Transparency

I am working in Transparency. the photos did not turn out well as the camera batteries needed charging but I have to post to keep my momentum up, as this way I will know how horrid the pics are and will be motivated to reshoot. I like the way the light shines through the sides revealing the silver threads running through the piece. This is alpaca and mohair. Dimensions are 4.75 inches by 4 inches high.

Tequila Sunrise

Inspired by the cocktail not that I was drinking one at the time but I was thinking of a sunset in the Painted Desert how the colors are so breathtaking and rarely are replicated outside of nature.  The thought drifted to the Floridian white beach sunrises with cool morning air, salty wind, and cool sand beneath ones feet with Jimmy Buffet playing on the CD, which always points to margaritas even in the dawn hours.  Now, I know a tequila sunrise is not a margarita unless one is at Cheeseburger Paradise, restaurant chain owned by Jimmy Buffet, where every concoction of margaritas exists.  Last night I had one called, “Sunken Treasure” It was a shaken margarita verses the blended until tiny ice crystals form or near frozen is mixed with blue Agave Tequila and it had some eatable claim at the bottom housing a faux pearl (again a consumable object).  I digress but the inspiration of my newest felted vessel: Tequila Sunrise.

Constructed using double sided bubble wrap as a resist and once felted and fulled, it was cut opened and shaped.  I made a huge assumption that as in hand made paper making the longer the fibers the more strength the final object will behold.  That assumption leads me to add long thin wisps of angora in the inner structure.  Mind you I have no proof these Angora goat hairs are long other than when pulled from the roving they separate approximately four inch strands, where the Merino comes out in about three and the New Zealand is one inch long.  I use the same technique for each “pull”.  I must openly admit that I have not investigated my assumption so it could be all wet and woolly nonsense. As to the colors, the interior very much duplicated the layers of the drink until it was rinsed in boiling water.  I hand dyed the wool and I must have not rinsed long enough because the grenadine red color bled migrated and contaminated the lighter colors similar to tossing a red sock in the washer with white clothes.

This little tequila vessel is 4.75 inches in diameter with a 4 inch height.

Felted Postcard

I created this felted post card for a juried competition in Arizona.  It is a turn from my usual abstract, contemporary flare but since the show is called, “Wished You Were Here”, I concluded a more representational image was in order.  I was so taken the first time I drove through the Painted Desert in Arizona because it was dusk and the setting sun made everything illuminate.  The colors were almost surreal and this was before I owned a digital camera. I allowed that memory to guide me in creation of this postcard.  If you have been following my blog at all, you will see how this is such a turn from my normal way of working but please do not get confused and believe I will continue in this venue.  I much prefer a more subtle interpretation.  After completing this postcard I immediately created a vessel called tequila sunrise (after the cocktail).  It is still drying consequently pics will have to follow. The dimensions of this post card are the standard size 4 inches by 6 inches.  Wish me luck, it is being mailed today and entry is not a photograph but one must mail the postcard.  I have not done any mail art since 1992, so, am unsure if it will arrive safely.  This pic by the way is a scanned image not a photograph.

Raspberry Vessel

Inspired by some of my older work, Shibori dyed silk scarves; this merino wool container retains the resistance place on it by taunt bindings during the drying process.  The silk scarves were dyed post construction of the product, i.e. after they are woven and hemmed, then wound around a PVC pipe to achieve the stripped markings.  I prefer what is called the bamboo wrapping method, as this is achieved by using a pole or pipe twice as small as the width of the fabric.  These wool vessels are fiber dyed in a pre-production state so there is little similarity except that both wool and silk are protein fibers require acid dyes and both are bound with mono filament around a hard surface.  Once the wool hairs have completed the fulling process it is time for shaping the vessel.  Oops, I forgot to mention that my vessels are constructed using a resist method.  A piece of bubble wrap packing material is used for the resist portion and I like  to employ 2 pieces placing the flat sides together , providing  air pockets on both sides.  I have established this accelerates the felting time.  I place the wool fibers on the resist completely encasing the bubble wrap.  I agitate this envelope in   various ways until the fibers are interlocking.  The envelope is sliced opened on one end then, shaped into a three dimensional object.  This particular vessel was bound until the drying process is complete, which takes about 48 hours. Dimensions are 6.5 inches diameter by 8 inches high.

