Porthole - Bamboo Moon

Bamboo Moon

I don't know where the upper piece of cloth came from, but there were 3 that looked like they came from the same set using the same of muslin fabric that took the dye really well. Fully saturated "chroma" colors were discharged with an image of a bamboo fence.  You wouldn't be able to tell that, but I know the imagery.  I don't know what happened with the lower cloth - that one lavender dot was an anomaly, but I thought it was an interesting addition.  

Artist Book - Sumi sink paper

Sumi - Sink Art

A very cool technique is to paint large swathes of sumi ink onto a piece of paper that has wet strength (it doesn't fall apart when you get it wet).  Give it a little time for the lacquer in the ink to dry (maybe 10 seconds) and then bring it to the sink and run it under water.  The dry edges stay black, but the ink that is still wet is washed away and leaves interesting marks.  I used a piece of Arches Text Wove for this cover and loved it.  

I was making this book away from home and needed a "tape" to sew the binding and I looked down and saw I was wearing sneakers with a purple shoe laces. It just happened to match some of the inner page colors..... so what if I walked around without shoelaces, the things we do for our art!

Porthole - Raven

Raven

I think its funny the way I just keep putting cloth back in the dye pot. This piece was pretty boring with screened images on it.  But then I tied it up and stuck it in another dye pot (cuz what did I have to lose) and out came this mysterious piece.  Of course, not all over-dyed pieces are successful, but heck - its just cloth!

Artist Books - Beaded Bindings

Beaded Bindings

Sometimes I get carried away. Miriam Schaer taught our Book Arts Roundtable group how to make beaded bindings and I made a couple of them. I never finished them.  They are so labor intensive that I just can't see writing in any of them.  That is a problem with bookmaking. I give books away and everyone thinks they are so precious that what we have to write in them is not important enough.  I DO write in many of my books, because, after all, I can make more, but once you have so much time invested in a piece, you feel that what you have to write is not worthy of the book!

Porthole - In the Rain

In the Rain

This is one of my subtler pieces - and I do love it.  The diagonal lines on the deconstruction piece really gives this piece action.  It gives you just enough definition that you have hints on what the design is, but not enough to know for sure.  I love a little mystery and the fact that the viewer brings something to the piece - determining what they are see.

Artist Book - Barfly

BARFLY

BARFLY was a little fun book I made for our book swap.  The one rule is that we may not swap blank books, because we all have way to many of them. I put the book together with transparent vellum pages, which allowed me to play with the see through of it all.  I believe Joan Bess won this one.  It's always fun to have a friend win the work because you know it will be appreciated.

Laughter by Joan Bess

I won Joan's "Laughter is good for the heart" book at a different swap. This is Fran Wilner holding it.  The book part is an accordion recessed in the doll's belly.Fran is an inspiration in herself - never playing the "old age organ recital" whine, but always remaining upbeat and playful - a fabulous role model!

Porthole - Nocturne

Nocturne

One of my goals was to try to use my appliques in a "non-blocky" way.  I "saw" how the "bug" cut up would meld with the thistle screened fabric and closed my eyes and chopped it in half.  I love the way it almost turns into a continuation of the plant - a little magic. Then when it came time to quilt it, I had another heart palpitation, but I closed my eyes (figuratively) and forged ahead.  I love the way it turned out, so more of this will be in my future.  

Nocturne (back)

Here is the back to Nocturne.  The yellow loops are how you can hang it  on the right side and you are able to rotate it.  My "plan" is to put one loop on the front, so it is reversible.  I will try it on one of them and see if it works.  It's all an experiment. My friend Robin showed me how to make the silk bias edge to finish the porthole edge and it looks mighty fine.