'Hot Stuff #1' ATASDA Workshop Sep 3, 2011. Learn how to use heat guns, synthetic fabrics, Tyvek, Angelina fibre and Textiva (fantasy film).

I am pleased as punch to announce I'll be running my first Heat Tools textile / multimedia workshop for ATASDAVic in a couple of weeks on September 3rd. We will be painting and distorting Tyvek and then layering synthetic fabrics with Textiva (fantasy) film and Angelina fibres, stitching a resist and using heat guns for impressive (and easy!!) results.

You will leave with your own heat distressed mini quilt and a knowledge of how to incorporate each of those materials and techniques into your own work.

Hot Stuff #1

Date: September 3rd

Time: 11am to 3pm

Where:  

Hartwell Church Of Christ Hall, cnr of Milverton & Highfield Rds Hartwell. (off Toorak Rd)

Cost: $40 for ATASDA members, $45 for non-members.  $5 materials fee if needed.

Materials lists will be emailed to all who enrol.

To book call Barbara: 0419 396 695

You will be making something that could look like this:

And turning it into something that looks like this:

some close ups:

When you're done you may want to turn it into a purse, use it as a background, a book cover or a stand alone art quilt. Here's my demo piece pinned into a purse:

I really hope to see you there! It's late notice and ATASDA Vic's first own workshop, so they've kept the costs down. Take advantage and book in!

Neroli

Hand Dyed Fabric (or how to make hippy spew with low immersion dying and a helpful dog))

Hi everyone!

Have finally (finally!) got around to dying the fabric that's been soaking in soda ash in a plastic tub on top of the dishwasher for (ahem) about 3 months. :)

I had some old dyestock already made up in squeeze bottles left over from even before then and wanted to see if it would work. I've heard that it lasts forever, that it lasts for a couple of weeks, that you should keep it in the fridge, that temperature doesn't matter and a dozen other things. I hadn't heard about the cold storage before storing the squeeze bottles behind the dishwasher with all my other dye equipment.

When this place was built the cabinet maker in the kitchen must have been having a hard day - as the bottom of the bench hole left for the dishwasher is fine... but the top is about 2mm too narrow. The upshot of this is that I have extra space to store my dye things but it's in an area where it's going to get warm from the heat of the dishwasher in front of it.

I made two pieces, I'm very happy with the first. The old premixed dye did work but the colour is subtler then it was 3 months ago. I figure this piece will make a nice sky:

Coco, as always was very helpful during shooting the pics. She thinks that if you are kneeling on the ground then obviously you're there to pat her. (Usually of course she is right!)

The second piece on the other hand was rather different then what I had in mind.... I seem to have created hippy spew print:

The green in this piece is new dye I mixed with bright green and bright yellow, so that dye is a lot stronger than the blue. I dyed both of these by wringing out the extra soda ash and squishing the fabric into the bottom of a plastic lidded container. I then squirted the pre-mixed dye directly onto parts of the fabric, put the lid on the containers and left it for 3 days for no other reason than i've been busy :)

-Neroli Henderson

Interview series: Lorraine Roy - Textile and Fiber Artist

Lorraine Roy is an award winning contemporary mixed-media textile artist from Dundas, Ontario,Canada who incorporates sewing, collage, embroidery, photo transfer, quilting and thousands of fibre and thread snippets into her work. Lorraine is a full-time textile artist with many international exhibitions to her name. She works from her home studio with her husband fine art photographer Janusz Wrobel.

As many of you know i've become a bit of a Facebook junkie in recent months and part of the reason for that is the frequency i've been stumbling upon some of the most amazing artists and their works. I found Lorraine Roy this way and after taking a look through her website and reading the quite unique techniques she uses I just knew I had to ask her to do an artist interview.

Lorraine's horticultural background and subsequent research regularly inspire her wonderful imagery. Landscapes that combine realism and abstraction combine with symbols from dreams, mythology and memories to create organic conceptual pieces that make the most of the rich medium combinations.

'The Seven Days of Creation' 69x80" (175 x 203cm) 

2008 Wall hanging, Commission, SOLD

Click pic to enlarge

Cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle. Cotton batting. This is Lorraine's favourite work. Five separate quilts were created and then hung together.

  How long have you been quilting and what first drew you to it? 
I have never NOT worked with fabric, beginning with sewing (from the age of 6), but ironically I never learned to make a proper quilt. I have been a professional textile artist for just over 20 years, but my formal education is in Horticulture.

