Dirty, Smelly, Noisy

The Western Avenue Studios Artist Association of Lowell, MA proposed an exhibit titled "Dirty, Smelly, Noisy" because the zoning board denied a special permit for a Lofts project that would provide 48 living/work spaces for artists in the G-Mill of the Western Avenue Studios Complex. The Zoning Board members felt the area was too "dirty, smelly, and noisy" and artist's wouldn't want to live there. The 160 artists who work in the 121 studios located in the Main building and A-Mill of the complex disagree! Hence they decided to launch an exhibit opened to any artist wishing to make a statement about inspirations found in industrial areas. In response I created this piece of Art Cloth using rust dyeing wheels that I dug out of my garden 20+ years ago. They were apparently part of a pulley system for a well. For many years I had them displayed on a wall on my patio with vines and flowers growing around them. When we built a deck, they came down. I've been wanting to try rust dyeing and this seemed like the perfect opportunity! The exhibit runs from June 1, 2008 to June 30, 2008 in common area of the Western Studios Complex in Lowell, MA.
"Wheels"- Detail. Dyed, over dyed, rust dyed, block and screen printed, foiled with copper foil on raw silk noil. The finished piece is 45" x 72".


"Wheels" - Detail.
"Wheels" Detail.

Work in Progress and Good News!

Currently I'm working on a new piece in my art quilt series: Portals. The components are on my design wall where I have arranged them and rearranged them and now I'm ready to finish the quilt!

Good News! "Fertily Cloth II" has been juried into the "Bluegrass Biennial" exhibit at Morehead State University in Morehead, Ky. The exhibit is opened to Kenticky artists and will be on exhibit June 7, 2008 to August 1, 2008 at the Claypool-Young Art Gallery. The opening reception will be Saturday, June 7, 2008 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. "Fertily Cloth II", 45" x 96", dyed, block and screen printed silk and cotton blend fabric.

Detail of "Fertility Cloth II".

Detail of "Fertility Cloth II".

More Spring!

Viginia Bluebells blooming in my garden!

Fiddleheads coming up from my ferns!

Currently I'm working on this small art quilt inspired by the Virginia bluebells and the fiddleheads of the ferns. The fabrics are various dyed and printed silks that I created. Now to finish free motion quilting the piece!

Spring!

Spring has arrived! Our dogwoods and azaleas are in bloom!

This is the same view last year during the season we call "Dogwood Winter" here in Kentucky. So far our weather this year is sunny and in the 70's and 80's. But you never know what might happen!

Another view of my front yard during last years "Dogwood Winter".

Elements:Water

The finished piece "Elements:Water" 45"x 96". Dyed, over dyed, screen and block printed.

Details #1 of "Element:Water".

Detail #2 of "Elements:Water".

"Elements: Water" - Art Cloth in Progress

The latest series of Art Cloths that I'm working on is "Elements". These pictures are details of "Elements: Water". The finished piece is 45"x96". The fabric is silk twill which has been scrunched and dyed three times with Procion MX dyes - Royal blue, Mixing Blue, and Tourquoise. The background color in these pictures is not as deep as the actual fabric. When I photograph the finished piece, I hope Ill have a more acurate picture of the colors. These were photographed with fabric layed out on my print table as the work was in progress. The fist detail shows layer 12. All the images have been sceen printed with fabric paints.

This detail shows layer 14 - the addition of three spiral forms.

Detail of layer 16.

The final detail is layer 21. Block printed shell forms and sceened small spirals have been added.

A Few Art Quilts

"No More Granny Panties" 17"x22" was a Journal Quilt I created for the International Quilt Festival which is held annually in Houston, Texas. The background fabric is hand dyed and discharged using deconstructed screen printing. The panties were created with hand dyed and vintage fabrics.

"Portals II" is part of a continuing series exploring triangulal shapes. The fabrics used include vintage kimono fabric, hand dyed silks and cottons, and commercial cottons. The art quilt is fused and machine quilted.

Detail of "Portals II".

"Villages I" 17"x 22" (collection of Zoe Ann Brewer, Ann Davis Gallery) is created using hand dyed cottons and silks, and vintage kimono fabrics. The art quilt is fused and machine quilted.