Direct Print from Wood

 The first print; on a cotton fabric I rescued from a skip. Quite thin cotton.

I then took a second print, without adding any fabric paint to the wood. Fainter; but I think I can use it.

The chunk of wood in my garden, that I used as the surface to print from. I simply painted fabric paint onto it, and placed fabric on the top, then gently rollered over it. Of course, I'm now loking around my garden, to see if there's any other bits of wood around I can make prints from!

collography print experiments...

I used water-colour paint on this print. Brushed it on; the varnish repelled the water, and left some interesting pointillist marks.

 This was acrylic paint.

This was using textile paint; much thicker, denser colour. Each print has different qualities. I used the same paper for each print. I'm looking now, at printing on top of them, using different colour/s. Maybe the same plate?

Maybe a different one?  

And this is the 'plate' I printed from. On a piece of A4 card, I mixed a printing medium with P.V.A and tried to build up layers and marks, to see how it might be manipulated. To finish up, I varnished over it, and once it was dry, did some prints. My next printing plate is a metal can, with a mix of tile grout, and P.V.A. dripped onto it. I think I'll use the same approach (different paint mediums, on the same paper) to see how that comes out. It's great when mates who are printmakers, give me tips on how to work with materials. Lovely!

No fabric printed yet with this plate; though once the process is underway, ideas flow, as to how I might develop it. 



'The Infinite Contained'

 The fabric collages hanging in the space of Westgate Chapel

 'Portal'

 'For No-One'

 'Lucy'

 'My Family'

 'The Other Half of the Sky'

 'Holding (for PSM)'

 'My Garden'

Visitors to the exhibition

 

It was quite a scarey evening. The work is far more 'autobiographical' than any other I've ever made, so I felt very exposed, and 'on view'. The feedback was entirely positive though. Friends who knew the background to the work, came and expressed their delight. And even complete strangers came up to me and told me how much they liked it.

I have been taken aback by the comments.

And now; I'm spending the holidays having a proper break! No work (re; job) and not thinking about creating ANYTHING! I've decided I'm going to 'absorb' for a while. Spend time looking; at things around me, and at other artists.

Ideas are ghosts in my mind; I want to use the mangle for printing with, so that's one thing I'll experiment with....later. And I want to do some more weaving...that I can then print onto. For now; rest. It's been a very intense few years; and now is the time for consolidation, and resting.



'bandaged heart'

 Close up; the 'heart' with loose threads.

 The complete piece. It's turned out like a small cushion.....so for the exhibition in November, I'm thinking to put it onto a chair, and just hope no-one sits on it!

I printed onto a bandage, and stitched the fabric/s together.

Layers; and stuffed with quilting fibre.

Then stitched onto denim, as the background fabric. 

This was one day in spring, in the very early stages of making, when the sun shone in through the studio door, and illuminated the procian dyed polyester! You can see the texture of the bandage more clearly in this photo.

Experimental Printing

Machine stitching onto blown plastic; with organdie fabric laid over it.

Inked up with fabric paint, and printed onto;

Above; printed onto an old road map.  

 Same print, on water-colour paper.

 Same print; onto fabric

Close-up; of fabric, with additional stitching.

I took this away with me this week, when I went off to Anglesey camping in my van. Sitting in the sun, beer in hand, stitching away.

Just playing, and seeing what happens.

'hands'

This collagraphy print is on silk dyed with cow parsley. Since I dyed this, and printed onto it, I've added more fabric; and am stitching onto it. There are no hands in this photo, but the hands are emerging out of the stitching. More photos will be added as I work on it.