Inspirations - Opening Reception

Here is the invitation to The Silo Gallery show, Inspirations, of which I am a part:

I hope to see you there!

Papermaking Adventures: Water Retting

Back in March (see post here), I set out several fibers in buckets of water and wood ash to ret for a few months. Today I strained the fibers and and thoroughly rinsed them with the power wash setting on my garden hose.  To my delight, three of the four had broken down to form a wonderful pulp. Here are the before and after photos:

               Gampi

             L: before

             R: after

             Kozo
        L: before
        R: after
 

              Mulberry
    with bark attached
         L: before
         R: after

                Willow
           L: before
           R: after





The only unpleasant part of this process is the foul smell of the pulp, though that is to be expected. The kozo is the most smelly and the willow has no foul odor at all, in fact it has the same pleasant, aromatic scent it always has. To help mask the odor, I added lavender essential oil to the pulps. I am storing the gampi, kozo and mulberry in the buckets and hope to make paper with them in the next few days. The willow I laid out to dry. I will try cooking this with lye to see if it will break down.

To be continued...

Getting Ready for the Show

Daucus in the Garden

Last year I received an invitation to show my work in the New Talent Gallery at The Silo Gallery at Hunt Hill Farm Trust in New Milford, CT. The show date is swiftly approaching (August 11th) so I have been busy framing the prints and creating a list of titles. I don't know yet what the name of the show will be. (The show is being held in conjunction with a group show, in a separate gallery.) A fitting title for my work might be Seasons In the Garden.  I've got work entitled Blueberry Summer, Summer Morning, Summer Leaves, Summer Series, Springtime in My Garden, Garden Beauty, Autumnus tempestas and more.

If you are free, please accept this invitation to the Opening Reception on Saturday, August 11th from 3 to 5 p.m. I will post more details once I receive the invitations.

Muscari botryoides - Grape Hyacinth Silkscreen Print

Muscari botryoides

This past winter while perusing past issues of Victoria Magazine I found a photo of potted Grape Hyacinths. This inspired me to gather other images of Grape Hyacinths I have filed and create a sketch for a silkscreen project. A month or so later I came across an old Cornell University Extension Bulletin #1190, Sequence of Bloom of Perennials, Biennials and Bulbs. The charts would make a perfect back drop for this print! I selected the page that listed Muscari botryoides and had it photocopied onto a transparency sheet. During the silkscreen class at Creative Arts Workshop, I used the photo emulsion method to burn the chart onto the screen. I printed enough of these backgrounds to create a series of three prints.Next I used a combination of photo emulsion and the block out method to create the Grape Hyacinths. I plan to create two additional drawings of plants from this chart and make silkscreen prints of them.

Details

This print is available for sale, double matted in a 16"x20" bamboo frame. Please send me an email if you are interested.

Letting Go - A Monoprint

This print began in 2010 when I was creating backgrounds with papers cut in several shapes and sizes and used as masks. It was completed this past spring while learning to use the photo emulsion silk screen technique. I posted about using the Queen Anne's Lace flowers on April 14, 2012. Looking at the finished print, I could see depth, almost as if the rectangles were falling down a well or being sucked away. Trying to come up with a name for this print was tricky - Falling? no. Deep Space? no. Letting Go seemed appropriate for the piece and for the journey that I am currently on (leaving my office job to pursue art full time). Letting Go of security, of routine, of living the same life day to day. Is it scary? yes. Is there much to learn? yes. Is it exciting? YES. I really am enjoying the ride!

Details