Diary of a Fiber Artist

I was thumbing through my sketchbook the other day, and realized it was a journal of sorts. Sure, it contains my ideas and thoughts for new projects...

but I discovered, looking backward through the years, it's also where I put my instructions...

recipes for my dyes...

 random drawings and doodles...

information about other artists, I didn't want to forget, or needed to scratch down for one purpose or another...

to-do lists,

grocery lists,

and a history of my children's drawings...

Kid art that inspired me...

  Any sketchbook I have on my shelf from years prior, I have my children's drawings archived in the back of my books.  It was a survival tactic.  I needed to work, and they needed to be occupied.  So, I opened the back of my book and let them draw from the last page towards the first.  Somewhere we met in the middle and I would start a new book.  I even wrote about this phenomenon in one of my sketch books.

In the end, it's not just a place I keep my ideas. It's my life's journal.  What's in your sketch book?

Picking Up A Package

We get a lot of packages either through UPS or USPS here at 'some things looming.'  I wasn't here much last week due to being under-the-weather, so it was no surprise when I found a pink package slip in the mail slot this morning dated last Wednesday. 

"Hmm," I thought. "I have an hour before we officially open. I'd better go pick up the package."
I'll chalk up my inability to think out into the future to my current illnesses and weakened immune system. Yeah, That's it.  Because if I had been operating under full mental capacity, I would have thought "Raining. Raining, windy, and walking half a block with a package of unknown size, undetermined weight."  And I might have decided tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow would be better to walk half a block with a package of unknown size, undetermined weight.

But no. That would be logical, and why would I succumb to logic?  I saw the date the package arrived was last Wednesday which meant this poor package had been sitting in holding for nearly a week!  So I grabbed my son's bright blue umbrella, (which I had stolen this morning) and toddled down to the post-office.

 To my amazement, there was no line!  There's always a line! I was able to approach the window immediately.  The clerk took my pink slip, wandered to the back and I waited. I waited and waited and waited and waited and waited.  As an ominous feeling settled over me, the circumstances I found myself in began to sink it. It's raining. I have to carry a package of unknown size, undetermined weight half a block up hill. What if the reason it's taking so long is because this package is...big???

 The clerk rounded the corner with a box that took up half my body size. It wasn't very deep, about four inches, but it was definitely four feet wide by four feet tall. How would I hold my umbrella, and this package?  Too late now, I supposed. I was committed. I had to carry the box back to the gallery, as quickly as possible.  I guess I'm getting wet today. I mean, it's just rain. Not like I'll melt, right?

Tucking my bright blue umbrella under my arm pit, I grabbed the package through the window and before I let the clerk release her grip I asked, "Is it heavy?" She shook her head no.  She lied.  It wasn't heavy by any means, but it wasn't feather-weight either.  It was just weighty enough to add to the awkwardness of hauling such a box on foot on a sunny day.  And today, might I repeat myself, was as far from sunny a day one can get.

I walked out of the post-office, turned the corner and began making my way up Washington street.  Facing the wind, the rain was pelting my face in an unpleasant manner, and the cars were splashing water up from the road onto the side walk. After about two minutes of this misery, desperate, I figured, why not? let's see if we can carry the umbrella and the package.  At this point, I probably don't have to tell anyone this was a wrong decision, by any means.   Wind, Rain, holding a bulky package, dodging puddles and car-splash, this is a recipe for disaster.
 
 The minute I hit the button to unfurl the umbrella, the wind blew and turned it inside out.  Tugging and pulling this way and that, the umbrella threatened to pull from my hands or whack a human being who happened to be outside braving the weather upside the head with its erratic back and forth movement.  I could barely control the umbrella, while keeping the package from falling out of my other hand.  

I must have been a sight. There weren't too many people on the street, but there I was, bright orange purse, bright red scarf waving like a flag, bright blue inside out umbrella flying around wildly, holding onto a package 3/4th the size of my body that was constantly attempting escape, and my hair whipping around my face making it nearly impossible to see... Well.  It was no wonder that I was attracting attention from people in their cars stopped at the intersection, and the few brave souls on the sidewalks watching the comedy routine that had just become my life in that moment. 

