Tribute to Helen Frankenthaler?

An assignment for the next ArtCloth Mastery class was to choose an artist, prepare a presentation about him/her, and create a work inspired by some aspect of that artist's style. I chose Helen Frankenthaler as my artist. That decision was made after spending time in the San Antonio Museum of Art, looking at the contemporary art section.

I was drawn to Frankenthaler's work mainly because of her use of staining. She was one of the early painters who worked on unprimed canvas with thinned paints. An approach similar to Jackson Pollack, but with a very different look. I felt that what she did was very similar to what I do on fabric.

As I did more research on her and her work, I was drawn to her work that was composed of large areas of color. Seemingly very simple, yet they had a depth and complexity to them. I would like to be able to capture that in my work. I feel there is a way to create depth and complexity without layers of screenprinting, but I haven't given myself permission to try it yet.

Frankenthaler works very spontaneously, painting without a pre-set plan. I wasn't quite ready for that yet, so I played with a design exercise from one of the books I've been reading. You take a piece of construction paper and cut or tear it into pieces. Then arrange some of the pieces on top of a contrasting color paper to form a composition. I added a third color because I wanted to use a split complementary color scheme. I wasn't necessarily trying to create a piece that looked like Frankenthaler's, rather I wanted to try to capture the essence of her work. Below is the paper study I did first.

Then I set out to recreate it by painting dyes on fabric. I used silk noil, thinking that might react more similarly to canvas. I did not thicken the dyes because I wanted some blending to occur. The end result looks more like it was inspired by an impressionist. The dye did not absorb easily into the fabric, so I ended up with more brush strokes than I wanted. And the colors were not as bold as I wanted.

So I don't think I met the criteria for the assignment, but I think the piece has possibilities. It still needs some work. Maybe some additional hand-painting or stitching.

Fiber Collage: 12 x 12

Georganne Roberts shows off a work-in-progress

I taught a fiber collage class a few weeks ago at the Southwest School of Art & Craft. I've been so busy, I didn't have time to download the photos until now. But even though it's old news, the collages came out so well, I wanted to show them off.

The class focused on creating a fiber collage on a 12 x 12 canvas. We covered a lot of territory over the two days. We started with some design and composition exercises to get everyone's creativity flowing. Then began the process of turning those compositions into collage with fabric.

Carmen McGee's works-in-progress

We also played with several techniques for painting and embellishing the canvas, including screenprinting, using gel medium to add texture and adding texture with herbs and spices. (Check out the crushed red pepper on the edge of this piece.)

The finished or almost finished collages at the end of the second day were fabulous.

Anita Centeno

Silvia Sarinana

Wendy Smith-Wood

Diana Kellerman

Eileen Wood

Becky Curtiss

Leila Reynolds

Kathleen Rice

A Vacation for the Soul

How to find peace in a busy life. I think many of us struggle with that. I remember when we first moved to San Antonio. No full-time job, I was only teaching one class per semester, I wasn't settled into my studio routine. My husband and I were like tourists, enjoying our new city. Now, we can hardly find time to enjoy all the activities the city offers.

After two months of feeling very stressed, for the past two weeks I have made time for the fun things in life. The photo above is our cherry tree in bloom (or maybe its a crabapple tree - we haven't quite figured that out!) With the beautiful weather we have had, I've spent time in the yard, pruning the plants, planting vegetables, pulling weeds. Ahhhh! That will lower the blood pressure!

Champagne - that's another one of life's pleasures. We've had a bottle of champagne in the fridge since New Year's Eve (didn't stay awake until midnight), and didn't feel we had a reason to drink it that was "special" enough. So, on Tuesday night, we sat out in the backyard and had a fire in our fire pit and drank the champagne. After years of living in apartments, we really appreciate having a yard. We used to have to go camping to get a campfire fix. Now, we just go out the back door. Ahhhh! Feeling more relaxed.

And last week, I took a mini-retreat of sorts. I was out of town teaching a workshop and stayed at a wonderful B & B nearby. The class ended at 3, so I took one afternoon and evening and dedicated that time to restoring my sense of peace. I had brought work to do, but I decided I really needed time off more than I needed to do the work. I spent most of that time outdoors, walking the trails on the property and sitting on one of the numerous benches. It is amazing how a few hours to soothe my soul gave me a whole different perspective on life.

You don't really need to go away to have a vacation for the soul. All it takes is a little time dedicated to doing what you love. I encourage you all to take a little time this week. Do something you love but haven't allowed yourself to indulge in recently. It may just be cheaper than a doctor or therapy!

Serendipity on Cloth

Last week I traveled to Ingram, Texas to teach a monoprinting workshop at the Hill Country Arts Foundation. I had a great time. It was a fun group and I even learned some new things myself!

We started out dyeing fabrics to use for discharge monoprinting and overprinting.

Monoprinting is a technique in which paints or thickened dyes (we used both over the course of the three days) are applied to a printing plate, and then transferred to the fabric. There are so many different approaches to monoprinting. Some people paint a design on the plate. My favorite technique is to apply the paints and then use a variety of brushes, sponges or other tools to create a textured surface.

