Well, I have a new best friend in the textile world, and their name is Caran D'Ache Neocolor II watersoluable wax pastels, i.e. crayons. They even look like crayons. My biggest compaint was that they arrived from the states with 5 broken tips, and a $40 shipping fee!! So not cool. Naturally I have now found a canadian supplier, the same place where I order materials for my art class at school. A pack of 30 crayons was $45. A friend expressed real horror at the cost of these crayons, asking if there wasn't something a lot cheaper. For those of us into creating, we know that we get what we pay for. These crayons are truly amazing and perfect for the art quilter or textile artist. You basically color your image onto pre-washed fabric (cotton or muslin), then take a wet watercolor brush and brush water over your image. The next thing you know, you are looking at a fabulously blended watercolor painting! After it dries you can quilt and stitch paint to your hearts content. Just remember however that because it is water soluable you can't wash it afterwards, so it's not suitable for a bed quilt or a wearable item. I can't wait to give it a try, and I think today is the day. I'll post an image when the work is completed and stitched. I know I need to be cleaning my house, and I've started back to work, but a girl has to have her art time.
p.s. the cotton sweater I knit looks awful on me. I hate it when that happens!
Showing posts with label quilting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quilting. Show all posts
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
My first day blogging
This is my first day blogging, so please bear with me. I'm going to talk about my art, the art I see of others, my job teaching art, and of course my life as I try to live as an artist.
Let me start by saying that everyone is creative in their own way, and just because you think you can't draw or paint does not mean you aren't creative. Maybe you're an awesome cook, perhaps you come up with great ideas to keep your kids occupied during the summer months, maybe you are passionate about the environment (I'm with you on this one).
I also want to start out by saying that making a living as an artist is not romantic. I do not live the bohemian lifestyle (much as I might want to), I do not eat granola (too fattening), I do not dress weird (well, at least I don't think I do), and I do not think I am eccentric ( even if my students say I am). I am not rich, nor do I ever think I will get rich as an artist. It's a lot of hard work, a lot of low pay, and I have to teach to make ends meet. I like to make things that I like, not what I think people want to buy (Perhaps this is part of my problem?). Still, being an artist is who I am, I would be lost without it, and I struggle every day with it.
Ok, enough of that. I want to talk about the direction I've been going in lately, and that's fibre. I LOVE fibre and all things fibre. With this medium I can do anything, and it provides a great way to combine painting, sculpting, design and textiles. In particular, I am "painting" with felt, thread, wool, yarn and oil paints. Instead of just felting images I have been going over them with thread, quilting, yarn, and whatever else I can find. I'll post a couple of pictures to let you know what I mean. I have a solo exhibit I'm getting ready for in the fall as part of the Nova Scotia Fibre Arts festival. Check out the website at fibreartsfestival.com. I also have one of my pieces in the festive issue coming up this fall in the Canadian Publication of "A Needle Pulling Thread".
My job today (besides cleaning the house and doing laundry, VERY romantic) is to pull out the thread and start working on thread painting an oil on cotton work. I think I am keeping the thread companies in business lately.
Let me start by saying that everyone is creative in their own way, and just because you think you can't draw or paint does not mean you aren't creative. Maybe you're an awesome cook, perhaps you come up with great ideas to keep your kids occupied during the summer months, maybe you are passionate about the environment (I'm with you on this one).
I also want to start out by saying that making a living as an artist is not romantic. I do not live the bohemian lifestyle (much as I might want to), I do not eat granola (too fattening), I do not dress weird (well, at least I don't think I do), and I do not think I am eccentric ( even if my students say I am). I am not rich, nor do I ever think I will get rich as an artist. It's a lot of hard work, a lot of low pay, and I have to teach to make ends meet. I like to make things that I like, not what I think people want to buy (Perhaps this is part of my problem?). Still, being an artist is who I am, I would be lost without it, and I struggle every day with it.
Ok, enough of that. I want to talk about the direction I've been going in lately, and that's fibre. I LOVE fibre and all things fibre. With this medium I can do anything, and it provides a great way to combine painting, sculpting, design and textiles. In particular, I am "painting" with felt, thread, wool, yarn and oil paints. Instead of just felting images I have been going over them with thread, quilting, yarn, and whatever else I can find. I'll post a couple of pictures to let you know what I mean. I have a solo exhibit I'm getting ready for in the fall as part of the Nova Scotia Fibre Arts festival. Check out the website at fibreartsfestival.com. I also have one of my pieces in the festive issue coming up this fall in the Canadian Publication of "A Needle Pulling Thread".
My job today (besides cleaning the house and doing laundry, VERY romantic) is to pull out the thread and start working on thread painting an oil on cotton work. I think I am keeping the thread companies in business lately.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