I will not drop the package. I will not drop the package. I will not drop the package. As I fought my way up Washington Street, I repeated that mantra multiple times, using my knee to adjust my grip, hoping I wouldn't lose the umbrella, that was, frankly, at this point totally useless. I stepped in several deep puddles along my trek, soaking my shoes and socks thoroughly.  Longest half a block of my life.  But I made it.  Finding myself in the shelter of our gallery stoop. I lowered the package, fiddled with the umbrella so I could close it, let myself in, dumped my purse and umbrella so I could wrestle the box through the door.  Taking in my appearance in the reflection of the door, I realized that doing my hair today this morning had been a pointless exercise, unless one is going for the 'drowned rat' look.

The package is in perfect condition, by the way, even if I am not. 

Featured Artist: Brenda Wilton

During the six weeks of 'Black White Red' we'll focus on individual artists here on our blog. Every week, several artists will be featured. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you:  Brenda Wilton

Feather Coat (Front)
Wool/Knitting
20" x 26"

A Coat of Many Feathers: Woodpecker: This jacket is a tribute to the many black, white and red woodpeckers that grace our countryside. From the  tiny downy who visits my feeder in the winter to the crow sized pileated I hear hammering on the trees in the summer, and the sapsuckers and red-headed in between, their graphic patterns are strikingly beautiful

Feather Coat (Back)
Wool/Knitting
20" x 26"

Bio:

Artist/designer Brenda Wilton is inspired by nature and by traditional and contemporary quilt designs. Her goal is to have her clients feel great about their appearance by providing them with a stylish, classic, and quality alternative to fashion fads.  She favors using domestically produced yarns, clay, and silver to make clothing, accessories and jewelry, under the designer label Brenn Wilton. She works in Pennsylvania in a studio that is attached to a stone grist mill and surrounded by flower and vegetable gardens.

Featured Artist: Hope Wilmarth

During the six weeks of 'Black White Red' we'll focus on individual artists here on our blog. Every week, several artists will be featured. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you:  Hope Wilmarth

Penthouse View
Cotton fabric/
machine pieced
and quilted
31" x 39"

Penthouse View is an intuitively pieced and quilted black and white abstract. It is both architectural and tactile, evoking a “cityscape” view from high above the street scene below. Cotton fibers were used in this machine pieced and quilted abstract wall quilt.

Penthouse View, detail
Cotton fabric/
machine pieced
and quilted
31" x 39"

Artist Statement

I have been creating intuitive, contemporary fiber art for the last three years which evolved from years of traditional quilt making.

My work with color and texture has lead me to a world of new techniques, including digital printing with grounds, painting acrylics on silk, felting with wool roving and yarns, thread and bead embellishment, stamping, and resist dying,

Surface design and mixed media manipulation continue to challenge the creative spirit which I strive to express in my contemporary art quilts.

You can view my work at hopewilmarth.com

Featured Artist: Doerte Weber

During the six weeks of 'Black White Red' we'll focus on individual artists here on our blog. Every week, several artists will be featured. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you:  Doerte Weber

WSJ: Sweet & Sticky
Structural weaving with
various fibers &
Wall Street Journal's
plastic liners
31" x 36"

 WSJ: Sweet & Sticky
The red plastic wrappers which protect the Wall Street Journal during delivery were well suited to weave this piece. Using those bags as the dominant material over mostly black & white plain weave gives an interesting texture and adds a playfulness to the piece. Reminiscent of candy being unwrapped, the red criss-cross pattern is tightly held together over the woven center; its top and bottom part hang freely.

WSJ: Sweet & Sticky, detail
Structural weaving with
various fibers &
Wall Street Journal's
plastic liners
31" x 36"

Artist Statement

Having returned to weaving after a long absence, I find myself inspired by Bauhaus Weavers. They were self taught - creating beautiful and unique works of art.

I am trying to translate that into the 21century. Currently I live in the USA which is going through a recession.
This motivates me to look at my expenses more closely, be frugal and work with materials at hand.

Every morning I get my local newspaper delivered in a thin plastic wrapper. These plastic wrappers have almost no color, only logo and address of the paper printed in small black letters. But when I started weaving with them, colors became visible and it was like I was weaving a story of my diverse community.

This is the concept I am expanding on: to take something which most people throw away or recycle and reuse it in art, either by itself but mostly with various yarns to accentuate texture.

In weaving with plastic wrappers, I use mostly traditional weaving patterns. They give an assurance of  familiarity, balancing the texture and sometimes distorted structure created through the medium of the plastic wrappers.

Featured Artist: Mary Stoudt

During the six weeks of 'Black White Red' we'll focus on individual artists here on our blog. Every week, several artists will be featured. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you:  Mary Stoudt

Circles of Red, White, Black
cotton
21" x 26.5"

When I read the suggested rules for entry my first thought was, "black, red and white?!!! Yikes!!" It seemed to me like a good choice for a bicycle, but a quilt...I'm not so sure; but then I figured a challenge would be good. I used my raw edges technique and ended up really enjoying the red, white, and black challenge.