We worked with plexiglass, gelatin and heavy plastic drop cloths as printing plates. The gelatin plates are great for getting very detailed prints with leaves. We also did wholecloth monoprinting in which the design is created on a plastic drop cloth and a large piece of fabric is placed on top of the dye. This technique is easier to do with thickened dyes, because they don't dry as quickly as paints.

We also monoprinted with color removing agents, such as bleach and discharge paste, instead of paints or dyes. This technique is great with a dark fabric that needs a little patterning or texture. Rather than straight bleach, we used household cleaning products with bleach. Below, Terry uses toilet bowl cleaner to discharge black fabric. Toilet bowl cleaner is the perfect consistency for many printing techniques.

Sara used double plate monoprinting to create a Rorschach-type effect. For double plate monoprinting, you apply the paints or dyes to a the printing plate (Sara used a plastic report cover), then place another plate on top and press the two together. When you pull the plates apart, the suction leaves an interesting pattern.

One of the participants, Lana Book, runs a B&B in the area and I had the pleasure of staying there on this trip.

The Elm Cottage is a wonderful place. It is located a short drive from downtown Kerrville, but has a relaxed, peaceful atmosphere. The cottage I stayed in has a separate bedroom and sitting area.

Lana and her husband have done a great job turning the property into an oasis. It has a sculpture and meditation garden, a canyon, walking trails and lots of places to sit quietly and enjoy the surroundings.

I had a thoroughly enjoyable week and look forward to going back in September!

Fiber Art Play Day

Please join me this Saturday at Majestic Ranch for a free Fiber Art Play Day. I will be demonstrating a variety of surface design techniques and there will be an opportunity for hands-on experimentation. Stop by anytime between 10 am and 1 pm to participate. Majestic Ranch is located a short drive from San Antonio in Boerne, Tx.

Hope to see you there!

Tote Tuesday

ToteTuesday is a Fiberart For A Cause fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Over 50 artists throughout the country will be donating totes filled with a variety of books, fiber art supplies and finished artwork. These themed totes will be auctioned off every Tuesday in February. It’s a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society and a showcase for everything that is fun and creative about the fiber arts. So far, the program has raised over $5600 for the American Cancer Society.



The collective at ArtCloth Studios, of which I am a part, has donated a tote filled with goodies related to surface design. It will be up for bid on February 23rd. The collective includes 6 artists: Laura Ann Beehler, Linda Charlton, Jane Dunnewold, Martha K. Grant, Leslie Jenison and me. The tote, made with beautiful artcloth created by Laura Ann Beehler will be filled with artcloth created by collective members, as well as items that individuals can use to create their own artcloth. A photo and partial list of the contents appears on my website.



Information about how the ToteTuesday program works and about the totes to be auctioned can be found on Virginia Spiegel's blog. To bid on a tote, go to the auction bidding site. There are only two more bidding days left, February 16 and February 23. It's a great cause, so I encourage you to bid on a tote. You will benefit a worthy cause, and receive a "packet of fun".

Struggling with Juggling

No, I haven't taken up a new sport. This is about juggling priorities - deciding which balls to catch and which to let go. A conversation I had with an artist friend a few weeks ago helped me articulate what I've been feeling for awhile now. I just don't seem to have enough time. (I know, you're saying "join the club"!) I've been feeling that although I am spending a lot of time on my art, I'm not accomplishing what I want to. What am I juggling? Developing, teaching and promoting workshops, studio time, administration (maintaining my website, keeping records of exhibitions, photographing my work), professional development.

As I look back on 2009, I feel a sense of lost opportunity. I was very busy exhibiting throughout the year, but I didn't complete many larger pieces. My last series was created for a local exhibition last spring. The rest of the year I worked on smaller pieces. They are fun and fast, but not really where I want to go with my work.

I think what was missing was a clear set of priorities. I'm feeling I need to really examine each opportunity/obligation that comes my way and ask, "Is this bringing me closer to the life I want or taking me away from it?" Of course, doing that successfully means that I need to know what it is I do want. More studio time is one of the things I know I want. I am tempted to take a semester off teaching to devote to studio time. Of course, I've already got things booked into this fall, so that means I couldn't take that time until next spring! And there's that pesky mortgage to consider.

So, as you can see, I'm still struggling with how to move forward. I'm taking some time this afternoon to look at the year ahead. To review my obligations, my opportunities, my aspirations and try to determine what is most important. I realize that I will have to let some opportunities pass me by. But I feel it is better to do it intentionally - to choose what is most important rather than try to do it all.

Friday Night Double Header

I'm participating in two exhibitions that open on Friday. I can't make them both, since one is in San Antonio and the other is 2 1/2 hours away in Round Top. They both include many talented Texas artists, so I invite you to attend.

In San Antonio, it's the opening for Small Works for a Larger Cause, This is an annual benefit for Say Si, a local organization that is committed to creating an arts-related environment for the city's youth. Say Si has visual arts, media arts and theatre programs for middle and high school students. The exhibit will open this Friday, February 5th from 6-9 pm. All artwork in the exhibition will be part of a silent auction on February 26.

