Experimenting with High Flow and Acrylic Ink

Experimenting with High Flow Acrylic, Acrylic Artist Ink, and Neocolor water soluble wax pastels on wood panel with Acrylic Ground for Pastels.  

"By the Sea, Fiber Series"

My poor blog has been neglected but I have been working on my, "By the Sea, Fiber Series." I have five pieces so far.  This  is the fourth in the series.  Mediums used-Golden liquid acrylics, raw canvas, stitched, and Derwent Inktense.

Transformed

Transformed.

Onion Skin

onion skin dye/silk                                                               onion skin dye/linen

I wanted to start dyeing fabric again.  A few years ago I dyed with tea and spices and loved the results.  Then I ventured off to the acrylic painting path.  I love both, painting is quick but I am always drawn back to fiber.  I love the feel of the cloth.  Sometimes paint and fiber converge in my work.

I mentioned to one of my students that I wanted to start collecting onion skins.  The next day she brought a bag of onion skins.  So over the weekend I did a little dyeing.  These are my results from the red onion skins.  I like the earthy colors.  Next I want to eco print.  I threw one bundle into this dye pot, but waiting until it is completely dry to open.  Not sure I did it correctly...think I was to steam it?  Will see what happens. 

Weaving

 I wove my first scarf on a rigid heddle loom!  Jude Hill at Spirit Cloth first introduced me to weaving in her Considering Weave online journeys.  Last week I took a weaving on a heddle loom class at Compatto. Of course I was hooked and became obsessed with the loom this past week.  I do not have my own loom so am renting one at the moment.  It is small but good for me as a beginner.  I hope to buy a 20" loom, but they are not cheap!  Below is  my second piece using a linen/cotton yarn and a silk yarn.  I have many projects going, painting, landscape quilt, hand sewn pieces, and a mixed media piece, but this one has my attention  at the moment:)

Showtime tomorrow

If you missed seeing my work last month at the Artwalk, it is up this month again during the MOPLA Month of Photography Los Angeles show. Hope to see you.

By the Sea Turquoise Paper Pieced

Yesterday was stay at home time after the show on Saturday.  The show was fun, I talked to so many people, but I am exhausted.   So yesterday I did not leave the house, (also it was the LA marathon and streets were closed. If you live in LA avoiding traffic is a big part of your life.)  I decided to look through my fiber pieces and found this one.  This is paper pieced and I think I started it in 2007...maybe?  In all I have about 25 pieces that I have started and need to finish.  I found this piece and hope to finish this year.  It is my "By the Sea Turquoise Paper Pieced." Painting and Fiber my favorite things to do.

ARTWALK 2015 By the Sea Series

Yesterday was the opening of the show.  It was fun  seeing old friends, meeting new friends, listening to the comments.  "What is it?"  "I think it is..."  Of course I know what thoughts were going through my mind with each piece, what started each creation, the bubble I was in with each brush stroke.  It is the journey and my fascination  with the sea that weaves it's way through all  mediums I work with.

Show coming up on Saturday

 I have six paintings in the Artwalk show this Saturday.  If you are in the LA area come by and say hi.

Pieces of Sky Storm Coming?

I'm stitching these days.  I like combining paper, silk, paint, and thread.  I have many pieces stitched.  This is my first piece on a dark background, about 6"x 6."
Although my friends around the country are experiencing snow and bad weather, here we are in a drought.  We get very excited at the prospect of rain!

Working on Violets

 Violets

Fabric collage in progress.  

Stitching

I've been painting and stitching.  Usually I will paint first.  Around 11pm is my painting time then later I will stitch.  I like painting because it is fast for me.  I can lay and manipulate colors quickly. I go into another space where I mostly feel but not think. Now that I am thinking about it... I do my thinking about painting during the day.  Then at night, with paint brush in my hand, I let it go.

With stitching the process is slow, I can make color and shape with thread and fabric.  The slowness gives me time to think.  This piece has been in the making for a year.  I just checked my blog and see I posted the beginning of stitching the center piece a year ago January. Another note to self ...blog more often as it is a record of my work.

So this piece kept growing and keeps getting stitches.  I added the green background but when I look at it cropped I am thinking of losing the green.  What do you think?

In the Show

Long time since I have posted.  Finished "By the Sea #9" in November and entered it into Women Painter's West juried Winter Exhibition. The piece made it in and tomorrow is the show! So excited.