Circles of Red, White, Black, detail
cotton
21" x 26.5"

Ada's Buttons
cotton, buttons
10.5" x 14"

 
For the piece entitled Circles of Red, White and Black, I attempted to get a rhythm with the simple circle shapes to create a depth of field. I started the smaller piece entitled Ada's Buttons by manipulating the red, white and black buttons on the fabric until I was satisfied with the composition.  You might wonder why I used the name Ada for the title. It is my mother's name, and she had an enormous box filled with buttons she had saved and gave it to me before she died. I think of her every time I stitch a button to fabric. I believe that fabric can be connected to our memories in a very special way.

Ada's Buttons
cotton, buttons
10.5" x 14"

Artist Statement:


 I create my art quilts looking through a lens informed by decades of experimenting with a wide variety of art media, manely photography, printmaking, ceramics, weaving, collage, bookmaking, and sculpture, etc.

To begin an art piece I imagine a basic composition in my head concentrating on color and form, and then work intuitively through each piece. As I progress through the quilt, I improvise, perhaps like a jazz musician would.

Sometimes, I give myself quilt assignments such as, "See how big you can make a quilt', or "use wool and cotton together" or "see how many layers you can add to make a quilt. Some of my quilt creations could be put into categories such as color studies, storytelling, or optical illusions.


About the Artist: 

Since the 70's I have been stitching, weaving, making paper, creating mixed media all to create diverse works some of which have been described by critics as being whimsical and spiritual. In 2003 I started layering fabric in a grid-like fashion. Simply put, I visualize the quilt composition , its colors and forms in my head and then as I move through the process, I improvise the details. For certain pieces, I make an actual size pattern as I move through the process, but I introduce new elements while using the pattern. I love the warmth, the flexibility, the play of color and textures of quilt making.

Here is a mixed list of my favorite artists and other inspirations:
Paul Klee . Gees Bend Quilters . Pennsylvania Mountains, Fields . Traveling . Andy Goldsworthy . Red Grooms . Blues Music . NY times Sunday paper . Gustav Klimpt . Oiseaux Sisters . Joseph Cornell . Fabric Stores . Frank Gehry . Audrey Flack . Childhood Memories . My family . Hundertwasser . NPR . Goggleworks . Literature

http://www.marystoudt-artquilts.com/

Featured Artist: Rowen Schussheim-Anderson

During the six weeks of 'Black White Red' we'll focus on individual artists here on our blog. Every week, several artists will be featured. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you:  Rowen Schussheim-Anderson

Fly by night
beads, fabric/bead embroidery,
photographic imagery
19.5" x 17.5"

Fly by night is comprised of bead work and photographic imagery.  It is the first time I have used photography directly with bead work so this present new challenges and new potential.  Using the white and black palette with the red accent created an exciting direction to focus the interpretation of this composition which derived from a butterfly image.

Fly by night, detail
beads, fabric/bead embroidery,
photographic imagery
19.5" x 17.5"

flutterby
beads, fiber/woven tapestry,
bead embroidery
38" x 23"

flutterby is comprised of both woven and bead embroidered areas. I’m very interested in contrasts in surfaces: contrasts of warm and cool colors, and also contrasting textures.My work in recent years has been inspired by butterflies and this piece was inspired by observing an enlarged photograph of a butterfly called a “papilio actururs.”    
               

flutterby, detail
beads, fiber/woven tapestry,
bead embroidery
38" x 23"

Artist’s Statement

Texture and color are integral components in this new work. Incorporating beads with the woven surface allows new possibilities with color. Glass beads bring an intensity of color to another level in their luminosity, especially when juxtaposed with fiber, which is flat in comparison.  A force at work in these pieces is a fascination with butterflies.  The beauty of butterflies has struck me since creating an abstract butterfly design tapestry to celebrate a friend’s birthday several years ago.  Not only the beauty of the structure of the butterfly, but the amazing richness of its surface, the color, the contrasts of line and wonderful organic shape, the points and splashes of color—all are enticing me.  It is as if I am layering the structure of the butterfly, its color and pointillism-like qualities, the richness of its pattern, and the influences of African art together to create new syntheses. African art has been an inspiration to my work for quite a while, with its fascinating boldness and rich contrasting surfaces.

