Late Summer series

Several pieces been waiting for months to be finished. Finally this week I turned my hand to these:

waiting

The series comes from thoughts, photos, and sketches made during late summer visits to the beach.

finished

I made the stencils last year, as part of demo for my Free Form Fabric Collage class at the Arlington Center for the Arts. (Still a seat left if you'd like to join us. We'll be making stencils this week.)

The monoprint portion of this one was made with watercolor on gelatin, then layered with collage.

The series will at Open Studios next weekend in Lowell.

One piece remains. It's more like yardage, and hangs from my studio door, asking what comes next?

what next?

Sue Benner, Expressive Painting

A look back at a class I took two years ago. 

My summer dye-work has been interrupted by a bad knee (all the supplies are in the basement, two floors down. And the water is in the kitchen, two floors up. Good knees required.) But the t-shirt blanks are waiting for me. Meanwhile, I sort my thermofax screens, collect color swatches, and remember this inspiring class. 

 

Just coming back into my body after a 5-day workshop at Pro Chemical and Dye in Fall River, with Sue Benner.  Speechless with delight. Five days in a huge workshop, with fourteen talented people, plus all of Pro Chem's power behind us.

The week filled us with energy, ideas, images. Officially, the class  ran from 9 til 4, but they opened the building at 8AM and let us stay until 6. My roommate and I got there when the doors opened and closed the place each day. Such intense joy, to work all day, in an optimized studio, with room, tools, supplies, and good company.  I haven't got any photos yet of my work, but here are some images of other students.

repeat-like freehand design

Students came from around the US and from Canada.  The room was full of energy and curiosity, with Sue a marvelous, generous teacher to lead us.

Sue Benner

 After a half-day of set-up, we began with straight monoprints. The second morning we worked just with black on white. Here is one such piece, with a second layer of painting and a fine mist of color:

I love the sense of depth here

 The range of vision was wonderful to see, from abstract to literal, and from carefully considered to the wildly improvisational.

Flowers! layered print by my wonderful roommate

Wednesday the Pro Chem people set up a big print table for us on the loading dock. Everyone got at least two chances over two days to work large. I snapped up extra hours, even squeezed in a last hour before final cleanup on Friday.

Silk scarf and smiles.

If they'd offered the option, I'd still be there. Instead I'm home, setting up a dye station in each of my work places, rationalizing my supplies, and calling the plumber about a sink in the basement.

sunset on last day.

Here's a piece from this weekend, painted on half a vintage table cloth:

dye painting, vintage linen

Heaps of ideas and energy.

Garden of the mind

Lie still, where there's a breeze.

Summer heat wave into its umpteenth day. I feel my Scottish blood, and retreat to caves, dark and cool. Both studios have huge windows, and no AC -- they are off-limits until the weather breaks.

The tomatoes and nasturtiums seem quite happy.  Me, I'm tidying up the to-do list, tilling mental soil.

I'm working on course plans for my fall classes at Arlington Center for the Arts and Emerson Arts Umbrella.  In Arlington, I'm excited to offer "Free Form Fabric Collage" again. This tour of techniques and design issues debuted last spring. The students brought such energy to the class, and made some terrific work.

The Emerson class, "Musketquid Fabric Printing: Designs from the Garden," is new. We'll meet for 8 weeks, taking our inspiration from the garden they grew this summer. For my own inspiration,  I've ordered Stitched Flowers, by a new artist I found through Pinterest, Bobby Brindell.

Time to sit in the shade with some watercolors and dream.