'Between Now and Then' 36x48"  (91 x 121cm) 2009 SOLD

Click pic to enlarge

Framed textile incorporating cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle.

 How would you describe your style now? 
Painting with fabric… it’s a mixture of machine collage, appliqué, embroidery and quilting. I call my main technique "collage with nets". I love how it allows me to explore the freedom of line and shape that exists in the world of painting without compromising the intensity of colour and texture that you can achieve with fabric.


I begin with a plain fabric ground. On this surface I drop hundreds, sometimes thousands of tiny bits of cut fabrics and threads (of any kind – natural, synthetic, metallic) until I reach a depth and texture that pleases me. I then pin transparent netting on top, usually nylon tulle, which holds everything in place. The layers are then machine stitched together. This new fabric is now ready for further surface work: machine applique, embroidery, collage, and, more recently, photographic transfers from my photographer husband’s huge collection of natural images (www.jwrobelphoto.com). The finished surface is then quilted over batting and backing to fix the shape and enhance textures and lines. 

The above shows snippets of threads, scraps of fabric and yarn scattered over a backing fabric. Below is the same piece after being covered in netting and partly stitched.

 How has your style evolved? 
After many wearable fashion disasters, I learned that I had an aptitude and passion for hand embroidery. During my teens and onward I absorbed nearly every embroidery technique and was even teaching them at one point. But as you may suspect, it’s a slow medium. The transition to my new techniques took a number of years and lots of experimentation.


 Apart from quilting what else to you do within the industry? 
I occasionally teach workshops on a freelance basis (teaching my techniques or design). Lately I have been organizing my own, by renting facilities in a lovely historic church just around the corner. I even provide excellent lunches and it’s lots of fun. Also, I do some public speaking and presentations, and trunk shows, about my work and/or about native trees and art.

Red Maple  2008  28x32" (71 x 81cm)  Wall hanging  SOLD

Click pic to enlarge

Cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle. Cotton batting.

 What's the best advice you could give someone who wants to try quilting or textile art for the first time? 
Don’t let anyone burden you with rules.. if you feel excited and it’s breaking a rule, then go for it.


 Do you exhibit your work? 
Over the years I have exhibited extensively… in commercial and public galleries and plenty of unlikely places too. I love showing my work and it’s the way I connect with viewers and clients.

Buried Treasure  30x10" (76 x 25cm) 2009  $725 USD

Click pic to enlarge

Framed textile incorporating cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle.

 How do you go about finding and selecting galleries? 
Sometimes galleries approach me directly or via my website, but more often I approach them. First I make sure they are a good fit for my work, then I speak to other artists to find out what their experience is with the gallery. After that I follow the protocol that most galleries post on their site. I haven’t needed to do that in a few years… I now have just the right number and quality of commercial galleries.


I also do a few very carefully selected Commercial fine art shows (where each artist has a booth) – this is an excellent way to meet the public and increase my mailing list. I only do shows that are well juried and have high standards. They are not cheap, but well worth the investment.

Sacred Tree #1  12x12" (30x30cm) 2010  $425 USD

Click pic to enlarge

Framed textile incorporating cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle.

 Do you belong to any quilt associations? 
No, I don’t belong to any quilt associations. Although I do miss that kind of camaraderie, it’s more useful and interesting to belong to Naturalist clubs, Fine art clubs, or any groups outside the textile community. This keeps my ideas and work fresh.


 What would you recommend people do who want to seriously get into textile art? 
Hang out with artists in all media. Learn and study all kinds of things, not only textile art and techniques. Bring in every experience you have. Don’t let anyone tell you what to do and how to do it. Be very selective of your critics. Try to build a broad income base by diversifying, using all your strengths and passions.

Sumac Ridge  24x41"  (61 x 104cm)  2010  Wall Hanging  SOLD

Click pic to enlarge

Cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle. Cotton batting.

 What inspires you? 
Over the years, my work has become a blend of all my interests: nature, science, spirituality, literature, arboriculture, botany, environmental issues, my childhood on a farm … It’s a long list! I am best known, however, for my portrayals of native trees. Since my BSc in Horticulture, I’ve done a lot of research on culture, symbolism, mythology, native uses, stories, poems… and the more I learned, the more fascinating trees became. So that’s an ongoing inspiration.

Spring Aspen  30x15"  (76 x 38cm) 2010  Framed textile SOLD

Click pic to enlarge

Framed textile incorporating cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle.