Many works are clearly inspired by butterfly imagery. The beautiful structure of the butterfly, the color, the contrasts of line and lively organic shapes, the points and splashes of color—all are speaking to me.  In 2009 I had the chance to spend time in the Peruvian rainforest—with my students--where I saw gorgeous butterflies bigger than hummingbirds and more abundant than mosquitoes in Iowa.  From the desert to the rainforest, from bustling color filled markets to elegant breathtaking butterflies, design is everywhere for the artist to pick and choose, layer, collage, and synthesize.  So much art to make….

Featured Artist: Constance Old

During the six weeks of 'Black White Red' we'll focus on individual artists here on our blog. Every week, several artists will be featured. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you:  Constance Old

“red (for Gail Citrin)”
mixed paper +
plastic/rug hooking
17 3/4" x 17 3/4"

“red (for Gail Citrin)”

Contemporary, non-traditional materials associated with the word “red” are rug hooked on red linen for this piece: sales receipts (in the red), Chinese language newspaper and twines from Chinatown (communism and good luck), gros grain ribbon (AIDS),  mylar and sparkling ribbon (ruby slippers), feminine hygiene product wrappers (blood), the octagon shape (stop).

“red (for Gail Citrin)”
mixed paper +
plastic/rug hooking
17 3/4" x 17 3/4"

Artist Statement/Bio

Constance Old captures the spirit of the 21st century in her work by taking advantage of the excesses of the consumer economy. Old uses the traditional craft of rug hooking to make three dimensional wall pieces. Rug hooking with contemporary materials, her work is both timeless and an index of our time.

Old states: “Paper and plastic interest me as abundantly available fibers that, with imagination and coaxing, can be made into ‘rugs,’ or at least wall pieces. Living in a time of material excess, it intrigues me to work in a medium that originated from need and a scarcity of materials.”

Constance Old received her MFA from Yale University in Graphic Design and worked as an art director for Martha Stewart Living and as a freelance book designer before committing full time to making her own work.

She has exhibited at Farnsworth Art Museum (Rockland ME), Gallery for Contemporary Art at Sacred Heart University (CT), International Print Center New York (NYC), Affordable Art Fair (NYC), ArteAmericas Fair (Miami), Editions and Artists Book Fair (NYC), Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (CA), Hunterdon Museum of Art (NJ), The Carver Museum (TX), Katonah Museum of Art (NY), Brookfield Craft Center (CT), Some Things Looming (PA), Silvermine Guild Arts Center (CT). Old’s work is in corporate and private collections throughout the US and in Australia and Argentina.

www.constanceold.com

Featured Artist: Veronica Miller

 During the six weeks of 'Black White Red' we'll focus on individual artists here on our blog. Every week, several artists will be featured. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you:  Veronica Miller

Sophisticated Daily
100% Cotton Fabric,
Iridescent Thread,
Handquilted, Found Object
32" x 40"

 Sophisticated Daily

    A discarded item from the library inspired this fabric design, centered on the vintage newspaper holder.  The Bargello technique was selected to create the illusion of a newspaper, and the process of sewing began.  Using approximately fifty different black and white cotton fabrics, the newspaper unfolded to completion, only then to be hand-quilted using red iridescent thread flowing through the design.  The addition of the bold headline with its subtle Chinese letters and gold ginkgo leaves was also hand-quilted using gold iridescent thread.  The artistic process gave new life to this antique object.

Sophisticated Daily, detail
100% Cotton Fabric,
Iridescent Thread,
Handquilted, Found Object
32" x 40"

Featured Artist: Kachina Martin

During the six weeks of 'Black White Red' we'll focus on individual artists here on our blog. Every week, several artists will be featured. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you:  Kachina Martin

Crimson Shadows
Nuno felting using
hand-dyed silk &
hand-dyed cotton
68" x 6" 

Crimson Shadows, detail
Nuno felting using
hand-dyed silk &
hand-dyed cotton
68" x 6" 

Crimson Shadows combines nuno felting with hand-dyed silk and cotton pieces.  Nuno felting enables me to combine my own fabrics with wool to add depth and dimension to my wearable pieces, creating a sculptural quality to my work.  I feel that my pieces' wearablity enhances, rather than detracts from, their depth. That the work will be worn is significant, indeed essential, to its artistic value.  It is when the work is worn-when the wearer imbues it with her own sense of style and integrates it into her daily life- that the work truly comes to life.

