Results From Tray Dyeing

here are the results from the tray dyeing I did to make samples for the next Mark Making With Machine session

i torn up a single bed sheet so all of the samples are on the same fabric

some samples were wet, some were dry

some were folded in a rough pattern, others folded randomly

6 different effects from one small tray - its a great technique Leslie Morgan and Claire Benn have developed

Mark Making With Machine Course

Mark Making With Machine started at the Victoria College of Art this week. The students spent the day getting to know their sewing machines better and settled on a colour palette they want to work with.
Today I am preparing tray-dyed fabric samples for next week's session. We will use Leslie Morgan and Claire Benn's method because it is simple, an easy way to dye a lot of fabric, and a hands-on method for learning how to develop a colour scheme.

This tray has fabric folded in 6 different ways which will produce 6 different line and textural effects.

The 1st colour, a middle blue, was flooded on the bottom of the tray.

The 2nd colour, a warm blue, was poured over the top.
As well as the different folding producing different marks, we will also be working to produce a full gradation of values.

Victoria College of Art Student Dana Davies

Dana has a dry run to practice explaining her work before the opening of the College Christmas Show

Dana's completed presentation of her work

Dana's 3D project using needle weaving techniques

Dana used a darning technique to explore here chosen colour palette

Victoria College of Art Student Su Mei Moon

This is Su Mei's display of her work, produced during 12 weeks of the Mark Making With Thread course

Su Mei's 3D project began with the lid of a box that she crumpled then worked over with needle weaving stitches

Su Mei chose to explore a very warm palette

She showed skill working with varying temperatures and values to get pleasing contrast in her samples

Victoria Collge of Art Student Esther Paterson

Esther gets her body of work ready for the Student Show

Her 3D project is a butterfly...

...made using a needle weaving technique

Victoria College of Art Student Kati Akhavan

Kati setting her work up Friday morning

Kati's project showing atmospheric perspective

Kati's 3D project using needleweaving

Kati's workbook where she developed her distinctive colour palette

Victoria College of Art Student Sarah McLaren

Here is Sarah setting up her work on the Friday morning

Sarah worked with a very warm intense colour palette

Sarah's couched sample has lots of exciting ideas she can expand on

Sarah's 3D project - needle weaving within a frame

VCA Textile Student Garland Fong

Garland has just put her board in place on the morning of the show and she is talking to her class members about her work. It is a dry run to prepare her for talking to many more people that evening.

During the course Garland worked with her favourite colours

Garland's 3D project

Her couching sample.

Victoria College of Art Christmas Show 2011

What a busy and exciting 3 days we have had in the textiles studio at the college.
On Thursday students turned up with rubber gloves and gave the studio a thorough clean.
On Friday morning they finished off their boards displaying their work and set up the studio.

I set up a table where I would do demos on the Saturday

The crowds came on Friday night.

Some members of the Mark Making Class of winter 2011 - me, Kati Akhavan, Sarah McLaren, Garland Fong, Esther Paterson.

College President Prof. Peter Such presented Jo Ann Allen with a Fine Arts Textiles Certificate.
The textiles program began November 2010 and Jo Ann is the first person to be awarded this certificate.

Barbara Gilbert, also a VCA student, and here representing the Embroiderer's Guild of Victoria, congratulates Jo Ann on behalf of the guild.
Well done Jo Ann. We are all very proud of you.

Progress With Red

The 3rd layer of needle weaving is finished. It is always a surprise when I take the work off the frame because I can see only sections of it while I work on it in the frame.
People often ask me, when they see this technique, 'how long did this take you?' So far this work has taken 29 hours - this includes 4 to develop the design, 1 1/2 cutting up thread, 1 hour setting up the frame. And there are still many more hours to go before it will be finished.

My colour palette is much depleted. I will have to replenish it before I begin the second in the series.

This is the back of the work as it is being blocked.

I am sewing from the back a drawing of a Mi'kmaq petroglyph.