What Goes Up

Originally I was going to title this "deforestation", but that seemed so harsh.The whole process of creating this installation "Into the Woods" with Joan Dreyer has been magical and it is more than a little sad to see it come to an end. So let me walk you through this one last time.


The original "Winter Foliage" was an outgrowth of a drawing exercise I had in a workshop with Dorothy Caldwell. Dorothy had us draw with brushes taped to very flexible dowels using India ink and paper. I couldn't wait to try it with dye on silk... but then thought better of the clean up and decided to do it vertically rather than on the floor.

Habotai silk with MX dyes... European drying rack

 

 

Joan and I worked through a whole series of concepts for our installation but once I took the orginal "Winter Foliage" down to test out how it could hold the space of the hallway my end of it was cemented. My studio assistant stepped back with me to check out the piece in the space and exclaimed "The woods are lovely dark and deep" and "Into the Woods" was born.



Joan had been working with dental x-rays and so the daisy and hydrangea sculptures continued the theme creating fabulous shadows and a similar palette.

The silk panels hid these from view until you entered the forest.

It was fun to see peoples feet exposed beneath the panels as they stopped to examined the sculpture. Kids of course had a good time running through it and making the trees drift in their breeze.

But the seasons change and so do installations and so it was time to pack it up. At least there were no leaves to rake up. I could stack all 5 panels roll them up and now they are resting under my print table.

More Orange

The last thing I did before SAQA/SDA arrived was lay out more of the tightly twisted silk seersucker and paint it with a blended yellow dye. I screened half of the length with a red mx and let it dry. Today more got done and here are the results. Soon this joined pieces will be separated and serged. Will post again then.

Wearing of the Green

 Where do ideas come from?  I was exploring this question when I made this most recent pieced scarf.

"Irish Fantasy

tightly wrapped "Irish Fantasy"

Spring Garden at the Crane

Despite my lack of Irish heritage I have discovered that I am compelled to work in green and orange this time of year. Last year was the first time I noticed this... I was working on a series of scarves that I wanted to screen some gold paisley on to using a thermofax. I was not at all pleased with the screened gold fabric paint. Then I noticed the greens and oranges and labeled that series in my mind as "The Troubles."  The largest of those pieces found a new home with a visitor from the United Kingdom who I met at Quilting By the Lake. All but two of the small squares are also out in the real world.


These pieces began as deconstructed screens and are on my favorite stonewashed silk crepe.

"The Troubles" small square

"The Troubles" large square

We have been having lovely weather of late and spring is early because we really had almost no winter. And once again I was surprised to watch myself  heading back into Green and Orange. So today in honor of St. Patrick's Day I will share this years versions. You have already seen "Irish Fantasy" above. I have just loved playing with the variety of textures and colors.

Discharged deep green silk gauze, sand colored crinkle silk chiffon, orange and chartreuse doupioni both woven with a red warp, soy wax resist habotai (china) silk ... and all of it edged with brilliant red orange serged lines acting like piping. Now this is my idea of an yummy combination.

Another exciting recent discovery is a new silk that I am working with. It is a tightly wrapped silk seersucker that has a subtle shimmer I suspect because of the tight wrap. It drapes beautifully takes dye perfectly, has a slight texture and weighs nothing and doesn't wrinkle. What more could one ask?

Close up "Sea Currents" Organic Geometry

"Sea Currents" draped as
shawl.

"Sea Currents" wrapped snuggly.

And I forgot to mention it is nearly 60" wide. It called out to make huge squares scarves that could be packed up to fit in any suitcase.



Here is one fully open and then wrapped.

Fully open "Red Cross"
Organic Geometry Series

"Red Cross" wrapped as Sarong.

It is beach weather somewhere in the world.

But here in Philadelphia it is a gorgeous St. Patrick's day and a wonderful time to be wearing the green.

Full House

Gasali Adeyemo

The festival of FiberPhiladelphia is in full swing and at this very moment a group of fiber devotes are taking an Indigo dyeing workshop in my studio. It is a lovely thing to see this space being used and enjoyed by so many... while I can idle away at the computer.  Indigo Arts Gallery has brought in the Nigerian Indigo artist Gasali Adeyemo to teach this workshop. Here he is busy leading his students through different tying techniques.

I think there are about 25 folks chatting and working away.

I don't think I have done justice to the crowd, but I hope it gives you a sense of the space and the number of folks. It once again confirms for me just how lucky I am to have this at my disposal!
I hope all of you will plan a visit during fiberphiladelphia. See  all the amazing shows downstairs in the Icebox, the Grey Area, Space 102, the Great Hallway and of course in Indigo Arts Gallery and then come visit my studio! All of this in the Crane, 1400 North American, 19122.

Once you are here don't miss the fabulous Art Cloth Network Show "Lines and Numbers" at the White Space in the Crane Old School 1425 North Second Street... and "Bound and Found" at Bahdeebadu 1522 North American Street.


And this is just scratching the surface of all that is taking place in Philadelphia this month!

Making, not Hanging

Well I think I am sure now that while I really like to make art, installing it is quite another matter. I greatly admire a well installed show and have never been naive about how much skill this art form takes. That said I was up to my elbows in installation today and am glad that tomorrow is another day... and I don't think I will be doing that particular task again.

Here are two shots showing the beginnings of "Lines and Numbers" Art Cloth Networks show at the White Space and the Crane Old School

Excitement at The Crane !!!!

Fiber Philadelphia is quickly approaching and we could not be any more excited.  Volunteers have been at The Crane day in and day out, unwrapping works of art from all of the world, assigning inventory, and executing the show under curator Bruce Hoffman

Just outside of Space 102 , one can see Dianne's & Joan Dreyer's show entitled, "Into the Woods."  In between Dianne's 13 foot silk paintings, one can see Joan's sculptures , however, you will have to come see for yourself; we can't give it all away! 

Lastly, Dianne believes that this is the largest scarf inventory she has ever had to date.  Though the high numbers won't remain, we are awaiting a scarf frenzy.  Above are the 9 scarves we finished this week.  Dianne's studio will be open to the public on March 3 and 31st.  Come and view her scarves and studio during this wonderful celebration of Fiber Philadelphia. 

Hope to see you then !!

Francesca van Stolk
Studio Assistant
Guest Blogger

Uarts Art Education Benefit Workshop

Good afternoon readers!
You should all know by now that Dianne is very passionate about her silks and surface design, however, you may not know that Dianne is extremely skilled in another department as well.  That department being teaching.  Dianne is the art teacher you wish you had as a child, teenager, and adult.  I say this as someone whom is studying to become an art educator.  After an entire career of being an art teacher, Dianne still can't get away from the profession!  Yesterday, she led an adult workshop in her studio where she fascinated 5 people of different ages, genders, and professions.  Check out the results!  These pieces were achieved in one afternoon.

A peak at the process:

The results:

Thanks for stopping in, that's all for today!

Stay posted later within the week to see pictures of her workshop that is taking place this Wednesday!

Francesca van Stolk

Guest Blogger