Sprinkle Dyeing and Sun Printing Results

Here are my results from a day out in the sun sprinkle dyeing and sun printing.

This fabric had previously been dyed and still needed work.

I sprinkled on a mixed dye. It is interesting to see how the blue migrated further than the red before the damp fabric dried out. The red blob in the bottom is where I sprayed the fabric with water during the drying process.

This dye is made up of many different colours and is sold as black.

Sprinkle dyeing produces a distinctive look that is easily identified when used in a work.

Here are my sprinkle dye results washed and ironed. Admittedly some of the fabrics began as pre-dyed uglies but in most cases sprinkle dyeing has not improved them any. They are still ugly but I may find areas I need that I can cut out. That is the only reason why they will go back into my stash.

My sun printing results were much more promising.

In this sample, I used woven twig place mats and glass stones as resists.

The other samples were produced by twisting painted fabric into knots. The top right sampIe I added a spritz of water to after it was knotted.

So mixed results after a fun day out in the sun with friends.

Lilaberry ArtSea Festival Artist Residency

I worked 8 days straight in my temporary studio next to the front window in Lilaberry Home Decor here. Fifty artists were working, demoing and displaying as one of Sidney's ArtSea Festival events. 

Lilaberry's lovely owner, Chris Stephen, sent me these pics she had been taking during the week.

My time was divided between sharing my work....

...and making the work. 

It was a most productive week on all fronts.

Many of Sidney's residents and visitors experienced an art encounter. The relationship between Sidney's business and arts communities was strengthened. My art practice benefited and I hope Lilaberry benefited too.

ArtSea Artist-in-Residence at Lilaberry, Sidney BC

I am spending 8 days working next to the front window of Lilaberry Home Decor here as part of the Artsea Festival. 

Lilaberry Home Decor is a fabulous shop owned by Chris Stephen. All stock is artfully staged to appeal to all senses. There is so much to see one can easily get lost in thought, possibilities and wonderings.

During the 2 weeks of the festival over 50 artists are demonstrating, showing their work and giving talks in the retail area of Sidney-by-the-Sea.

I am working 10:30 to 5:30 every day in my mini studio.

It took several days to get this work set up so I would be able to work on it in the space.

I am needle-weaving into burlap in layers: torn fabric strips, thicker yarns, finer yarns, threads. There are 3 panels in this work which provides me with more than enough work for the week.

I get to talk to lots of the customers about my work.

The festival works to get the public closer to the arts and it helps to build the relationship between the business community and the arts community in the town.

Sidney-by-the Sea: Art Happenings

Sidney-by-the-Sea is normally a busy place but over these next 2 weeks it will really be hopping with arts activities organised by the Community Arts Council of the Saanich Peninsula (CACSP).

• ArtSea Festival - Many Sidney shops are hosting 55 artists and their work. Here to see more details. 
• Sidney Fine Arts Show - It is open and on for only 3 more days, until Sunday. Here to see more details.
• ArtSea Gala: Arts in the Schools Fundraiser - A night of music to raise money for art programs in local schools. Here for more details.
• Artisans Christmas Gift Gallery - a show and sale of 53 local artisans' work, in the Tulista Park Gallery. Here for more details.
• Fall Artists Studio Tour - Artists working in the Saanich Peninsula open up their studios to the public. This year 65 artists are involved. Here for more details.

While in Sidney, also check out what is going on in the 2 museums. Both are the places to go if you are interested in Sidney's past. 

The Sidney Museum and Archives currently has a fibre arts exhibition that is well worth a visit. The Deep Cove Spinners and Weavers have an intriguing exhibition called 'Alphabet Soup'. Here for more details. 

There is more going on in Sidney, waiting for you to discover - like the Sculpture Trail along the sea walk.

 On behalf of the CACSP, I encourage you to visit Sidney to take part and enjoy these events.

CACSP'S ArtSea Festival, Sidney

The +Community Arts Council of Saanich Peninsula organises an annual festival celebrating the arts in the seaside town of Sidney, Vancouver Island. Many different events are happening, including the +SidneyFine Art Show and an evening of music, ArtSea Gala: Art in the Schools Fund Raiser . Both are held at the +Mary Winspear Centre.
Many Sidney businesses participate by hosting artists in their shops. The artists display their work, conduct demos and get down to work making art. Here is the schedule show which artists are where over the time of the ArtSea Festival, ArtSea Festival Artist Demos .
This year, during the ArtSea Festival, I am going to set up my studio in +Lilaberry Home Decor, a fabulous shop in Sidney's main street
I'll be there everyday from Saturday 18th to Saturday 25th October, from 10:30 to 5:30 p.m., working away on a number of different projects I have on the go and displaying some of my work.
If you are in Sidney over this period, I do hope you can drop by Lilaberry for a visit.

