Silk Screening Class

It's fun sneaking in my watercolors before the post (smile)

The silk screen construction and uses workshop that I was contracted to teach in less than 2 weeks only has two students. The Stamp making workshop has none. The day after these are supposed to occur I am having the same workshop except that it is a 2 day workshop at the Art Greenhouse and that workshop is full.

Here are some pics of the process in the back barn.


This is my chop saw that I use to cut the wood. I am making 14 screens 14 X 14 (outside dimension). I did all the cutting a few days ago so you can see my screws and glue on the table

This is my assembly area - an old file cabinet with a sheet of 3/8" plywood, an old gooseneck lamp and my handy dandy battery screw gun.

Here are the completed screens plus an 18X40 I want to use for silk screening scarves. This screen should cover half the scarf (14X72). Now I have to treat each screen when dry with a coat of Cabot's waterproofing compound (can't remember the name of it). This mitigates the amount of tape needed to finish the screen.

Today I applied the wood waterproofing which really stinks but eliminates the need for total coverage in tape. The screens look much neater too.

 This beauty is the 18X40 I made for deconstructed silk scarves. Can't wait to try it out.

 Wet frames air drying on a metal pole between to upside down rubbish cans

 This is the best waterproofing product even though it really stinks. Do this outside.

3 Year Anniversary coming up

Latest sketch/watercolor

I was planning on a 200th post celebration but just like all my plans the 200th came and went without my even suspecting. I have now marked on my Google calendar for the 3rd year anniversary on October 25th. I even have added to my calendar a one week heads up reminder. I think I would like this one to be quite special. Any suggestions for Give-Aways will be noted. I know my friends from the Netherlands like books which are harder to get there. I have a VAST collection of workshops on DVDs and I think I will put them up for grabs too. Ideas anyone?? Fabric, Hand dyed thread...

I have pulled 6 DVD workshops by famous fiber artists out of my stash. I also have a few books ready to go so let me know what kinds of things would make a great give-away for you.

And the answer is...

They are both fine but I like the one on the right better because it doesn't mask as much fabric

when you don't know what to do next...PLAY

I am swamped with so many deadlines and projects and workshops, I don't know where to start. So I decided to try to reproduce a stamp I loved and gave away. No biggie. I can make another. Now that I am finished and ready to upload photos, I can see where I made my mistake. Let's see if you can figure it out.
I started with  great stamp.

 I love this stamp and I love the Jacquard "halo" colors. This was my first exposure about 3 years ago to Halo Pink Gold.

 So I got out my foam core board from the dollar store, did a quick sketch and cut it out with an X-acto knife. I sprayed one side with 3M dry wall bead spray and stuck it to another rectangle of foam core board.

 This is such a fabulous example of blotting. I had painted some fabric and when I picked it up off the table, there was so much paint left on the table, I drapped another piece of cloth on it and blotted up the paint.

 This is me applying Halo Green Gold with a round foam pouncer I bought in a bag of 3 sized at WalMart. I clean these carefully and have used them for years.

This is the finished design. Can you see the mistake?

I am in the process of writing an in-depth detailed "booklet" describing what materials and how to use them for my "Surface Design Workshop #1". I had SO MANY surface design techniques that I made 3 workshops. Now I may have to divide them into 4??? We'll see

BIGGER NEWS

My wonderful brother "Eric", who you could all identify at 100 paces, will be helping me learn to video tape, edit and upload WORKSHOPS to YouTube so now I can teach my workshops ONLINE. I am so excited!

A Quandary

I have been thinking a lot about not posting my watercolors on this blog anymore - maybe starting another blog with just my "art" work on it. When I publish a post about my watercolors, I rarely get a response. I understand that fiber artists and/or surface designers aren't interested in watercolors. Watercolor and other expressions of art outside of fiber ARE a big part of my life. My blog isn't a popularity contest. It is what I wrote on the header -  "Thoughts, ideas and creations of a seaside artist".

So now I have resolved my quandary. So I will say to my readers what I hear from friends who advise, "Take what you like and leave the rest."

and now on to my post:

This is EDM#11 challenge

This is a photo of my house and the start of the watercolor

This is midway

This is finished.

I always wanted a "portrait" of my house.