Group Vessels

I have been having a great time, felting vessels.  I have a few more ideas to express in  adding  some horse hair as a stiffing agent, which would felt similar to nuno felting since it is stiff but open weave.  My dear online friend, Nicola, gave me a tip that she picked up at a workshop that I either will try with one of these vessels or just felt a new one.  I am beginning to feel the need to develop an official website.

Mohairy Vessel

I wanted to create a colorful vessel but one that is feathery, wispy and cozy.  I call this one is call, “Mohairy”.  It is a combination of Merino and white Angora. There is something that prevents the mohair from easily felting, and I suspect it is the sleekness of the hair.  Other wool hairs have a course scale which is slightly lifted and the scales interlock nicely.  On the Mohair they tend to lay flatter, tighter, and tauter hence convincing them to interlock is a large sale job for the felter.  I have mentioned in my other post about pouring boiling water over the fibers, which releases the scales then once massaged and drenching with ice cold water snaps them back to their resting place while they are interlocked.

Orange-Lime Sherbet Vessel

This vessel is my favorite,  thus far, probably because it did what I wanted it to do. I did not have to allow room for the wool to have its own way with shape and though the camera distorted it slightly in some frames, it is perfectly curved. Yes, I went a bit crazy with shooting it from multiple angles but when one is in love, there is no rhyme or reason for our actions.  One can only see a hint of the orange sherbet color inside, which I feel nicely, complements the varying shades of greens on the exterior.  I, again, determined to conquer the cantankerous of the long Angora goat fibers behavior of resisting felting used the quenching and drenching method.  The fibers are so elegant and silky but they are rather pompous in their rebellion to remain set apart from the other cooperating fulling fibers but I got them into integrate by I intertwining the white mohair with the greens in the perfect proportions.  The outcome works.

Smoldering Wool Vessel

Continuing on with the fire idea, I created this vessel with Merino wool it was covered with shades and tones of amber’s, auburn’s, and smoky yellows.  I waste no time to cover the entire vessel was very thin but long wavy black mohair’s and anchored with ever so slight hairs of  a New Zealand black fibers.  Mohair does not felt well, I am unsure if this is because the fibers have a sheen and thus cannot interlock or if there is another impeding factor.  To counter this problem I used multiple drenching techniques which involves pouring boiling water over the felt rub with a massage tool then quench it in ice cold water, using ice from the freezer.  The extreme shock seems to allow a bonding of the scales on the mohair.  I enjoy the overall feeling of smoldering umbers just under the surface of this soft wool container.

Fire’n Rain

Using the theme of Fire and Rain, this vessel is executed with hand dyed merino wool.  I like the hand of this vessel as it s pliable, soft and yet it holds it;s shape.  I have yet to acquire a proper camera that  replicates in a consistent digital image so the vessel looks asymmetrical. Then, again this felt is a bit softer than the other vessels. The fire colors are hand dyed  with the aid of a microwave using acid dyes.  Protein  fibers requires heat and  an acid to keep the dyes  within the cell membrane of the fibers.

Four New Vessels

I created a group of vessels between Saturday and today with awesome results.  One done in shades and tones of alpaca hand dyed greens is spectacularly eye catching.  The colors flow well together, the size is lovely and the texture turned out especially appealing, taunt, and tight.  Another black vessel with interior violets while the exterior displays some amber, golden yellow, burnt orange nicely intertwining with russets and black wavy mohair.  It has a slight lip.  Third vessel is canary yellow on the interior with some alpaca sandwiched in between  russet, coffee, chocolate, and auburn merino and alpaca  foundation accented with turmeric and golden rod merino wools, which I hand dyed.  The fourth was a true experiment, with white mohair on the interior and gracing the outside is royal blues, but the silky mohair worked its way to the surface so it is very fuzzy and soft.  Once it dries, I intend to gingerly brush the surface making it even more delicate and fluffy.  I had to use lots of shocking method of felting.  That is pouring boiling water over the piece followed by iced water.  The fifth and last vessel is constructed of greens and blue New Zealand wools on the interior and wild variegated colors on the outside.  The experiment on this one is that the wool is drying around a glass vessel and the perimeter has been bound with mono filament in circular form.  The bottom has been bound to create a foot and I hope it will retain its shape once the line is removed.  Once every thing is dried, ironed, and photographed, I will post pics taken in the photo studio.

