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Archive for the ‘screenprinting’ Category

Catch-up Day

Monday, June 18th, 2012

I spent most of today getting caught up on e-mails and SDA work. I still have some snail mail stuff to take care of, but I spent some time in my studio getting caught up on 3 x 3s.

This is one of my screen prints after I did the triple rinse and wash. The red turned more fuschia than I would prefer, but it has potential. Here is the other one:

There are a couple of small pieces of organza that I monoprinted by pressing them in the dye left on my print area. This is the larger piece of organza that I did.

I played with black dye in the syringe and also brushed some thickened dye on all these pieces.

Here is what they looked like before washing.

Here are some prints done by some of the other students.

 

This one has a nice leaf print.

Lots of beautiful prints and no two alike!! This piece shows what happens as you keep printing with the screen and the dye in some places releases and is used up in other places.

I prepared this large screen on the last day. I hope to have time to print it tomorrow.

Here are the 3 x 3s that I did today. I am caught up, again.

Thursday, June 14th, 2012

Look! I am living life in the fast lane with Kerr Grabowski and yet, I have kept up with my 3 x 3s!!

Yesterday, after mixing up more print paste and dyes with print paste for today’s workshop, I took Kerr across the river to visit Oregon College of Art and Craft. We saw a couple of fun exhibits. One was these vessels made from plastic drinking straws.

After a tour of the fiber and book arts studios, we had a delicious lunch at their cafe. Then, we met Mr C and went to the Japanese Garden. Wow! We discovered an unexpected Japanese kimono exhibit.

There were gorgeous kimonos and scarves and fabrics that were batiked, woven, hand-painted and simply luscious.

Last night, we had to scarf down some simple fare for dinner and get to the venue for the Columbia Fiberarts Guild meeting where Kerr gave a fantastic lecture and slide show. She really wowed the crowd and almost received a standing ovation. It really was wonderful.

Today was day one of our workshop with her. We had to rise early and get our nourishment and get to the venue by 8 am so that we could get the tables set up and arrange all the dyes and materials.

One of the first things we did was to prepare a simple screen for printing, using a window screen with the screen removed and curtain fabric inserted.

Kerr had little mesh bags with supplies for each of us. They come with a recipe for BBQ shrimp! Some people emptied the bag and used it for texture for their deconstructed screen.

Kerr spent some quality time getting us up to speed on mixing dyes and the other stuff you need for this method and showing us samples of her screen prints.

Here is the arrangement of textures that I used for my first screen.

I got so involved, I kept forgetting to take process photos. But, after drying with a hairdryer, this was my result. The print is in the background and the screen is in the front.

I did some more printing on this and it is now batching back at the classroom. My next screen was prepared with torn paper on organza. No photos were taken. It, too is batching. I prepared one more screen which I will print with in the morning.

There is some truly gorgeous work being done. by the people in this class. This was done by guild president, Sharry –

This subtle gem was done by Karen Miller.

This screen was prepared with curten fabric that had a raised leaf and vine design woven into it. It is quite stunning.

This beauty was done by Maarja.

Here is a nice screen, drying in the courtyard of the church.

So, you can see we have had a busy and productive day.

Tonight, we went out for a margarita and some delicious Mexican food.  Now, off to bed for a good night’s sleep. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Here is one more 3 X 3:

Monday Melange

Monday, June 11th, 2012

This orange 3 x 3 was made with one of the little fused scraps that I received from Melody Johnson, eons ago. They come in handy when I am brain dead!!

Today was a day of cleaning, grocery shopping and cooking. A special house guest is arriving tomorrow, and I am very excited.

Kerr Grabowski, surface designer extraordinaire, is flying in to Portland tomorrow, and I get to entertain her (or vice versa) until Sunday morning. On Wednesday evening, she is doing a lecture for Columbia Fiberarts Guild and Thursday and Friday, she is teaching deconstructed screenprinting. I have been wanting to take a workshop with her for so long.

I just rewatched her dvd, to get myself psyched up. Now, I won’t be able to sleep, I am so excited.

I am planning some fun trips with her during our free time: Japanese Garden, Oregon College of Arts and Craft, Contemporary Craft Museum, a drive out to Multnomah Falls and lunch in Hood River. Gonna be fun. I may not be blogging much or making 3 x 3s — all depends. I think we are going to have a week of fairly good weather. Since she lives on the Mississippi Delta, she will probably appreciate some coolish Portland weather.

So, now you know where I am, if I am not here!!

Monday Mixture

Monday, March 5th, 2012

My mother-in-law used to take the leftovers from the big Sunday dinner and turn them into a stew or a casserole, and she called it Monday mixture. For me, today has been a mix of activities.

I did some catch-up on the computer, walked in the wind and rain and worked in the studio. The first thing I did was to make this cute little birthday  postcard for the soon to be 90 mother of my niece’s partner. They are having a card shower and asking people to send cards to her for her birthday on Monday. Many of you know that my favorite greeting is Hippo birdy two ewes. So here is the card I made. I downloaded some free clip art and printed it on fabric.

I made the leap and printed Scooter and Mr C on the quilt. I think the repeating images add to the sense of walking through the landscape and add some needed contrast. I did a check of the value contrast by making the photo in gray scale. It looks good.

Here is a detail.

 

Tomorrow, I will start quilting. I think that I have to keep the quilting clean and simple so it should go easily. My dilemma is how to finish the edges. I hate all the handstitching, but I think facings are the way to go.

Blue Batik

Friday, February 17th, 2012

I have some nice blue batiks so the last tow 3 x 3s are showcasing the batiks.

Not much to report. I have been doing a lot of SDA work for the last couple of days. I made a couple of more photoshop blended photos. They are like potato chips — you can’t make just one.

I also prepared a thermofax screen of my two guys.

Tomorrow, I am taking another encaustic class. It has been a year since I took the class. I am planning to use more textiles, this time.

Look at this photo I took this morning. I am not sure if it is the last rose or the first rose.