More art work

Here are a few sketches/watercolors I've been working on.

Below is the EDM (Every Day Matters) #3 challenge of drawing a purse or bag.

Below is EDM#6 - a beloved stuffed animal. As you can see by the post script on the actual sketch (oops). the fountain pen - just a normal fountain pen - didn't have waterproof ink. Note to self - Put that pen in a drawer so you'll never touch it while sketching. I also got the second Duke pen that I accidentally bid on on ebay. No biggie. They come with two dibs so this one will sport the other nib. They are just 9.99 and free shipping.

By the way, did anyone notice my human calendar? (see right side of blog)

Coastal 2

About to start assembling the Coastal 2 piece.  I assembled the Coastal 2 and it was too light in values.

I sent the pic well before finishing because of the lightness and the woman who gave me the commission agreed it was too light. I will start over today.

Another view from my studio

Bookcover, Paints, Pencil case

Photos I took today of my new paints and other things

 Front (above) and back (below) of the cover for my Strathmore watercolor journal

 Paints I bought from the Kemshall's a few years ago. Very highly pigmented. Came with a wonderful round brush

 New Sennelier watercolors I just got on a DEEP sale with a cute pop out drawer to keep the paints in. Probably will just load the paints into my white box (photo at a later date)

 Cretacolor watercolor pencils which I can now "bring along" in my old pencil case. Also just above the pencil case is my new Duke calligraphy pen to sketch with (dead cheap)

Sewing Workshops

I sent this flyer to four quilt shops offering an exclusive within 30 miles. Nada! Not a peep.

Portrait quilts

Portrait Quilts are fun and easy to do. The class is 4-6 hours long and each quilt will be completed in class. Each photo much be sent to me prior to the class so patterns can be made. These patterns will become the property of the student.

Supplies:

·         Four values of one color fabric that read as a solid

·         Each fabric should be ¼ yard or a fat quarter

·         Fusible web ½ yard

·         Thread to match 4 fabrics

·         9X12 batting or felt

·         Backing fabric to make quilt sandwich

      Quilted Bags

Quilted Bags are simple to make and great gifts to give or use yourself. Everyone has odd quilted pieces, quilts that “never worked” of perhaps you can make a new quilted square or triangle to turn into a unique bag. You can make as many bags as you have materials. Class is 3 hours.

Supplies:

·         An old quilt to cut up and repurpose

·         A new square of quilted material

·         Thread

·         Zippers 6”-12” (will determine size of bag)

·         Fabric scraps

·         Backing fabric

     Best Ever Book Cover

This is the best ever book cover. It fits perfectly – no bagging and covers the inside of the book cover to the spine. It is easily removed to wash or replace the book with another. Ideas: Sketchbook, Journal, Bible, Planner.

Class is 3 hours

Supplies:

·         Book to cover (see ideas)

·         ½ yard batting or felt

·         Thread

·         Fabric scraps that coordinate

·         Rotary cutter/scissors

·         Plain fabric for inside book (solid color)

    Improvisational Quilting

Make a fabulous quilt without measuring a thing. All you need is an idea, some fabric, and a rotary  cutter. I will teach you the technique and you can make a small piece in class. Then at home you can make wonderfully original art quilts.

Class is 4-6 hours

Supplies

·         Fabric- Solids work best

·         Thread to match each fabric

·         Rotary cutter a must

·         Batting or felt

·         Backing fabric to make quilt sandwich

New Pencil Case

I decided I wanted to switch from this real gorgeous pencil case I made years ago

 To this pyramidal shaped one that is  easy to see into and grab things.

 Very easy to see everything

2 watercolors and 8 scarves

This is the famous watercolor #1 - the first watercolor I ever made. Painted it 2010

 This is a pile of wrinkled silk scarves I made on Saturday with Meagan, my young friend from town. She made her own pile and has a hot lead on a sales outlet in Manhattan. Go Meagan!!

 These are the scarves each with a flat and draped photo. Below is Crepe de Chine

 Habotai. All the scarves are 14 X 72

 Habotai

 Below and below are Crepe de Chine both acid dyed (love acid dye)

 Below is Habotai

 Habotai

 Yummy Crepe de Chine