05 September 2009

Art Forms for Labor Day Weekend


Haze-ridden Coast



Grey Coastline



Working with gouache and acrylics, mostly on Wallis archival sanded paper, I tried for a loose, more juicy effect, allowing the paints to run and drip, mix and flow -- a bit like how I'll be working with dyes and silks in the coming weeks. These started in response to the days at the beach on the Cape, where the weather has such a profound effect upon the land/seascape. Somehow, heavy oils just did not seem to work; however, the acrylics and gouache captured the effect I was seeking. Working on the Wallis sanded paper, usually for pastel work, helped achieve those rivulets and runnels one finds at the beach.


Well, in the next few weeks I'll be working with the dyes and silks for the festival in October. I often work with the Japanese arashi shibori technique (arashi means storm, as the wrinkles appear to be like wind-driven rain) where the silks are wrapped and tied on poles, then dyed and over-dyed and allowed to dry for several days. Here's an example of a finished silk scarf:


It's always a surpise as one cannot see what's happening under the wrapped layers, so a degree of patience and faith is needed, trusting in the process and allowing for "welcome mistakes" Maybe next entry I'll post some in-process photos -- it truly is a lovely mess!





2 comments:

layers said...

I like the arashi shibori technique-- and the lovely accidents on the silks

Kelly M. said...

Thanks, Donna. If you saw me yesterday struggling with the dyes and those mistakes, you'd die laughing (sorry about the pun)--! But tomorrow's another day!