Monday, September 24, 2012

Tai Chi, Marbling, and a Red Dot

In light of my morning plans for tai chi not happening I thought I'd let you know what is going on in the studio and art wise with me.

I've settled on marbling on fabric as my seasonal exploration.  It is my long-range hope that it will pair nicely with paper lamination.  I downloaded the Interweave video with Jo Fitsell and got busy last week.  First results/first layers were disappointing with lots of sinking colour in the "size" made with careengenan.  The video below shows the first attempt which I've since gone back over with a 2nd layer.

So far I've tried floating golden fluid acrylics (as per Jo Fitsell's suggestion), pebeo textile paint, tsukineko ink, FW acrylic ink, and airbrush paint.  The tsukineko ink gave me the best float with quite a bit of sinking with the others.  It seems to be a crap shoot to get the right mix of "size" and the thinning of the colour in order for it to float across the top of the size.  This week I'm going to try walnut ink and india ink.  It is the results that are propelling me on.  I love the stone patterns and that is what I want a stash of.  The one thing for sure I've learned thus far is that it is better to start with fabric that has color than all white.

(said in Ed Sullivan's voice), Now for my really big news ...(switch back to my voice) I SOLD THE BOATS PIECE!  YES! YES! YES!  I wanted to include the picture of the red dot with this post, but I just couldn't wait any longer.  And to add to the significance of this, it was approximately a year ago that I started it the day after Troy Davis' execution by the state of Georgia and the anniversary of his death has just passed.  The exhibit is still up until Oct. 2 and open daily M-F from 11:30-1:00 or by appt.  

Now for this tai chi you ask...my mother and I started last Thursday at a senior's center.  I've wanted to do this forever but the classes are always costly.  At the center, it is FREE and held twice a week.  So off we went and had the best time!  The instructors are kind, patient, and funny, and one of them was an instructor I took karate from when I was 14! Mama and I were both so uncoordinated.  For a few days afterwards I noticed that the knots in my upper back and shoulders were gone.  

8 comments:

  1. Wonderful news on the sale!! Tai chi is great - keep it up! Love ya!!

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  2. Ditto what Gerrie said! Congrats on your salle, the marbling looks like a good start, and the tai chi is super! Keep it all up!

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  3. JUMPING JEHOSHAPHAT!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS are in order, and let me congratulate you on the sell, and Tai WHAT????? Wow, what ambition. Can you bottle some of it and send to me?
    My best to you on the painting and experimenting with techniques.
    LOVE

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    1. Carol, you made me laugh :) There is so much I seem to forego and limit myself to that it may appear as if I'm ambitious lol...I don't know, I just try to enjoy myself as a way of showing gratitude for being on the planet :)

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  4. Congrats on your sale!!!!! I love your marbling fabrics. I have been hesitate to add that to my list of things to do because it seems like they would be difficult to use in quilting. I echo Carol---if you send her some of that energy--send some down here to TN as well! Have a great day/week-end!

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    1. Thanks Patricia! I need to play and let go...marbling is fitting the bill right now...it does take repeat after repeat after repeat and is way more unpredictable than just regular dyeing and there is lots of wait time between the steps.

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