 What sewing machine / threads etc do you use? 
I have 2 Berninas: an old regular one (made in Europe), and an even older industrial one. Both have free motion options. I don’t need anything fancy, just a strong motor and reliability. I use all kinds of threads, but prefer rayon for its shine and strength.

Lorraine's home studio

Her smaller scraps are bagged by colour and stored by shade. Bigger pieces are sorted into wire draws.

Below is a close up of her bagged scraps and a photo of her Hillcrest studio in the summer time.

 Do you have any formal art training? Do you think it's necessary? 
I don’t have formal art training. I don’t think it’s necessary but I’m sure it can’t hurt.


 What's the most rewarding thing about your career? 
Art is my way of sharing how I see and feel about the world. When people see it, they know something about me, much better than when I open my mouth. This makes it easier for a shy person like me to make connections and bring those fine souls my way. Everything evolves from there.


 How did you learn the techniques you use? 
Mainly through experimentation and looking at other artists’ work.


 What are your favorite / least favorite parts of the quilting process? 
Endless pinning. I don’t enjoy pinning. :(  Or putting on the sleeve at the end... (huge sigh). But frankly, there is very little I don’t love about every stage of my process.


Associated Links:


Lorraine's website 


Collage with nets technique in detail


Lorraine's book 'Saving Paradise'


Follow Lorraine workshops and artworks on her Facebook page


Email Lorraine to sign up for her workshop mailing list or to purchase art

I hope you enjoyed this interview and love to read your comments, please leave them by clicking on the 'comments' link below. –Neroli Henderson

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Burning a Quilt - Textile art with a Heat Gun and Synthetic Fabrics, Video Tutorial

This is my newest textile based artwork entitled "Pushing Up Daisies". I've created a video above so you can see the heat gun in action melting and distorting the fabric.

NB. when burning or melting any synthetic fabric, or cutting or scoring with a soldering iron work in a well ventilated area and wear a mask suitable for gas or vapours. You can buy disposables from large hardware stores.

I like to play with contrasts and in this case the normally pretty daisy flowers have been melted, and burnt, I like the way that this keeps the fragility inherent with flowers while giving it a harder, grittier edge.

I've played with burning before, most prominently in my leaf quilts, but with all of those I was melting smaller pieces and then using them to make or add to a larger work. In this piece I wanted to do a larger work and then burn the entire thing.

I've layered synthetic fabrics (felt, organza and satins) over cotton and stitched with Madeira metallic gold rayon and variegated rayon threads. I quilted the background quite intensely with little spirals as I having dense quilting here makes the stems, leaves and flower heads stand up more, and that in turns means they will burn quickest.

I used gold and copper Shiva oil paint sticks (I think these are called Markal paint sticks if you're in the UK) over the background quilting, these seemed to retard the heat effects on the background areas and the heat gun set the paint sticks instantly while only changing the colour slightly.

I love quilting on satin. The sheen really adds to the curves created by the quilting lines. The burnt areas of this are now essentially plastic, so it will either be framed or edged and hung for a wall piece.

Heat gunning will shrink a piece and I find it quite fun to watch it flatten and pull together. It helps the lesser quilted areas stand up even more.

This is my first video and I'm going to hopefully do some more in-depth video tutorials (both free and subscription) in the future. As always would love to hear any feedback - please leave a message in the comments section below.

Neroli

Interview series: Textile Artist, Felicity Hopkins

This week I'm pleased to introduce an amazing, multi talented, avant guard textile artist, Felicity Hopkins. Felicity manages to combine her full time career as a social policy analyst specialising in Aboriginal / Indigenous issues with her passion for creating one of a kind, multi-layered, truly creative pieces of mixed media art. What's even more impressive is that she does this while juggling 3 kids, 3 cats, 3 chooks, a dog and a partner!

Felicity's art reflects feelings and concepts rather then pictorial representations - it has become a vital part of her life and an integral medium to express her world view. Overall winner of the Buda Textile Awards (2008), her influences include Judy Watson, Andy Goldsworthy and Mark Rothko. 

'Glimmer – Such A Shame She Never Married' 71x65cm (28x25.5")  $1800

Blanketing, silk, brocade, pieced ribbon squares, doilies, organza, tulle.

Buda Textile Awards 2008 - Winner of both overall and mixed media sections.

