I love printing on the silk scarves. I work fast, from all directions, expending a fair bit of energy, which results in the design achieving a sense of movement and repetition of marks and colors. I don’t fuss over color choices, but I do have lot’s of pots of thickened dyes, as well as squeeze bottles, ready to grab and paint with. If I feel I’m getting a bit stuck in a rut after producing several scarves, I just reach for a fresh tool. That kicks off a new adventure in mark-making and I carry on my merry way, groovin’ to some music as I whip out more scarves.
Out on the town with the scarves!
What fun I had at a First Friday event at Elissa Halloran Designs on Lark Street! The shop is packed full of wonderful treasures, including Elissa’s own signature jewelery. Elissa did a super display of the scarves, and it really drew passerby’s into the shop. It was a beautiful spring weekend and folks were enjoying the Tulip Fest just a block away at Washington Park. What a treat to get out of the studio and show folks how to wear my scarves. A couple of the scarves are traveling home with 2 women from North Dakota!
Thanks for inviting me Elissa!
Stop by Elissa Halloran Designs, 229 Lark Street, Albany , to try on some scarves!
Layered Woodcuts
It was a fun adventure creating these prints! With no set intention for the finished product, I started with a block of wood I carved of a partial impression of a fish. First I printed a repeat pattern of the block in orange ink. Next I printed some loose monotype plates, using the thickened dyes I print the scarves with – intending a watery feel. Too strong! The monotype plate picked up from the damp paper a ghost of the orange block print. That print was so much quieter – but I couldn’t leave it alone. Another monotype plate went over it.
I set the prints aside for a few weeks – the strong colors and random patterns were hard to look at it! I couldn’t imagine how I would salvage them. Eventually, I inked up the woodcut and chose areas to print over, cropping the larger prints in to a dozen or so the size of the woodcut 5×7. I played with color and printing sometimes using a barren, sometimes using the press.
Inspirational Bike Sculpture
I love to paddle on the Mohawk River, many of my monotypes are inspired by the colors, textures and patterns I absorb while surrounded by water, fresh air and birdsong. Late last fall, I spotted this tangle of tree root. I had to return with my camera, and found it a little tricky to paddle up to as the water had receded so much. Yesterday I visited again, snapping more photos.