Soft Felt

Shaping is much more complicated than my naïve mind perceived.  I am pleased with the foot even though this photo does not clearly reflect its elegance; nonetheless the rim is far from a site for sore eyes.  One might perceive the artist had sore eyes when shaping it but I was unaware that I need to have it resting on a support while it dried.  Perhaps I need to build a support or just full the felt stiffer.  I had great anticipation for this vessel as the wool felted nicely inside and out with thin silver threads hugging the exterior.  The wool fabric is yummy mohair and lined with violet New Zealand wool.

Tabby Colored Vessels

The colors in these vessels remind me of my ticked tabby cat, COCO. Black mohair mixed with New Zealand wool, White mohair sparingly swirling over the outside.  Inside, I used white alpaca and white mohair I like to use a layer of the mohair as the some  hairs rise to the surface  softening the colors with modeled appearance.

If they look similar, it is because they are reshaped.  I am still in experimental stages on how to shape and dry the vessels. These are 12 inches high and 8 inches diameter.

Knowing When to Quit

BEFORE

AFTER

I just wanted to add a few details and got totally carried away.  I think I shall blame it on the music. HA.  I am not a bluegrass fan and it was playing on the radio without excuse I did not turn it off.  The key to knowing when to leave something alone is always a frogs fine hairline. I always told my art students take your mistakes and turn them into a masterpiece so it will be interesting to see where I can take this piece as of now, I see it as a total disaster. I suppose it lost it smoky fiery touch by defining areas.  Perhaps if I revisit with some light layers of golden smoke I might be able to salvage it.

The Blinded Glass Eye Composition

Glass composition is in place, adhered and grouted.  I am fairly pleased with the outcome, as a functional piece that was once a piece of trash. It is a lovely bedside table even in its half completed state.  It is my plan to paint the inside and outside of the drawer a raspberry color or amber and the sausage legs will each get a color pulled from the table top with emphasis on the amber, tangerine, sage greens, blue-violets and a touch of watery aqua.  The drawer pull has yet to be determined, it might be the original or to complete the sustainable/recycled theme, perhaps a found object for the handle.  Anyway, I am relieved the glass portion of this project is completed. Cutting glass requires a glass gridded tray, plenty of light and a concrete floor. It is not an activity one does beside a bed or even in living quarters as glass dust is in the air not to mention the slivers of glass shards. There is a high probability I will move in the coming future and potentially the lack of studio space will throw me into a frozen state. Thus, I want to complete all projects that definitely require a studio due to their messiness.  Other incomplete projects, and there are many, will just require table space and are a wee bit more portable.

The Blinded Eye

Fire and Rain

Yesterday I did a piece called “Fire and Rain” as I have been listening to a lot of old folk songs and James Taylor is one of my favorites.  This composition begins with a blue foundation; white is sandwiched under black alpaca and mohair, all which constitutes the ground work.  The surface is fire. Many years ago, I experimented a great deal with discharging black fabric and was always  excited when it resulted in black/ goldens, tangerines , apricots, peachy colors as it reminded me of fire especially when I used an acetate fabric as it has shimmer.   I dyed some mohair roving a light turmeric color and an array of the above mentioned colors in a variety of hues and tones-no pic available.  Oh, they were stunning wools lined up on my print table waiting to dry.  Anyway the dyed mohair’s adhered nicely to the black resulting in a fabulous “blocking in” of colors for this wool painting.  When I am doing a composition, I am finding that I like to felt a piece to the spongy stage so that it is still stretchy, then, dry felt in the details. Once I am satisfied (which rarely happens) I complete the fulling process, this pulls and tightens up all the wool fibers into a lovely flat surface – front and back. This process allows me more control over the angles and provides better execution of details.  I apologize about the quality of these photos as I am in my bedroom. I like to study the piece outside of my studio before I proceed.  21″ x 21″