E is for (front)
Vintage dress, mended;
altered with embroidered
text and images,
supported on
recycled dress
form with
paper mâché accents
from recycled texts
14" x 8" x 6"

E is for (back)
Vintage dress, mended;
altered with embroidered
text and images,
supported on
recycled dress
form with
paper mâché accents
from recycled texts
14" x 8" x 6"

 Little Girls: The Alphabet Series - E

Easy - [ē-zē], adjective. 1. requiring or indicating little effort, thought, or reflection. 2. readily taken advantage of. 3. readily available. 4. (slang) sexually promiscuous.  I have been working with narrative and context in my most recent work, The Alphabet series, exploring how garments can be altered to reflect as well as defy societal norms and expectations, particularly of women. All the words selected for the series are common, and yet, are words that are layered with meaning, and can be used as a pejorative term.  Thus, the finished piece speaks to the notion of "women's work" - the needle arts - as well as how society view the role of women. I aim to defy the viewer's expectation of what fiver is, can, or should be and re-imagine these vintage dresses as enduring, sculptural artifacts.

E is for (back,detail)
Vintage dress, mended;
altered with embroidered
text and images,
supported on
recycled dress
form with
paper mâché accents
from recycled texts
14" x 8" x 6"

Artist’s Statement

      My most cherished childhood memories center on fabric - the comfort of a blanket edged in silk, the feel of a well-worn cotton tee, the nubby texture of a hand-knit sweater.  As the daughter of a mother who teaches in the field of fashion and design, I was acutely aware at a young age of the transformational properties of clothing.  My artistic interests were equally shaped by my grandmother.  Guided by her firm hands, unwieldy lengths of fabric were coaxed to behave, ultimately shaped into a variety of forms marked by perfect, crisp seams.  The drama that surrounded the cutting of the fabric felt epic – she possessed such confidence as she sliced thorough layers of cloth, following the edges of the whisper-thin tissue paper that outlined its eventual shape.  My grandmother taught me to decode the language of patterns, to sew, and later, to knit, crochet, and embroider. 

      When I discovered shibori, I was awed by the limitless possibilities inherent in this ancient Japanese dyeing process.  Areas of pure color are seamlessly blended in an endless variety of tints and shades, revealing where color meets resist, creating a rich visual texture that transcends the notion of pattern.  My experimentation with dyes introduced me to felting, and I am fascinated by the sculptural properties of wool.  Nuno felting enables me to combine my own fabrics with wool to add depth and dimension to my wearable pieces.  I feel that my pieces’ wearability enhances, rather than detracts from, their depth.  That the work will be worn is significant, indeed essential, to its artistic value.  It is when the work is worn—when the wearer imbues it with her own sense of style and integrates it into her daily life—that the work truly comes to life. 

      While all of my work fiber-based, not all of my pieces are intended to be worn.  I am drawn to old garments that show evidence of the hand that created the piece as well as the person who wore it.  These indelible marks—stitches, stains, mended holes, and spots rubbed almost bare by continual contact with the body—speak to the hours invested in the making of the garment as well as the years that have passed as it was worn, again and again.  I am interested in ways in which to transcend both the utilitarian nature and the inevitable entropy that continually affect these garments and reimagine them as enduring, sculptural artifacts.  In so doing, I aim to defy the viewer’s expectation of what fiber is, can, or should be.  In my most recent work, I have been working with both narrative and context, exploring how garments can be altered to reflect as well as defy societal norms and expectations, particularly of women. 




http://www.howlingruth.com/

Featured Artist: Chris Motley

During the six weeks of 'Black White Red' we'll focus on individual artists here on our blog. Every week, several artists will be featured. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you:  Chris Motley

Paths
wool/knit, fulled,
sewn/embroidered
7" x 17"

‘Paths’ is a piece derived from the knitting process itself.  I knit intuitively and a desire to explore shape and color as well as their juxtaposition can emerge while I am knitting. The knitting of very subtle gradations of color challenged me to explore the bold combination of black white and red and ‘Paths’ emerged.

Paths, detail
wool/knit, fulled,
sewn/embroidered
7" x 17"

Steps
wool/knit, fulled,
sewn/embroidered
18.5" x 10"

‘Steps’ is a piece derived from the knitting process itself.  I knit intuitively and a desire to explore shape and color as well as their juxtaposition can emerge while I am knitting. Knitting very subtle gradations of color challenged me to explore the bold combination of black, white and red;  ‘Steps’ emerged.

