Hiking for Color

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For me, it’s all about color. After using the Shibori technique of manipulating fabric by wrapping it around a pole or rope, I always place at least three colors, or shades of one color of dye on the cloth.  The fabric resists the dye and creates a pattern.  Many of my wearable art designs consist of several strips of hand dyed fabric which have been torn and serged before sewing them together. Through this process I frequently recover memories contained in the 5/8” seam allowance I learned when my mother taught me to sew. In her own way she also taught me that the art is in the ironing.  

Some of my newest designs are created by felting alpaca and merino wool to silk before Shibori dyeing the fabric. It is my intention that My Truly Wearable art has a performative quality.  When you wear it, not only are you only one hand away from the artist, you become the art.

Currently I live in a cabin in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, hike the mountain and try to figure out how to formulate the colors I see around me.


Shibori Prayer Book

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First there was writing.  

"Tell your own story," 
Adrienne Rich said.  

So I wrote.  
Then there was publish.  
"To publish is to make public," the dicitonary said.  
I began to read my work fearlessly.  
"You should take a silk dyeing class," a friend suggested.
"Then you can cover your poems with silk and your art will be come performative."  
I signed up.  
Two weeks after enrolling, 
my son had a paralyzing accident.  
"You should quit school," I said to myself.  
Myself answered, "No.  We will both learn to adapt."  
I became obsessed.  Everything became an opporturnity to make art.  
As I waited in the intensive care waiting room, 
I covered muy journal with sequins.  
I learned Shibori silk dyeing.   
Shibori is manipulating fabric, placig dye upon it and surrendering.
I surrendered.  
When I visited the capel at the hospital, 
I wrote in my journal.  
It became a prayer book, 
covered with silk.

Copper Painted Shibori Nuno Felted Merino

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The challenge was wrapping the 10 feet of felted merino and silk on a five foot pole and then shiboi painting it so that I could get enough penetration without too much dye dripping.  Soaking it in a solution of equal parts vinegar and water with a little synthrapol seems to help the merino soak up the dye.  The question is does it dilute the color?  This piece is meant to be hung on the wall in a place where the sunset shines through the window.  It's amazing the fabric that be created on the FeltLOOM!