Fire and Rain Composition

Back of Fire piece

Stain Glass Table Top

The crooked eye

I have been contemplating this project for over a year.  Several months ago, I finally began sketches, line drawings, and watercolor and marker drawings for the composition and worked out the colors.  I transferred the design to sketch (tissue) paper and positioned on table top.  I let the design age for several weeks while I mentally pondered details and refinement of the design.  I changed several sections and was, now, ready for cutting glass, and perform a dry run.  Once satisfied I transferred design to an adhesive paper.  I will construct the design using the mirror image for the reason that I work the design from the back side, this enables the front to be level and smooth, and the irregularities of the glass thickness would be forgiven by substantial layer of tile adhesive.  This differs in that usually each tile is “buttered” with adhesive, then, placed on the table or object.  Working in the reverse is not terribly complicated but it does affect the composition and over all color positioning.  I have used this technique in creating mosaic chairs and side table and the adhesive paper keeps everything tidy until it is anchored to the surface.

Once the adhesive has dried, usually 24-48 hours, the excessive adhesive is removed from between the stain glass, and all smudges are cleaned from the top.  This is when the last tweaking of the design is implemented and finalized.  The grout I use is a dark charcoal gray.  The walnut table top dimensions are:  20” x 16″

Oh!  The pink has to go, NOT sure what color will replace it perhaps orange, or red mixed with orange.  Nonetheless I am glad my calling in life is not a stain glass person,  I appreciated the medium and all the more since I have dabbled with mosaicing but I prefer textiles  by a long shot.  Give me felting or give me painting.  I have begun the fire piece with the black mohair wetted and awaiting the reds, rusts, and oranges.

Mirror of Composition on Tissue Paper

Composition Transferred to Adhesive Paper

Gathering glass shapes

Glass cut

Glass Adhered to wood table

Dry Run

Progress of Love Long Gone

Pure pigments mixed in various sections with gesso or createx binder. Sea grass created with acrylic paint.  the backing still needs to be attached.  70″ x 70″. When one looks carefully  the shibori dyeing on the body of the fish is very visible. I did a series of fish with kissy type lips and this is a remnant of that series, which I never completed.  I am attempting to tie up the numerous projects I have begun but not finished. I still have a glass top table which I am doing in tandem with the new  fire felted piece.

This is hanging in my bathroom beside a huge glass block window, which is burning out some of the color in this piece–not in reality just in the photograph.  I will get it to the studio for a controled lighting photo shoot however the time frame is unpredictable.

End of French Press Series

Working on Fire. I like the idea of a consuming fire, so I plan to do a close up.  I have sketches, and have some in markers. I plan to put them to felt today.  Just for documentation here are the last of the French Press covers, though I would like to do one more in blue.

Painted Furniture

I was organizing my art folder and ran across these painted chairs that were part of a series containing all individual pieces(non-matching). I recall these were painted in 2004. Yes, these pieces falls into decorative arts but nonetheless they were fun to paint, the recipients adored them and very fun to sit in. This one is walnut wood with acrylic paint, and sealed with clear acrylic-matt finish. The Fabric seat cushion was painted with Createx textile paint, which is heat set that lends a nice hand, yet, durable to abrasion or spot washing. Part of the series was multiple toddler chairs that made exquisite gifts. Unfortunately, I was lax about documentation and the few I captured were taken before my photography studio was set up, so lighting is questionable, harsh and not balanced.

Tassels

The feather is from was included in a News Years Exchanged package with a  felt maker in Ireland, Anniebel. She sent a variety of unidentified feathers. I mistakenly posted the pics of some before the tassels were added.  UGH.