Screen Printing

Recently, I experimented with using Elmer's blue glue as a resist on fabric when screen printing. The results were pretty good. Rayna Gillman suggested that I try applying the glue to the screen. Wow! What a difference!

I started with a screen that had a 10"x15" print area. Using Elmer's blue glue, I drew on a grid pattern then scribbled into each square. After the glue dried, reddish brown thickened dye was screen printed on top. I was able to lay the screen right against the first print. Loved the way I could repeat the design.

It was so much fun that I tried another. This time I used more fabric and 2 colors - blue and green. It turned out to be a nice amount of yardage to use for a project. I have a few more repeat designs that I would like to try out but I'll save them for another time.

First Day of Vacation

Yesterday was the first day of my vacation. I spent the day with my friend, Madeleine. The day started at Descanso Gardens. I took tons of photos of the gardens. I realized that most of the photos were close up shots. Here are a few of them.

On the garden grounds is the former residents main house and the converted garage art gallery. The gallery's current exhibit is called Seen & Scene: The Imagined Landscape. There wasn't any "no photos" signs posted so, I took a few photos of this exhibit.

I was inspired by Sant Khalsa's photography and wood exhibit.

In another room there was 2 interactive structures by an artist whose name I've forgotten. The bird seed ice cube was suspended from the ceiling. As the ice melts, the bird seeds fall onto the bamboo structure and makes a soothing sound. Very cool!

On the wall behind these structures were beautiful paintings.

After lunch at Dish in La Canada, we headed over to The Armory gallery in Pasadena. There was an exhibit of Richard Jackson latest work called Accidents in Abstract Painting. I can appreciate the thought behind his exhibit even though I didn't quite get it. 

What really inspired me was 2012 Los Angeles Regional Scholastic Awards featuring local high school students work. Amazing! These talent young artists all have a creative future ahead of them.

Great way to start my vacation! I hope that I will continue to be creatively inspired as my vacation continues. I'll be posting throughout the coming week.

Woven Grounds

My art is evolving towards mixed media. So, I'm still playing around with different techniques and exercises from books that I've bought recently. The other day, fellow artist and friend, Deborah Stanley, recommend "Drawn to Stitch" by Gwen Hedley to me. At the beginning of the book, Gwen suggests making woven grounds as the starting point for designing.

The first ground I used used teabag paper and pages from a book. I know that some artist are strongly against tearing up books but these books aren't valuable. I bought them at a used book store for less than a dollar.

Then next ground used again pages from a book and envelopes that contained invoices from UPS. UPS is using recycled paper for their envelopes so they have a nice brown color and are heavy weight.

I really liked how the grounds were turning out so I decided to take it a step further. This next one used watercolor purple commerical fabric and screen fabric that I made. This one almost stands on it's own but I will probably add a few more elements to it.

Then I thought why not use the therapy strips that I made a few weeks ago that I posted here. Okay, I know I'm taking a detour from the exercise from the book. It can happen when the wheels in the minds start turning with the possible of creating. 



Flaming Heart

This morning I put the finishing touches on the 12"x12" trade artwork for the mini group, Serendipity Art Quilts. The title is "Flaming Heart". The artwork is loosely based upon the Sacred Heart.

I used Bo-Nash Fusible Powder to fuse the orange and yellow tulle to the base fabric of the flames. This product is pretty handy but a bit messy. It's good to have for light weight bonding.

I happy with the way the gold thread that's wrapped around the heart came out in the photo. Metallics are tricky to photography.

This artwork will be delivered to LS this coming Saturday at the Quilts on the Wall meeting.