is a famous park in Rochester designed by Frederick Law Olmstead that hold hundreds of lilacs. In fact, there is a Lilac Festival every year in honor of them. But I visit Highland Park to see the magnolias there. They are strong, full of color, and have a smooth kind bark. My reward for the day's work. 
 

Tea Time

Fun to see this finished and on the wall. I'm using large pieces of my printed fabric, a well as some pieced large graphics. The color scheme seems pretty hot, but it feels good to glow. 'Tea Tie' is  about 42 x 70.  
 

Remote at Home

One of the few times I watch movies is when I'm adding a facing to my works. I'd gotten this 'Tea Time' quilted before I left for Michigan, and a chance to add the binding and start sewing after I returned. It'll go to the New England Quilt Museum for the summer and an exhibition of my work. Remote is at the ready.
 

We See You

My quilt seminar was held at Mission Point Hotel; taxi was by way of horsepower. This is the entrance to the hotel. The lake is at right, and we spotted a cruise ship for a bit. Many ducks, and the promise of  canoes in warmer weather. Town was about a mile away, a lovely walk. Glad to see this part of the world.