arlee

a collusion of ideas, Collusion: sampling, journal: lessons to learn, Not so ordinaries

no smartypants title

Posted on January 16, 2017January 24, 2018 by arlee

Because i thought i’d make a joke about hexes again, but can’t get the brain on that, without doing evil apparently……

I was doing some research (falling down the Rabbinet Hole, that is, truthfully) this morning, thinking i could find something smart, funny, deep or pertinent to the subject, but Nay. Evidently hexes are bad, unless you’re a quilter in love with them. 🙂

I’m still in sampling mode as i work out what this large project needs. I want to introduce some stronger colours, and my eye espied the bag of indigo bits i have been hoarding.

OH DARLING! YES!!!

*Just* enough contrast/colour/depth!!!!!!!!!! I don’t want to overwhelm the rest of it, but being a natural dye, it does work with all the others.

Winnowed down to three thread choices from 17, i ended up using (so far) just the Caron “Smoke” #022

This one’s gonna be a pleasure to work, and though i will finish the sample, am 99.9% sure that it will work on the actal project as well.

I guess that’s why this one result from the search felt right:

a collusion of ideas, Collision: the work begins, in progress, journal: lessons to learn, potassium permanganate, Rust

are you experienced?

Posted on January 15, 2017January 15, 2017 by arlee

As i work with this large expanse, i’m better appreciating the nuances of colour created by chemical reactions between rust, potassium permanganate and brazilwood. Pinks, purples, teeny bits of blue and charcoal, russets and washed out reds. Amazing how that works, and really wondering how i managed to get such clean whites too!

These long lines of seeded backstitch, paths, divisions, separations, they appeal to the memory and sense, for otherness, unpredictable, centering, old consciousness. I’m struggling to express this in words, but words are an important part of this project as well. I’ve been writing a lot of free association exercises on my work blog, and will be condensing them down to make clear what it is i’m making, sharing, experiencing. I think of everything from Jimi Hendrix, to memories of childhood, passed friends and washed away river banks.

a collusion of ideas, Collusion: sampling, Deliberation--do something you don't do--or haven't in awhile

ghosting

Posted on January 10, 2017January 10, 2017 by arlee

Subject matter sometimes determines approach. My usual method of applying elements for this work just wouldn’t suit, as that method is “heavier” and more solid, even with holes added 🙂

Because of the scale of the projected piece, i didn’t want to just jump in this time, even though i have plenty of ideas and a reasonably firm vision of what’s going where and how. I spent yesterday doing more tests, and must say i really appreciate the virtue now of sampling first! The first run through always takes more time than you thought it would–and yet, less, which is always a good thing 🙂

A single layer of cotton harem-cloth is a beautiful thing. It’s a little shifty, and takes a firm grip to keep it in line, especially when you don’t like using a hoop, but oh i do love the effect.

Ain’t he the hunk?

I didn’t want him to be such a stark white however. First i tried coffee dyeing. Nope, too close to the white. Rinsed that out, dabbed on WEE WEE bits of Procion. Nope, too strong, and the colour was too red (that “rust brown” is definitely too red). Washed that out, or most of it, then got out the paint again. Good enough for sampling purposes, i’ll watch the dispersion and blending rate more consciously on the real deal, but am rather pleased.

I almost wish i hadn’t cut out centre portions, but only because the placement on the background didn’t take the dark areas underneath into consideration. Even so, i think it’s quite the look i want, but that fine fine grey thread i used was a pain in the Bazotski –i think i need new glasses again……………..

The size of this is a standard “A4” page, and it scares me a bit to think of the shifting on a larger scale. I may have to dig out my largest hoop after all: the grain and weave of this fabric is so malleable, that i don’t want stitches skewing the angles. Because the larger pieces will have more interior space as well, that means more stitching inside, whether on the harem cloth itself, or in any voids. Best to get a handle on it right from the start!

Working this little trial also has the advantage of adding more ideas for other work. I think it will show up on this somehow:

Poor girl has been sighing and pouting in the stoodio since the beginning of September!

a collusion of ideas, Collusion: sampling, in progress

saddled up again

Posted on January 8, 2017January 8, 2017 by arlee

After much coin, and many many hours of patience on Greyman’s part, the computer has been completely replaced, and is humming along again. Whew. Fortunately i had managed between freezes to back up all my files!