Working in an Off-site Studio

While sitting the 'Articulated Materials: Bridging Waters' exhibition in Sidney's Tulista Gallery, I worked away in a basic studio set up. I was at the gallery everyday so it was an opportunity to see if I would like having a studio away from home.
After a couple of days of dyeing, I washed and blocked 'log cabin' style knit pieces depicting the colours of different crops grown on the prairies.

The main reason for setting up a mini studio in the gallery was to show people how fibre artists work: the materials, the techniques,  the processes.
There was a sign put up each day, outside the gallery, saying 'Artist Demonstrations'. It was effective in bringing people into the gallery.

Peas, right to left: Spring growth, in flower, pods forming.
Knowing I had to be at the gallery by certain time each day made me leave the house. I don't think I would give it the same priority if I was going to my own 'away from home' studio to work. I would find many excuses and reasons to delay going or to not go that day.  This revelation comes as a bit of a shock to me. Does it mean making art is not top priority in my life? Or do I lack self discipline? Or do I avoid hard work?

 I started machine sewing on the now dry knit farm blocks using my portable teaching sewing machine.
The Janome open-toe, free motion foot kept getting caught in the knit loops. I will continue this step at home using my Bernina with its large, circular free motion foot.
It was an interesting experiment to work away from home for 2 weeks. It has made me think about how I use the hours in each day.

Articulation and Material Girls at Tulista Galley

Barb McCaffrey and I have been sitting in the gallery every day, with breaks when 2 other Articulation members, Wendy Klotz and Donna  Clement, visited for a couple of days each.
We set up a mini studio so we can continue to work while people visit.
It has been sunny most days so I have been dyeing.

I have been dyeing protein fibres: wool, mohair and silk, with easy to use Gaywool dyes.
Over the 11 days we have had over 700 people visit the exhibition.

Bridging Waters Installed at Tulista

Here is the before shot.
Yesterday we installed Articulation and Material Girls' combined exhibition in the gallery in Tulista Park in Sidney, BC.

Drop sheets are laid on the floor beside all of the hanging walls so work is protected when laid out and while the hanging plan is worked out.

Windows at one end of the gallery look out over a playground while the other end windows look over Haro Strait to the USA.

Setting up a mini studio where the exhibiting artists can work while sitting the exhibition.

Missa Magic 2012

Missa Magic 2012
MISSA is an annual gathering in the West Coast rain forest of like minded artists who work in all media. People come together to teach and learn from each other. What also happens is new friendships are formed, old friendships are more firmly cemented, networks are built up and one's community is expanded. Creativity is contagious and runs rampant throughout the campus.
MISSA is the tonic for your creative well being.

MISSA

Some more playing around with techniques in Tony Bounsall's altered imagery class.
What a refreshing and stimulating way and place to spend a week.
I want to go back next year.

These lovely images were taken while I wandered the Moss Street artist hang-out event here in Victoria. The man is a master artist from Japan on a cultural exchange called JAM. He was at MISSA all week, along with other teachers from Japan.
This little girl and her older sister were watching him make pots on the wheel. He invited first the older sister to try but she was too shy. When he asked this girl, all in sign language, she nodded yes.
Not a word was exchanged between them and barely a glance, and together they made a beautiful pot.

After My Banff Residency

People have been asking me about my month-long residency experience. When they are looking for the short version tell them about the thrill of having my bed made every day, my room cleaned and tidied every day and my breakfast & lunch prepared for me with no cleaning up for me afterwards. It was bliss. My mind was free to focus on my work - you would think.
The longer version of the experience is all about how much I grew as an artist, how our group, Articulation, matured, and how much stimulus there was all the time all around the campus.

But, now I have been shot out of that time warp and I am in catch-up mode here in my studio.

The above image was taken at the Calgary airport when I took Ingrid to catch her plane back to Winnipeg. It is the luggage of Calgary's ice hockey team, the Flames. They obviously have an away game. The regular season has finished and the Flames made it to the playoffs. Calgary gets very excited when this happens. The first playoff game is Thursday "Go Flames Go" There are avid Flames fans in my household.

