Busy couple weeks but still working

It's an emotional summer this year, and, for about a week, I was afraid that I was slipping backward. When not directly working, I have been reading or sketching and trying to keep moving forward. I'm a little more sure of my footing now again and back to work.

A couple of weeks ago, I did try carving a stamp. I get caught up in decisions sometimes and felt that happening with my stamp choice. I kept being attracted to the photo of the garden mesh, but I wasn't sure about how to make a stamp of it. I've been wanting to carve stamps for a while. I remember carving wood in high school woodshop for block prints. I had bought some of the soft carve blocks from Dick Blick (great art supply source). I played with the mesh photo and found an angle I could use and gave it a try. The pads carve like butter! I finished and immediately tried the stamps on some of my painted papers. The stamps are fragile, though, and the next day, Sean broke the stamp quite easily. It can still be used and will but I have carved a second, slightly more stable stamp as well. I am so excited at how easy it is and now I want to try linoleum as well. I know, another project for the free time list. You know, like a wish list, it's a list of things I'd like to try if and when I end up with free time! I know, dream on!

So, back to business... tommorow morning, I'm going to finish painting and stamping with my new and improved stamp anf I may play with the broken one as well! Then, off to Jenny's wedding and more paper play on Sunday.

Life as Art

I did not get much accomplished last week. In anticipation of the holiday weekend, I was busy packing and cleaning. I have to laugh at how my perspective has changed since starting this program! Studying stars and crosses, I now see potential subjects everywhere. In Portland, Gracie asked me about a couple of cell phone towers and, as I'm looking, I realize there are some very interesting cross angles and backgrounds as we pass by. I've begun to see stars and crosses everywhere and potential for interesting studies. I feel like another part of my brain has been turned on that was somehow dormant. I like it!!
We're heading off to pick blueberries this morning at Haven Farms down the street, and then I will cut stamps and work on my papers!

More Painted Papers

I made one more attempt at the color wheel and it came out much better! I found a cerulean blue and it blended much better than the cobalt. I can also picture the blend better after reading about light absorption. I think it just helped me to view it from a different perspective, oh ... and refer back to Sian notes in the manual that said to use 2 blues, 2 reds and 2 yellows. So, "Virginia, yes, there is a Santa Claus", but apparently there are no "perfect" primary colors. I can accept the lack of perfection in man-made paint and move on.

So, next, cut a stamp based on a star or cross. I love the negative of the garden netting and I love the tree trunk, but maybe not for this next step. I have a couple of ideas from my sketches and will try carving some stamps tommorow. I think I might try potato stamps, too.

Negative Space

I love playing with picture negatives to get a different perspective on what I'm looking at. Here are some examples of my photos black and white and negative. I think my favorite is the garden wire. I love the variations of tone in the net itself and the background.

The Color Wheel Challenge!

I have blended and worked with color wheels before but I haven't used gouache paints. I bought a set of 12 at Michaels that visually had good color range, but when I tried to blend they became a lesson in frustration. I have blended dyes before and the colors seem pure and vibrant and blend into pure and bright colors. Goache colors don't seem to blend as purely and I ended up with very dull and browned colors for the most part. I don't think it's just my lack of ability. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the shades and the quality of the paints themselves. After a few evenings attempting to perfect it, I decided that what I had was close enough for now. I am obviously not a master at goache! I have been reading "Color Works" and some other related books. I think I want to try a color wheel using the Tsukineko inks and then create it in fabric swatches. I'm very visual and I think that the fabric swatches would help me to see the values and variations better in the future. I love the idea Rain had of constructing a color journal. I can't imagine constructing anything as ellaborate as hers was, but I will work it as I go and let it develop through the process.

I spent a good part of Saturday painting papers with my Mom and Georgia. I have choosen violet and gold as my complimentary colors. I was interrupted quite a bit by my kids who were painting as well, but I came out with a few good sheets. I think I want a couple more with more richness of color. I'll try tommorow to paint a few more.

