Positive Results

Another non-stop day of layering and printing, layering and printing. We stretched several vertical strips of silk on one print table and Christine experimented with different pattern and color variations.

We returned to the eight foot length of silk, Christine's first attempt at a dye-printed water-theme. Here she is using a household sponge and water-based resist to preserve some of the white space before the next layer. The patterns suggest water sprays and bubbles on moving water.

Here she is hand painting into some of the white areas to refine some of the lines and shapes before we put down another layer of yarns and print another layer of color on it.

Once she finished painting and dye dried, I steamed and washed the cloth and we evaluated whether to add additional layers. Although the lines and value shifts are subtle, we both loved the subtlety of this silk just as it is and decided not to try and add any more detail to the surface.

Here is a shot of the piece, which Christine will trim to make narrower, then hem and make a hanging sleeve for it.

In this closeup you can appreciate the fine lines and subtle color shifts in more detail. The grayish dye has a tinge of lavender to it that really compliments the blues. Christine loves working with blues and greens. As a warm pallette person, I find this a refreshing change from my own artistic practices. Christine focuses on "line", while I am more fascinated by mark making and texture. The contrasts between our styles and practices have been interesting for me to observe.

Both Christine and I end each day totally exhausted -- but it's fun to "talk shop" and exchange ideas and opinions about color and patterning choices. Tomorrow is our last day of experimentation and then she'll head back to her studio and I'll get back to working on my greyscale Pages and Parables pieces. I have to confess it has been wonderful to dive into color mixing again this week and I will have ample mixed dyes left over to do a lot more experimentation of my own.