setasilk textile paints

Right Brain vs Left Brain

writing this book - definitely left brain. so technical! 
sometimes i just have to take a break from that part of my brain. 
still have lots of energy to write, but no left brain power left to process. such a weird experience. 
i have written before. i used to write a weekly art column for my local newspaper.
500 words every week for close to 4 years.
that was different. not as intense.
plus i had the visuals to write about. now i am writing about visuals that aren't there yet.
a dichotomy for sure. but i'm loving it!

yesterday, sat down at the dinning room table to contemplate my life as an artist.
and found the flowers my step-mom gave me because my son turned 18.
so sweet! 
and a beautiful visual when i needed one

i may just have to pick off these long waxy leaves to print with



Masking


While working on some new pieces today. I wanted to do some stamping with textile paints, on small areas that needed to be masked off.

The masked off areas are small and simple. I was thinking that there must be something I have around the studio that is quicker than using painter's tape.

Then I thought of my old telephone books!

It works like a charm. The pages rip out of the book really nicely. They tear in half easily as well.

So don't send those old telephone books to recycling just yet.



New Work


This is one of my latest pieces of wearable art. It is made from a very light weight china silk. I started with a 3 yard piece of fabric that was stretched on a frame. I then painted it with Setasilk textile paints.

The funny thing about this piece is that it all happen accidentally. I usually buy my spray bottles from Prochemical and Dye along with textile paints and dyes. The bottle I was familiar with was sold out. So I ordered something different. When I first started spraying, I was aghast that it was a dribbler!!


Of course I hadn't tried it out beforehand on a scrap piece of fabric. Not wanting to be wasteful, and always working with the assumption that if it is already bad, I might as well keep going, since there was nothing to loose, I continued.

Low and behold the dribble method of spraying created this wonderful effect. The secret was to wait very patiently for each layer to dry, before spraying on another layer of color. I also used a silk flower as a resist throughout the layers. Moving the resist around between layers created a lovely "ghost" image of the flower.The final step was to add the blue and pink foil.

I have gotten wonderful reactions to the jacket. It has been refereed to as my "Monet" or "Gustaf Klimt" jacket. People love the easy fit to this pattern. It was created by inserting large gussets in the side seams. With no button closer, it has the freedom to float around and behind your body as you walk. Very fun and luxurious!

I'll be bringing it with me to the Berkshire Arts Festival in Great Barrington, MA this July 2, 3, and 4. It is always a beautiful weekend to be in the Berkshires. I'd love to see you there!