 1. How long have you been quilting and what first drew you to it? 
My very first quilt was a joint effort with my then boyfriend, now husband back in 1989 – I bought quantities of Laura Ashley squares which we manically sewed into long strips on an ancient sewing machine propped on a rickety coffee table. The top was finished quite quickly but wasn't turned into a real quilt until about 2002. 

I was first drawn to art quilting by seeing Susan Mathews' sunflower quilt featured in Quilter's Companion magazine. We were driving home to Melbourne from Byron Bay in 2003 and stopped in Goulbourn for lunch. I went into a newsagent to find something to read and was captivated by Susan's quilt on the cover. 

'Connections' 64x71cm (25x28")  $1200

Indigo dyed cotton, hand torn strips of fabric from old linens, felted wool, copper plumbing connectors, foil, machine stitched then hand stitched with copper wire. Steeked and hand sewn into a triptych.

 2. How would you describe your style now? 
Mine :) experimental, expressive, bold. I like mixing up techniques and playing.

 3. How has your style evolved? 
I soon found I wasn't precise enough to persevere beyond a few traditional bed quilts. I found using other peoples' patterns didn't provide enough of a creative outlet so I started making journal quilts with other members of the Australian and New Zealand art quilters yahoo group. Making A4 sized pieces allows for creativity and experiments without worrying about wasting materials.

I can't emphasise the role of mentors enough – I have met some amazing quilters who have been so generous in sharing their knowledge and experience and who have become friends both in real life and via the internet.  Particular influencers and encouragers include Dijanne Cevaal, Susan Iacuone, Annabel Rainbow, and Arlee Barr.

 4. Apart from creating art what else to you do within the industry? 
I have a blog www.textileseahorse.blogspot.com which I use as a way of keeping myself honest. If I post about a project I have started I need to finish it otherwise people ask!


I have just started to put my quilts up for sale – it never occurred to me that anyone would to buy them until I won the Buda prize and someone said it was a shame my quilt wasn't for sale. My big goal for 2010 is to set up a website selling my pieces.


 5. What's the best advice you could give someone who wants to try quilting or textile art for the first time? 
Just jump in and give it a try – there's no such thing as failure. If something doesn't turn out the way you expected it to turn it into something else.

'Burnt Landscape #1'  46x51cm (18x20")  $350

Layered fabrics of wool, silk and wool fibre, synthetics, tulle and organza stitched and burnt back with a heat gun.

 6. Do you exhibit your work? 
I find sending submissions to quilt and art shows incredibly stressful but also rewarding. 

There is the risk in putting my stuff out there and being rejected but then the thrill when my pieces are accepted and even win prizes :) I am trying to push the boundaries a bit by submitting to art shows under the mixed media or the 'any medium' category/stipulation – so far without

 much luck! It seems to be very hard to get textile work accepted as art gallery-worthy

I put in an entry to the Buda Homestead Textile Award in 2008 hoping to be accepted and ended up winning my category and best in show which was amazingly thrilling. Last year I had 2 pieces exhibited in Victorian Quilters' One Step Further.

Currently I am one of 30 Australian quilters with work showing in 'My Place' an exhibition curated by Dijanne Cevaal – Diajnne called for submissions from Australia, New Zealand and Southern Africa for quilts reflecting their creators sense of place and belonging. 

Even more exciting was being asked to participate in an exhibition called Southern Lands, also curated by Dijanne. It's still rather stunning to have my work hanging alongside quilters whose work I have admired for years.


 7. How do you go about finding and selecting exhibitions? 
I usually scan magazines such as Australian Textile Forum and Australian Art Almanac for art and quilt shows seeking submissions.

I think making personal connections with other quilters is vital - participation in My Place was through Dijanne's blog and Southern Lands was by invitation. Similarly I was invited by Annabel Rainbow to join a group of quilters mainly in England who are making quilts to submit for the Birmingham Festival of Quilts.

'Brave New World' 28 x 46cm (11x18")

Felted wool, painted interfacing, ribbon, Textiva film, sequin waste, orange bag plastic netting, organza and tulle. Machine stitched and heat gunned.

 8. Do you belong to any quilt associations? If so why did you join these ones? 
I'm not a very good group person and the first quilting group I went to was a mixed experience... I was accepted by some friendly quilters but firmly snubbed as a newbie by others. I ended up feeling too intimidated to go back. 