Steps, detail
wool/knit, fulled,
sewn/embroidered
18.5" x 10"

Artist Statement

I explore texture and form with fiber, using the techniques of knitting and fulling.  The process of knitting can itself be a driving force in my art.  Since hand knitting is a slow process, a design concept can emerge as I knit.  Free from any preconceived notion of typical knitted fabric but armed with a lifetime of technique, a piece can emerge from pushing the boundaries of the stitches and I can explore three dimensions

A design will emerge as I am knitting, which is itself a meditative process for me.  Alternatively, I see something or have a concept from the real world or in my head, unrelated to yarn at all, that triggers a curiosity to translate it to fiber.  This is the case with my  sculptural projects which involve body parts, particularly heads, hands and arms. The knitting process itself has also branched into studies of forms and colors, which I am currently enjoying.  I knit intuitively and make a new piece just by starting to knit without pre-planning, a wonderful exploration free of the confines of patterns or garments. This use of  of my life-long avocation of knitting and felting as my medium for creation is also a wonderful grant of freedom after 30 years in a left-brain job. 

Featured Artist: Claire Marcus

During the six weeks of 'Black White Red' we'll focus on individual artists here on our blog. Every week, several artists will be featured. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you: Claire Marcus 

Karori Rose
Repurposed Heirloom
Handkerchiefs
stitched w/
vintage button
20" x 20"

KARORI ROSE  is part of a mixed-media series that addresses my family history.  I used my grandmother's  vintage handkerchiefs to create a piece that recalls my grandfather's skill as a gardener.  The piece is named for the Karori section of Wellington, New Zealand, where my family lived during World War II. By my grandmother's account, the plants my grandfather raised were "bowed over with blooms", and provided some respite from the stresses of wartime life. 

Karori Rose, detail
Repurposed Heirloom
Handkerchiefs
stitched w/
vintage button
20" x 20"

Artist Statement:
My work is created in series with processes including painting, drawing, and photography printed on silk, stitched with found objects. It reflects my background as a fifth generation fiber artist, synthesizing family heritage with training in painting, architecture, and design, based on nature and landscape studies.  I have special interests in the structure of land- and cityscape, and its power to evoke memory and narrative, as well as the interaction of built and natural environment.

All aspects of my work have been exhibited or published. Recent exhibits include the FiberPhiladelphia  show REFUSE/re-seen at some things looming in Reading; a solo exhibit at the Monroe County Bar Association in Stroudsburg, which included works from my current Golden Door series inspired by my life and family history in New York City; and  a third participation in the New Arts Program Small Works Invitational in Kutztown.

As an artist in education for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts since 1998, I have conducted community arts projects, K – 12 residencies, and professional development seminars addressing the needs of diverse populations, including adjudicated youth.  Many of these programs result in permanent installations created by the participants for the host site.

www.ClaireMarcusFineArts.com

Featured Artist: Denise Linet

During the six weeks of 'Black White Red' we'll focus on individual artists here on our blog. Every week, several artists will be featured. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you: Denise Linet

Sketches 5-11
Hand-dyed cotton and
silk collage and stitch
22" x 17"

Sketches 5-11, detail
Hand-dyed cotton and
silk collage and stitch
22" x 17"

Sketches Series #5, #7, #12

The richly layered surfaces of my collages incorporate the visual elements of mark making, writing, pattern, letters and symbols as influenced by Cy Twombly’s writing of graffiti-like marks and scribbles.   A language of symbols and codes created with layers of paper and cloth, juxtaposed, to form a visual vocabulary.  I use a combination of techniques in my stitched collages; carefully selected fabrics and papers are pieced, patched and stitched together, creating a textured background.  Paints are then applied using a variety of painting and printing techniques.  Surface texture is built up by fusing more fabrics and papers, then the surface is stitched by hand and machine.

Sketches 7-11
Hand-dyed cotton
and silk collage
and stitch
26" x 20"

Sketches 7-11
Hand-dyed cotton
and silk collage
and stitch
26" x 20"

Artist Statement

My work investigates time and change-the subtle evidence of time’s passing as reflected by the transient nature of time and the effects of time on memory; the layers of faded memories and the fleeting traces of long forgotten recollections.  My imagery is based upon the natural world.  Using dye, paint, silk screens, fabric, old newspapers and thread these images become sketches, layer upon layer that float between there and not there, dissolving into abstraction and reconfiguring themselves into a recognizable form.

Sketches 2-12
Hand-dyed painted cotton and
silk collage and stitch
22" x 29"

Sketches 2-12, detail
Hand-dyed painted cotton and
silk collage and stitch
22" x 29"

www.DENISELINET.COM