Sunday, October 24, 2010

fall color


Brightly colored leaves are starting to cover the ground in the garden and along the city streets in our part of the world. Intrigued by their beautiful hues and how they might might work as eco-prints, I have collected bunches of them during recent walks in our neighborhood.

This weekend I bundled them up, trying to be somewhat scientific by adding nothing but pure water and a couple of pieces of copper piping to the dye pot. The results were amazing, but not in the way I imagined. I was thinking I would get leaf impressions in red, burgundy, maybe orange based on the colors I started with. Instead the imprints on the linen fabric were vivid green, yellow, soft bluish gray, brown, or tan pending on the species. On silk the same leaves printed pale pink, peach, and mauve... I am totally infatuated with this dyeing method. Unwrapping the bundles is like unwrapping a treasure, always with surprising results. And each time I recall the wonderful time spend learning during India Flint's workshop this summer and the friendships that were forged in the process. Bliss.

I have listed the leaves I used, and the stunning pieces of cloth that resulted below.







Thursday, October 21, 2010

international fame

Many thanks to Lucia Tosolini and the rest of the editorial staff at Italian architecture and interior design magazine VistaCasa for featuring my work in their October issue. I am honored.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

white work


White is my latest obsession, especially stitching white on white with a bit of color thrown in for contrast. There is something refreshing and restful about white even as we head into the cosy winter months. These new pieces are part of an upcoming show at Gallery 45 in Richmond, a wonderful collaborate effort with hundreds of artists participating. The show opens this Wednesday and runs through next weekend.

Friday, October 8, 2010

soft hues and gratitude



This past week I finally did some more dye pot experiments. I simmered black walnuts, in various stages of decay, and added pieces of whole cloth linen as well as some bundles. One of the bundles incorporated architectural iron stars that I have collected over the years, another included large mimosa leaves. The overall result did not yield the dark brown color I had anticipated, but I am still pleased. The softness of the hues achieved with natural dyes is fascinating.

My work was featured in three different blogs this week. I am grateful for the attention. Thank you Illana for the interview (don't miss the giveaway), and Jenya for the beautiful photo collage and kind words, and last but not least Erin for including my towel in her Canadian Thanksgiving inspiration.  Happy weekend everyone!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

daily inspiration




A picture says more than a 1000 words. The saying may seem cliche, but it often holds true. Almost every day this year artist and photographer Elaine Kean has published one photo and one word on her blog red or gray black and white. The black and white images are random reflections of her life, small beautiful glimpses that inspire pause and contemplation. It is a lovely place to visit. Elaine is a talented multi media artists and you can fine her wonderful collages, mobiles, and garlands in her etsy shop.





Photos courtesy of Elaine Kean. All rights reserved.
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