I didn’t get as much stitching done as i’d wanted to–that pesky life interference thing: dishes, groceries, laundry, housecleaning, etc etc etc etc……………–but i’m happy that my idea will be able to be used on the background of the large piece i’m working on.

From this old sketch:

to this little sample piece:

Halfway through the stitching, i kicked over the box of paints from previous weeks sketching, and grabbed the bronze Lumiere for some discrete application. Just enough shine, but singular enough to be a feature as well. (Actually it was pretty dried up, but a bit of distilled water, a shake and a stir, and it was good to go again. Waste not, want not!)

I’d been looking at bits from Raggedy Black Heart, (also the current background for the blog) and really liked the idea of using the idea again.

My Valdani threads arrived, but alas, i don’t think any of them are going to work on this piece, as beautiful as they are!

I had thought the second from the top one would work on the potassium permanganate sections of the background, but it’s too pale and has too much white. And the dark threads are too dark! One of the pitfalls of online shopping is unfortunately, incorrect colour on the monitor, and alas, most shops have photos too that are so dinky, you really can’t tell what you are seeing properly. Luckily, my 123 order threads *are* the right colours as i’m just replacing the ones i’ve used up. Still, they are a lovely addition to the stash 🙂

I also managed to get a fair portion of the second seam done, though have to wait for the final run of threads down it, as i’m out of the Sticks and Stones colourway. One seam looks like another, so won’t show you that!

January has been extra cold and bleary, so it’s lovely to see my Tithonia in bloom!

And my Jalapeno and Chocolate Beauty peppers under the growlights have blossomed and fruited!

I’m going to stay as unplugged as i can for awhile, as tempting as it is to waste so much time. I tend to obsess over certain sites, or do too MUCH research and i need to concentrate more on being in the stoodio. It’s fine to be “inspired”, but if you never do any work, what’s the point? I don’t want to be just an idea stacker, but a doer.

Probably talking to just myself

oh, bother……………

Posted on January 5, 2017 by arlee

Think i’m going to be offline for awhile. Damn computer keeps freezing and acting bizarrely………………………….

On the good side, my Valdani order arrived 3 days after i placed it, so stitching at least will fill the hours. And better really than computer time anyway, yes?????

in progress

chasing the line

Posted on January 3, 2017January 3, 2017 by arlee

As it turns out, i do have enough of the variegated silk i am using in the middle of this section, but ran out literally at the end of the line of the Caron Sticks and Stones! Yesterday i was going through my threads and realized it’s not only been a good while since i replenished the stock (Nov 2014???), but that the stash is actually getting quite sparse!!! I have two orders on the way now, from Valdani in Edmonton, and from 123Stitch in the US. Again, it pisses me off that even with shipping and currency exchange, i can buy those threads from 123 cheaper than buying in Canada………….BUT at least i now know after some searching that a local store carries the Caron collection, so in a pinch, i can get a number/colourway i need immediately. (Assuming they really do have the stock their website says…)

Obviously this will be the last shot for awhile of this particular piece, because though *I* know there’s been major progress on it, most will get bored seeing the Same Old Same Old in terms of “wow factor” 🙂 After all, how many times can one show a line of seeded backstitch, even if it is growing?

Jan 1 progress, another 12″ stretch:

I deliberately left the above photo quite large, so you can ooh and ahh if you like 🙂

And as of last night at 9PM, the full 46″ length:

I can start the second “seam” tonight, with the variegated silk, adding the Caron when it comes. I may still add to the first one with another colourway to further blend, but i don’t want too much of that wonderful background encroached on, as i have ideas for the rest of the “background” before and as i add other elements.

I figure there’s about 15 hours of stitch time in there now, but alas, today i must return to the ffFlower Mines, so will be stabbing at it as i can, in the evenings.

And still not even a “working title”, so that will be today’s ruminations.

Collision: the work begins, Ecoprints and Natural Dyes, in progress, Residency 2016, Rust

appreciating what you already have

Posted on January 2, 2017January 2, 2017 by arlee

When i created these fabrics during the 2016 Contextural summer residency, i knew i liked them but stashed them away as for use in a Someday project, thinking they would probably just be cut up, and incorporated into other projects.

They are beautiful. They can stand on their own. I hadn’t really really Looked at them. The softness of the colours, the strong yet delicate markings of rust, the motifs that occurred during the process are perfect for a background, while having enough interest to accent in some areas as i move through this piece.