In Round Top, the Copper Shade Tree will feature work by 24 Texas fiber artists. Juried by Liz Axford, the show includes four pieces from each artist. Three other San Antonio artists are featured in the exhibit, Laura Ann Beehler, Leslie Tucker Jenison and Martha K. Grant. The opening reception is this Friday from 5-9 pm. Round Top is a quaint town and perfect for a weekend getaway. The show runs through March 7th.

Cloth to Dye For

I've been looking forward to teaching a week long workshop, Cloth to Dye For, at a retreat center that was scheduled to open in Florida this year. Unfortunately, they weren't able to meet all the state and local requirements, so the center won't open. I had that week blocked off on my calendar and several people were interested, so I'll be teaching the workshop at ArtCloth Studios in San Antonio instead.

The workshop focuses on a variety of ways to add color to cloth with fiber reactive dyes. Those new to dyeing will learn the basics of working with fiber reactive dyes and more experienced dyers will have an opportunity to combine techniques to create a surface rich with depth. Participants will choose a color palette for the week, and will gain an understanding of how those colors work together in a variety of techniques, including immersion, painting, pouring, and dripping. The workshop will also cover the use of thickened dyes and everyday objects to build a complex surface suitable for use in other projects or that can stand alone as a piece of artcloth.

If the sound of a week playing with dyes in warm, sunny San Antonio sounds appealing, you can find out more information on my website.

New Work

I finished two pieces this week. I started them in December, but with the holidays, illness and other time commitments, it's taken me awhile to get back to them. I started by dyeing, then discharging, applying soy wax, overdying and discharging again. Here is how one of them looked on December 25th.

After many more layers of printing, here is the final.

The photos of the second piece did not turn out, so I'll post photos of it later. Here are a couple detail shots.




These pieces were some of my "play" pieces. I didn't have a plan, I just started and took them one step at at time. I wanted to play with complementary colors and layering soy wax, discharge and overdyeing.

On Exhibit in Ingram, TX

Four of my pieces are currently on exhibit at the Hill Country Arts Foundation in Ingram, TX. The Arts Foundation is located on the Guadalupe River and features a performing arts center, a visual art gallery and classrooms for art workshops. I love how they've placed my piece One with Nature next to a window overlooking some trees.

My work is on exhibit because I will be teaching two workshops there this year. I've enjoyed working with the people there and am looking forward to spending more time at the facilities.

The main exhibit in the gallery is "God and Texas" featuring photographs of Hans Bauer. That exhibit opened yesterday and continues through February 27. Also on display is “Art from Within,” an exhibition featuring artwork by the inmates of the Dominguez State Jail and the work of Debra Richardson.

...and more repetition

Yesterday I took the motif that I created for the previous day's design exercise and continued my repetition studies. This time I changed the orientation on the repeat pattern.

Then I played around with isolating smaller components of the pattern.

I find this pretty interesting - especially isolating segments of the repeat pattern. I can see the potential this process has for creating new imagery.

Repetition

Hmmm, this theme keeps coming up. Repetition was the focus of a surface design symposium this weekend at the Southwest School of Art & Craft. Ilze Aviks, an artist from Colorado, spoke on the topic. There was also a panel discussion with Mary Ruth Smith and Liz Axford moderated by Jane Dunnewold. How serendipitous that my design exercise for today was on repetition.

The assignment was to create a repeat pattern using a simple design. At a loss for an image to use, I scanned my studio for ideas. This stylized leaf was my inspiration:

So I abstracted it a bit and came up with this design:

The first part of the assignment was to create a repeat pattern with the design.

Then, I was to reverse the image so positive becomes negative.

The next step was to create the same pattern, but use color. I chose to use four colors and to make each "block" a different combination of those four colors.

Finally, I decided to repeat the pattern with colors, but make each block the same combination of colors.

As a repeat, it loses it's resemblance to a leaf. And the last version in color reminds me of watermelon! If I had switched the purple and green, it would look even more like a watermelon with a green rind and purple seeds. I'm intrigued by this exercise. I'm thinking of repeating it with the same design, but altering the orientation for each block.

A Week in Class

I spent last week in a workshop at ArtCloth Studios with 9 other artists. It was an independent projects class, so each of us worked individually on our own projects. Jane Dunnewold has been running these workshops in January for a number of years and I have attended for the past 5 years. It is a great way to jump start the year. At the beginning of the week, we each create a plan of what we want to accomplish during the week. I find that having a whole week of dedicated studio time at the beginning of the year helps get me back on track after the holidays.

And, it's a great time to reconnect with friends from around the country. Many of the people have been coming for a number of years and we have formed a bond. This year was a nice mix of people who have come before and a few who hadn't.

A number of people in the class were experimenting with paper lamination. It's a process of adhering paper or metal leaf to sheer fabric. The results are fascinating.

The rest of us focused on dyeing, painting, discharge and just plain having fun!

I was able to accomplish a lot over the course of the week. I moved forward three pieces from a series I'm working on and have two other pieces that are one step from completion. It's a great feeling to get all that done, but now I'm playing catch up with email and all the other stuff that stacked up over the week!