Fall in New England

I absolutely love the fall season. Having grown up in New England I've been spoiled by the annual transformation of the leaves from greens to reds, yellows, oranges and browns. The leaves can be a single color or individual leaves can take on multi colors all blending into each other.... it's just marvelous!

I dyed cotton earlier to mimic fall colors.  I traced leaves collected from the yard and created the below "Fall in New England" piece. Sewing the multi colored leaves to a black background really made the colors pop.

The piece is 13" X 27.5" and wrapped around canvas stretchers. It felt peaceful to create and I hope it brings viewers pleasure when it's shown at "Explorations in Fibers" at the upcoming Kent Library Show.



Fall in New England
13" X 27.5"
 

This detail shows the quilitng and french notes added for interest.

Explorations in Fiber: Artist Talk and Demonstration

I have a solo show at the Kent Memorial Library in November and December with a gallery talk and demonstration on November 3rd from 3:00 - 5:00. I'm excited to share my techniques and design process with visitors and look forward to their questions.

Please stop in to see the show and if you're in Kent on November 3rd

you must stop in to say hi!

 

 

 

Ice Dyed Fabric: Autumn Inspiration

Yesterday I pulled my dye immersed fabrics from the dye pots and today I pulled out the ice dyed fabrics. Once again I was influenced by the beautiful autumn colors from my recent trip to Vermont. The ice dyed results are always a surprise when the fabric comes out of the pot. I have no real way to determine how the colors will migrate because they are controlled by the way the ice melt flows.

Here are the results:

I see a piece of art with colorful leaves floating

all around in my future!

 

Brown and Red
If I were Goldilocks I would say this one was just right!

Orange, Yellow and Brown
Hard to believe there was orange used!

Orange, Yellow and Green
Again, the orange or lack-of was a surprise!

Red and Gold
For me the red was a little too bright and I'll try again with more gold

 

Fabric Dying: Ode To Autumn!

I was lucky enough to spend some time in northern Vermont recently and the fall colors were beautiful! I knew I had to come back to the studio and try to recreate the color combinations I saw. My favorites were the many shades of green, yellow, red, a wonderful soft orange and browns... OK, they were all my favorite!

This batch was created with the dye immersion technique. I took four individual yards of fabric and scrunched them side by side in a large plastic bin. Next I mixed up batches of red, yellow, bronze and green. I poured each color over the top of the fabrics allowing them to blend together and then walked away. At the end of the day I rinsed and washed the fabrics and here are the results!

I'm going back to the studio this morning to take my fall inspired

ice dyed fabrics out of the dye pots... yippee! 

Mixed Media: Dragonfly

"Dragonfly" is a 10" X 21" piece I created by combining a few different methods. I started with a white piece of artists canvas which I dyed using the ice dye technique. I started quilting by meandering in-between and over the various colors... basically I wandered wherever the canvas seemed to need some texture. I wasn't quite satisfied so I started stamping with gold ink... still feeling it needed more I added crystals and beads. I put the piece away for a while and when I came back to it I knew it needed purple a dragonfly... or two! The canvas is stretched over a wooden frame. It was fun to create!

The Holiday Shopping Season has Begun!

My work will be available at the Norfolk Artisans Guild through October 26th!

Is there anyone on your shopping list who would like to receive a vintage gift? I have table runners and pillows made from a combination of vintage and reproduction fabrics for sale! There is also a collection of more contemporary fiber art on display!

Stop by to shop at the Norfolk Artisans Guild, Station Place, Norfolk, CT

with the added bonus of the beautiful fall foliage at peak season!