Hemoglobin: Chlorophyll - the process

The ground is a collection of domestic linens (pillow cases, bedsheets, table cloths, bed spread) I dyed in reds and greens then strip-pieced. The resulting fabric hung on my design wall for a long time while I tried to work out what to do next.
The image of the finished work appeared one day.
The next step was to get out my collection of machine threads and sort them by value and intensity...

...then make a selection.

After several drawings on paper I was familiar with the vein pattern.
I drew the leaf outline on the back of the stabilised work then free-motion worked the vein pattern from the back.

 I repeated the process for the lung.
Using the smiley-face foam was a big mistake. It became more problematic the further I went. And a fellow stitcher pointed out the archival life of the foam was not likely to be very long. I ended up cutting most of it out. Working around the stitching was a time consuming job.

SDA Members' Exhibition

One of the best exhibitions (there were lots of 'bests') at the 2013 SDA conference was the Members' Show 'in~ter~face: connections' in the SAY Si Gallery.
There were so many works to look at there wasn't time to do justice to them all.
While doing a survey swoop of the space I saw reoccurring extreme texture.
I decided to spend my time looking for it.

Abby Sherrill

Side view of Abby's embroidery.

Naomi Adams, 'Duality'

Side View of Naomi's work where she used batting, cotton fabric, cotton thread, textile paint and adhesives.

Marty Jonas', 'Ode to Marg' 

Side view of Marty's work.

Wendy Klotz, 'Platonic Interfaces'

Side view of Wendy's work where she seems to defy gravity.

Learning to Multi-project

This past month I have been working on 3 very different projects - at the same time!
I don't know when it happened but I have learnt to have more than one project on the go whereas before I found I could focus on only one at a time.
Here is what I have been working on - knitting rectangles...

...finishing a series with a laced mounting...

...and making a form for a 3D work.
Not only can I handle it, it feels exciting to be moving each one along. It gives me percolation time and incubation time for each one so I know what needs to be done next. Now stalling time is minimal.

Something else pleases me - using up a spool of thread.
4 empty spools - this was a good week.
Does anyone else enjoy the satisfaction of making a spool of thread empty?

Synesthesia #2

Using my trusty Color Tool I sort fabrics and threads for the 2nd work in the Synesthesia series.

The high value threads and fabrics I have in my stash are mostly low in intensity.

The mid value fabrics and threads are also mostly low in intensity.

The low value fabrics and threads are brighter. 

A quick black and white photograph to check the value of the patterned fabric, a lovely silk I really want to use.

Hmm, use high value low intensity...

...or mid to low value with higher intensity?

Synesthesia #1 Yellow

Synesthesia is a condition where one mixes up the senses eg seeing a sound as a shape or tasting a colour.
I don't have synesthesia but I do see each colour as having a certain energy or movement.
Starting with yellow - the chameleon with rays of energy - I sorted fabrics and threads.

Using my camera set on black/white I looked through the lens to check values.

Snippets of fabric and yarns built up the ground.

Thread painting by machine.
I had wanted to mount the work over a deep stretched canvas frame but ran into difficulty trying to fold the thick, stiff ground around the corners. I compromised and mounted the work in a thin black frame. I still think the stretched canvas would have been more dynamic for this series. Oh well.

Studio Tidy Up

Back in Victoria I decided to tidy up my studio.

First I put away everything covering my work tables.

I rounded up all the loose yarns and threads, sorted them by colour then put them away in my thread colour- coded boxes.

I did the same with all of the fabrics I had accumulated over the past year.

I have a set of colour-coded fabric boxes I use for teaching.

I topped up those with fabrics and put them in storage.

This is a good start to my studio tidy-up.

Colour Studies

I was reminded of the work of Jean-Philippe and Dominique Lenclos.

They produced a 'systematic inventory of the colours of the regional habitat' (p. 15). 

 

I did the same for each tree to become familiar with its biological identity.

More Colour Studies

Garland's work

Kati's work

Esther's work

Sonia's work

I always look forward to seeing how each student interprets an exercise. Each time I see their work I can see their personality being expressed. I feel as though I get to know them better with each exercise.

Mark Making with Thread

Su Mei
The 2nd Mark Making With Thread course at the Victoria College of Art is underway.
The students produced most expressive stitched colour studies as they refined their personnel colour palettes.

James

Sarah

Dana