'A Soup of Chefs' or is it 'A Stew of Chefs'
I love the symmetry in this shot taken on the campus of SAIT, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, well
known for the quality of training the Culinary Arts students receive.
I often see great moments like this when walking through the campus to shop at Calorie Counter, where the students sell the meals & meat they have prepared in class that morning. I also shop at their book store, stop in their numerous coffee shops and attend events. It is a great place to visit.



This is a work I successfully bid on during the ACAD Miniature Silent Auction. It was hand stitched in varying weights of black thread by Nauma Reigo (I hope I have her name right). I love watching people's reactions to the fur she strategically placed on the work, very provocative.

Banff Dyeing Days

While in residency at The Banff Centre, Donna Clement & I got to know a new type of dye Donna had bought, called Alter Ego. Some very clever chemist has developed these dyes to work on cellulose (cotton, rayon, tencel, bamboo) fibres & protein (silk, wool, soy) at the same time, in the same dye pot & produce different colours. Amazing & exciting. I made 10 stitched samples of 40 different fabrics & threads. Here are the first batch simmering away.

These are the results of our sampling. Each sample of white/unbleached fabric & thread was put into a pot with a different combination of the 5 dyes we had to work with. In each sample the protein fibres & cellulose fibres came out different colours. Wow.


Donna dyed a bunch of devore scarves, which is what the dyes were developed for. Our experimenting gave us lots of ideas for using the dyes in other ways.

Happenings at Banff

The person next to ReBecca is Jorie Adams. She is a special person. While she was heading up the music & sound department at The Centre, she suggested Articulation apply for a residency & gave us all of the information & contacts required. So we owe her a great deal. She has since retired & is enjoying working a few days a week in a quilt store while she pursues her textile passion. We invited her to have lunch with us one day and showed her our studios & our work up in the Other Gallery. One of Articulation's strengths is the active support from people such as Jorie.


We all attended Flossie Peitsch's Staged Four where she had modified parts of her installation in the Other Gallery & her studio was open for viewing. Darren Miller had composed music from the sounds pieces in the installation made when struck. Chris Chafe played the celletto & this was added to the music that was played over speakers placed around the gallery. Flossie used a soft mallet to keep suspended fluorescent tubes & strips of plastic moving & so making moving reflections on to the wall. She called it All Things Temporary Time-Lapse Installation and Soundscape.

I enjoyed the informal, graffiti-like dialogue that went on on a flip chart kept outside a meeting room. This week's one was a battle between the different art disciplines.
This was typical of the stimulation found throughout The Banff Centre. There was so much to see, do & hear; so many people to talk to and learn from; so many services & support to enable the artist to work on her own thing -time management turned out to be a much bigger issue than I had planned on having to deal with for the month while in residence.

Banff Memories

This is Erika Lincoln, an artist who works with electronic media, who was also in-residence for the month. She was part of a large group in a directed residency called Liminal Screen, where each artist worked on their own project but all focused on getting the electronic image off the 2D screen.

One afternoon, all of the Liminal Screen artists with most of the self-directed artists in residence at the time, opened up their studios. It was a unique opportunity to talk to and see the innovative work of so many artists in one place at one time.
Erika had a number of the parts of her complex installation available for us to see: a number of birds that moved & sang when one went near them, movement also activated a computer program to build a nest on the screen, a nest building machine one could operate (see image above).
Erika is one of those electronic gurus & she helped us out several times over the month when we got stuck, such as the time when we were all set to watch a movie on our studio computer, the popcorn was hot & we couldn't get the DVD to play. She came to our rescue.
The other special thing about Erika is she is Ingrid Lincoln's daughter. Neither of them knew they would be in The Banff Centre together, until they were getting ready to go.

We all went to so many concerts, performances, lectures and exhibitions during our month in Banff. This performance by Catherine Thompson was particularly memorable. She offered us hot Douglas Fir tea as we walked in to a small lounge with a fire in the grate & candles burning on floor-stand candelabras. Catherine sang & recited her own poetry while playing on musical instruments she has made. The evening was a look into her very interesting Skuld project.

Banff Memories

+Quality time together so Articulation was able to move to the next level as a successful textile arts cooperative.

+Time to share & learn from each other while we all speak the same language.

+Experiencing life in the mountains as contemporary women
+Developing empathy for the women who came to this place before us

+Appreciating The Banff Centre & its staff for all that it offered us

This is the new Creativity & Innovation Centre under construction. Every day I marvelled at the people who worked in all weathers to make this building. They looked as though they were mountain building, inspired by the one behind them.