After those mega projects involving 150 yards of silk velvet or the large scale banners I finished last month, a mere 8 yards of custom hand dyed silk seems like a walk in the park and it actually is if you have the system worked out ahead of time.First step was to drag out my telescoping tables. From one end to the other is 8 yards. I can add another table at a right angle to the farthest one and add about 4 more yards to the length if needed but on most runs it is best to NOT have a turn in the design. Some patterns can accommodate a turn but many cannot. Like this one.
Next step was to paint on the yellow, red, and orange dyes. This particular order is for "Flames". Can you see them? The artist this is for cuts the silk into lengths that she then turns into worship flags that are used during church services in Pennsylvania.
Last step after the silk is rinsed and dried on my line is to apply flecks of gold fabric paint.
Setting the paint is easy and couples with the final ironing process. Beautiful! Done and done.This week I will be sporadic in posting (as if you hadn't noticed). I am busy with life issues and aging parent issues. I may have to go south on Friday but that remains to be seen.
One very happy thing is that I am considering applying for an artist in residence program here in California. It would be a month long "retreat" sometime in 2010 to work on a prearranged proposal with a nice stipend. The agreement is that they be allowed to film the process of completing the month long project which then becomes a documentary logging the process of the selected California artists. There are hundreds of applicants and they only select 6 each year. I have my proposal ready and will tell you more about it soon. I am trying to not get my hopes up too high as I have already decided that chosen or not, I will still do it. It would certainly be a great opportunity to leave all the cares and woes behind me and dedicate a full month to art making but mind boggling at the same time. 30 days. No phone. No students? No order taking. Only dedicated art research and the completion of a project? Dreaming. I must be dreaming.
5 comments:
Beautiful, Marjie! It makes me want to get the silks out . . .
Thank you TT. Silk is just flat out the best. Nothing compares. It's not a mystery as to why lives were lost to discover its secrets.
Marjie, I surely hope you are one of the 6 people chosen, I think this is also a great opportunity for you and a great way to really find yourself with not interruptions of any kind..I envy you for having such a place to go too to this..wish you all the best..I finally got caught with your blog...lol love everything you have been doing but sure am tired after reading it..now I have to get some rest, LOL LOL...lots of love and hugs, Lorraine
still the same not any better or worse...another 3 or 4 months of idling around..
Scrumptious silks, Marjie. I'm rooting for you to get that residency. What a trip: uninterrupted studio time.
Wow - the silk is just beautiful. With the weather getting warmer here in the NE, I'm getting my table ready to do some dyeing myself.
Artist-in-Residence, how great to even be able to apply for something like that. You are an talented artist and an excellent instructor. A documentary including your creativity would be just priceless....and probably quite humorous also...I'm thinking of the painted feet (hee, hee). I'm rooting for you!
Lee
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