Mom and I went to the Textile Arts Institute in Eugene yesterday. It's a wonderful studio for surface design and textile creation! We are definately interested in future classes there. Sean had a blast working the foot controls on a spindle - and may be available for rent in the future (haha)! The best find was Michael Wilcox's book "Blue and Yellow do not make Green." I have just started reading and already I feel like the science of color and light absorption makes sense as to why some of my blends were too gray. I will go back to color blending and the color wheel later and I think this book will help!

Module 1 Stars In Your Eyes

Star Definitions:

"A celestial body that appears as a fixed point of light, gaseous luminous and of great mass."

"A planet or configuration of planets that is held in astrology to influence one's fortunes; destiny, fortune"

Often portraited as an astrisk *

"An actor or actress playing the leading role, a brilliant performer"

For me, my love for the stars began as a child. We stargazed and looked for Orion's belt or the little bear and became very familiar with the Big and Little Dippers. I looked to the stars for answers, inspiration and to reach out to those far away and gone from this Earth. I learned that five and multi-pointed stars occur throughout nature; starfish, phytoplankton, microcrystals, even snowflakes. Throughout religions the star is a symbol of faith or power. For me, stars express pattern and possibility. Many cultures have "seen" symbols formed of the stars, heros and gods. I've always loved looking at shapes and connections in the stars above and the infinite possiblilities.

Cross Definitions:

"Geometrical figure consisting of two lines perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run horizontally and vertically; if they run diagonally it is technically termed a saltire."

"One of the most ancient human symbols and used in many religions."

"A hybridizing of unlike individuals or strains"

"contrary; opposed; marked by bad temper"

I have had many experiences at work with cross individuals and can usually handle them pretty well and diffuse the situation. I have also been at many crossroads in my life and had to make decisions as to which path to follow, including decisions which have lead me to Distant Stitch.
Sentimentally, one of my my favorite crosses was the pearl inlay cross that I fondly remember resting on my catholic grandmother's bedside table. It always seemed like such a magical and valuable treasure.

As you can see above, there are so many crosses and stars in nature and symbolism around us. There are cellular stars like the nine point microscopic star found in the cells of seaweed off the coast of Baha'i. There are snowflakes that form perfect geometric asterisks and stafish that are naturally 5 pointed and more. Crosses are frequent religious symbols, but also patterned in the cracks of the earth, the structure of plant growth, even bark formation on the trunk of some elm trees. It's amazing what you begin to notice when you are searching your surroundings for specific shapes!

Assemblage Continued

Well, I have now learned how to erase my unpublished blog by trying to delete one of the photos, and that was after waiting about 40 minutes for my photos to upload through dial-up! Thanks to the Blog Gods for the lesson!!



Back to the workshop:



Our first series of tasks led to my first sample of paper lace below. It is made from a combination of papers from my stash.



This sample was a jumping off point to opening the mind to other posibilities. I had a very difficult time relating paper to fabric as inspiration. It seems funny considering my years of patternmaking and relating fabric flow into paper, but this method confussed and blocked me. I was coming from a very literal and pictoral frame od mind and, with Sian's help, (thanks again!), had to loosen up and allow myself to go with the flow and see what developed. These are the progression samples and the final lace in the center.



I was surprised and thrilled with the final outcome. I was rushed to finish at the end of the day and, given time and more familiarity with my new machine, I would have done things a little differently, but I love it and the method to get there. This is the piece in the drying stage. I will mount it at some point and post a photo of the finished product.


We also played with dyeing paper and fabric using Potassium Permanganate. The color is a lovely brown ranging from rusty tones to an espresso depending on fabric and dyeing time. Below are two assemblage pieces that I created and discharged. The element in the window is a photo of my daughter on a swing. It was a wonderful workshop that I highly recommend, especially for the chance to work with Sian. Meeting her and learning from makes me even more excited about participating in the Certificate Program, and even more determined to take the Summer Program in the future!! It was also a wonderful crew to work with and great conversation!




Thanks again to you all and I hope that we meet and have a chance to play again in the near future!