The home/studio remodel continues and I now have three new 8 foot long lights in my work space!
not the greatest photo, but you get the idea!
I had no idea how dark it was and how much my eyes must have been straining with the old lighting. Look at the difference below – new lights in the space on the left hand side of studio, same old lighting on the right half of photo:
Left side of photo: new lighting. Right side of photo: old lighting.
I know it’s a little over the top, but since I built my dream studio, it made sense to also install great lighting. This part of my work space is where I spend most of my creative time AND it doubles as the gallery during our open studio events – now it really does have gallery lighting.
Selecting Color
One of my favorite parts of the creative process happens in the beginning – selecting the colors that will play well together in a new piece. Currently, I’m working on several pieces that each start with a breakdown screen-printed dye drawing, and then I audition a few other colors from my hand-dyed fabric stash that I’ll use to enhance the composition.
auditioning colors for a new Linescape textile painting
fabrics that will become a new blue-violet textile painting
a green, acid yellow, and orange Linescape waiting to happen
I’m continuing to make new works in my Linescape series and have just crossed a new threshold with these – for the first time I’m starting to combine my natural plant-dyed fabrics with my procion hand-dyed fabrics. Will post a photo when I get the first of these done.
And speaking of LineScapes, Gallery 360 has now sold 6 of my 12 LineScape textile paintings that they’ve been showing – pretty cool!
My Artist Talk, Workshop, and Artists’ Reception: All in the next 2 Weeks
Tomorrow evening (4/5), there’s going to be an Artists’ reception at the Studio 12 Gallery in Denver for the ‘Scapes group show. Hoping to make it down for the reception and to see the show.
This coming Monday (4/8), I’ll be the featured artist guest speaker at the Rocky Mountain Creative Quilters Guild program in Fort Collins.
Next Sat/Sun (4/13-14), I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned about natural plant dyeing, teaching a workshop for RMCQ. Looking forward to that as it is a full workshop and sounds like the participants are really excited – hope we have some good weather as we’ll be brewing with cauldrons in the great outdoors!
What big fun plans do you have brewing to welcome in the Springtime (or Fall, as the case may be) ?
good lighting can make such a difference! go as far over the top as you can with it 🙂 is it full spectrum?
the new auditions look quite exciting, another tour de force no doubt—i’ve mixed procion dyed with naturally dyed fabrics myself–after all, fabric is fabric and that’s the point not “how” it was coloured–purists may shudder, but for art it works
thanks Arlee – yep, had a good discussion with my lighting guy about my need for full spectrum lighting and he found the best solution for the space. And i’m with you on the fact that fabric is fabric….and fact is, I really enjoy the various dye processes and love the results no matter what I’m dyeing with, so it makes perfect sense to me that all of it be combined – Art as in LIfe, I’m no purist, that’s for sure!
Hi Gretchen, oh I’m always looking for a good reason to fly east…I lived in NYC for a few years and miss the city. 🙂 My work has been in a couple shows in PA and NY, and I’d love to find some more places to show (and speak and even teach?) on the east coast…will have to put some thought into that. Do you ever come west? I admire your work and color sense – see some synergies there between both of our work.
Best to you, Ayn
Please fly east dear Ayn,
Am jealous of that gorgeous studio. Good lighting changes everything. Congratulations on all. Now about the east coast, does your work ever travel this direction? Some day I will win lotto and have my own gallery or something. Until then I will keep checking in and admiring all that you do.
Creative wishes, Gretchen