I didn’t want a seam down the middle, so i tore one chunk in half and attached it to either side of the main fabric. This is going to be a large work, as you can see by the yardstick left in there for scale 🙂 (I’ll have to have an appropriately sized stretcher bar set custom built, as i haven’t this size in the stoodio!) The seams aren’t terribly obvious, because of the similar colourings and process, but they are there enough that i wanted to segue them into each other. Immediately, i knew i wanted to use my technique of melding the fabrics into each other with a multitude of seeded back stitch. (I used that technique a lot on “Ebb and Flow” from 2014, on the indigo pieces.)

On New Year’s Eve, i watched part of “Expendables” and then all of “Expendables 2” (i deliberately choose “Cheesy B” horror or action films to keep my mind and fingers activated, but not concentrating on the tubage.) and in the space of three hours, managed a section of 12×2″. These seams are 46″ long so i need to update my watch list!!! HA! “You WILL be a-seam-alated!” (I think i’m SO funny….) (Edit: as this post goes live, i have another 13×2″ done—yeah!)

So far, only two variegated colourways have been used there, but a third will pop in as well. One i am going to run out of, hopefully not until the seams are done, because it’s just not available anymore! The other two can be ordered again, and hoofies crossed that the batches aren’t so different as to be noticeable to anyone but Moi. Below, though the differences are not terribly apparent–which is kind of the point of blending—-i’ve used a silk in the centre, edged with a Caron Wildflower Sticks and Stones. Those edges will be edged into also with another Caron Wildflower “Pebbles”.

Unintentionally, that “strip” echoes the squiggly lines of dye and rust. The subconscious mind at work i suppose, because watching cars blowing up and manly posturing with bazookas sure didn’t influence it.

On the fun side of things, i pulled this out and have started playing with it. A riff on the original Beautiful Bones from 2009, and conceived in 2010, it’s mindless and silly, and an enjoyable change from Serious Art!

a collusion of ideas, Collision: the work begins, Days of Honey, in progress, journal: lessons to learn, Residency 2016

“You’re doing it all wrong”

Posted on December 31, 2016December 31, 2016 by arlee

Brain farts. Can be good, can be bad, sometimes brilliant, sometimes SO SO SO stoopid……….

Why re-invent the wheel?

Though i will still be using the procion dyes, i decided this project NEEDS fabrics created during my summer residency at ACAD. My evening’s “celebration” includes a glass of good wine, a cheesy action movie and the first 8″ stitched of a large commission that will take most of my next year! So, happy new one to every and all.
Salut!

Collusion: sampling, Dyeing, FybreSpace the shop, ice dyeing, journal: lessons to learn, Sketchwork

dye painting tests

Posted on December 27, 2016December 27, 2016 by arlee

My Dharma order arrived 6 days after being ordered, but with the silly season upon us, those pesky spare five minutes’s available had to wait until after chripcrapmas………..

I ordered 4 colours (teal blue, rust brown, oxblood red and warm black), planning to augment the palette with what i already have (golden yellow, red, olive, violet and true blue), trusting i will be able to approximate the colours and blending shown on the acrylic painted paper mock-up (left in photo below). Didn’t use all of them though!

On cotton, right, previously soaked in soda ash, though i also added the soda ash *to* the Procion. These fabrics won’t be washed, but i still worry about fading or exposure to any elements in the air. I’ve never had any luck in removing all the alginate before (think icky snail trails…), so bypassed thickening and directly “painted” on the cloth. I do know however, that though usually one wants super saturation with the dyes, this one is too dark, and MUCH too red! I still like it and will continue to work on the idea.

I also did another piece:

The Procion “Rust Brown” has a LOT of red in it, shall have to tone it down. It was based on this, and in a larger scale, may become the background for something.

Mood/story board in the stoodio:

I also did a little ice dyeing, tshirts for the Son below and the Greyman (still batching).

Somehow fitting that i end the year with how i started the year!

Speaking of ice, my camera captured this, a trick of the light and of the time.

And then i remembered, fortunately in plenty of time, that i also need to dye some threads as well! The quantities i’m going to need precludes buying “ready made’ though i’m sure some will come by mail 🙂 Some i’ll do the same way as the cloth, painting bits on , and some will just be immersion dyed.

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And the FybreSpace shop is now gone.

Days of Honey, ice dyeing, Jam Day