I have found online groups a much happier experience – I belong to the Southern Cross Quilters, Down Under Quilters and Australian and New Zealand Art Quilters although I tend to lurk on each of these groups.

One of my most rewarding group experiences has been with the Art Quilts Around the World which sets a quarterly challenge theme and exhibits them on the group blog. Being part of this group has forced me to think hard about topics I wouldn't have chosen and made me consciously choose challenge materials such as paper, lutradur and copper wire. Getting positive feedback from other group members has also increased my confidence as an artist and contributed to me developing my own style.

 9. What would you recommend people do who want to seriously get into textile art? 
Set aside time every day to think, plan or do some textile art – listen to the muse and be open to inspiration from or by anything.

'Land Sea Alchemy' 48x40cm (19x16")  $545

Felted wool, rusted silk, Tyvek, silk fibre, knitted wool hand spun by the artist, copper wire, silk saris, organza, synthetics, beads.

 10. What inspires you? 
At the moment my main inspiration is the spirit of central Australia. I first went there in 2007 and was immediately captivated by the landscape and feeling of the country. I can't see a time when I will run out of ideas inspired by this area.

Other inspirations are ideas, feelings, states of being – I have a series of  quilts planned which will explore ideas of hell and purgatory, including feelings of grief and envy. Ideas are usually stimulated by particular colours or groups of colours working together or violently clashing.  I don't make figurative pieces – for me it's all about the colours and the textures.

I keep a notebook with me at all times to capture ideas for pieces – I often pull over to the side of the road as an inspired idea slides through my brain while I'm driving. If you don't write it down it tends to disappear or lose its potency – it needs to be pinned down and fixed in a notebook before the colour and life leaks out. 

 11. What sewing machine / threads etc do you use? 
I have a Janome memory craft 6600 which I just love although I would prefer it if bobbins could be made a whole lot bigger. I get frustrated when I have to stop quilting to change the bobbin, although it's good to have a prompt to stop, get up and stretch.

I use Guterman and  Mettler threads but have most success with Fujix King Star  which I buy from Embroidery Source in Fairfield. I do have a vast collection of hand stitching and embroidery threads – everything from DMC to Caron and lots in between.

 12. Do you have any formal art training? Do you think it's necessary? 
No and no - with the reservation that I would love to be able to draw “properly” and plan on doing a drawing course when I get the time. I feel this is a great gap in my repertoire and my sketchbooks would be much lovelier and less clumsy if I could draw!

Sometimes I think about doing a formal textile art course but am a bit reluctant at the moment – partly due to lack of time and partly not wanting to corral my artistic freedom too much.

'Mandala' 26x40cm (10x16")  $300

Ink and fabric paint dyed velveteen, layered with felted wool and cotton backing. Machine and hand stitched.

For more information on the construction of this piece on Felicity's blog, click here.

 13. What's the most rewarding thing about your career? 
Making something that expresses something inexpressible – I research and write for a living and having a sideline that is artistic allows me to express myself in a completely different way. I have also developed much more courage in giving things a go – I've got over having to be perfect.

 14. How did you learn the techniques you use? 
I learnt a lot online, noodling around on the blogs or using Mr Google to research techniques. Bloggers are amazingly generous with their knowledge and expertise. I like to look at someone's technique and then work out how it fits with the look I want to get – usually a quicker and dirtier version. I don't often get long stretches of time to create, so I tend to work in bursts – assembling, stitching and burning with a heat gun rarely happen on the same day.  I put a lot of time into thinking and planning so when I do get some time to create I can jump straight in.

 I also have a large and growing collection of books – current favorites are Margaret Beal's Fusing Fabric,  Colette Wollf's Manipulating Fabric, India Flint's Eco Colour and Contemporary Whitework by Tracy A Franklin and Nicola Jarvis.

 15. What are your favorite / least favorite parts of the quilting process? 
 I loathe binding, hanging sleeves and labels – the absolute worst part of the process. Luckily I tend not to use binding anymore – my pieces don't need it and look better uncontained. I can't get out of sleeves and labels though :)

My favourite part is the inspiration through to seeing the piece emerge from the chaos of fabric, thread and stuff that is my sewing space. I'm not usually that thrilled by the finished piece at first – I need to put it away and come back to it before I'm happy with it. 


As always please add any comments for Felicity or myself, or general thoughts on the interview in the comments section below. I love to get feedback and want to hear from you if you have any thoughts on what you'd like to see more or less of in future interviews. –Neroli

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