Plush Art, what is it?

During the last couple of years I have noticed an appearance of cute, outrageous and sometimes macabre, soft toys. They often represent comic/pop culture and (so they say) offer more soul and character than traditional soft toys and teddies. They appear in exhibitions, magazines and craft shows. I well remember making all sorts of toys for my children when they were young – there just wasn't the multitude of toys available as there are today, and anyway I didn't have the spare cash to spend on what was available at that time. Even now each new grandchild is welcomed with their own individual soft toy.
I am now reading that these toys are categorized as Plush Art. And they are intended for adults, not children. These adults are not ashamed to admit their love of soft toys. They are assembled at kitchen tables, using fabric scraps, recycled materials and anything else that is appropriate for each new character. Soft toys are now being re-invented by artists.
Perhaps the (young) adults of today have not experienced homemade toys in their childhood. Their parents may have been working and there was not enough time to make toys, and so purchased toys satisfied their children's needs.
The majority of our younger generation do not seem to 'know' handcrafts. Handmade items, not just toys, but children's garments and simple home goods, are now being produced by the few who can 'make'. They are marketed as the new, the latest 'thing' and demand high prices. They seem to be not much different to what we did as part of our own family activities many years ago.
I am reluctant to post images of Plush Art because of copyright issues but recommend you visit http://www.crammedorganisms.com I would love to hear your comments (click on Comments below and follow the simple procedure)
Whilst on the subject of 'toys'. In Spain recently I visited the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao. In the forecourt of this futuristic museum is a giant 'toy' dog titled Puppy. It is completely covered in blooms and is part of the Guggenheim's permanent collection. Not a single petal seemed to be bruised or left to settle on the ground beneath. It was constructed by Jeff Koons in 1992 and was exhibited in Germany and Sydney before becoming part of the permanent collection of the Guggenheim Museum in 1997. This topiary sculpture depicts a West Highland White Terrier and is built over a wire structure. It is 12.4 metres high - note the size of the people in the photo. The buildings behind Puppy are not the Guggenheim Museum htttp://www.guggenheim.org but those across the street.


Brandon Parkes born 8 June 2008 with his stuffed toy

Puppy sculpture at the Guggenheim Muesum, Bilbao, Spain

Next Blog: The power of a painting

Understanding fibre content and its importance when dyeing

I am often asked whether I will dye some fabric, or a garment. Always my first question is 'what is the fibre content of the fabric?' Determining the fibre content of a fabric, if not at first obvious, is best done with the burn test (a future blog topic). Once this is established, the query will often cease at this point, that is, if the fabric is of a synthetic nature. I can only dye natural fibres, these being cotton, silk, rayon, linen in the main. I do not dye wool by choice and leave this to the wool experts.
I prefer to dye lengths of fabric, rather than garments. Garments are risky. Firstly, they have folds and seams which act as resists and, if a previously worn garment, any fading, stains or marks will not be eradicated by over-dyeing. Also most garments are stitched with a synthetic thread which will not take the dye and will remain the original colour of the garment.
I keep a swatch book of pieces dyed using Procion MX Fibre Reactive dyes which are my dyes of choice (lots more about these coming up). When dyeing a new colour or combination of colours for the first time, I add additional pieces of fabrics, one being a cotton and usually a couple of silks. When these have gone through an immersion dye process the differences in their final colouring can be quite interesting. Often it would appear that they have all come from different dye baths. It is the fibre content which is determining their final colour. I now know that my purple dye will produce a cerise on silks, and to get that purple I need to use only a navy and a turquoise. Dyeing is definitely not an exact science but it sure is fun!
Here are two such examples from my swatch book. Each show a cotton, silk, silk/rayon velvet and a silk organza.


Next Blog: Plush Art, what is it?

Personal safety measures when working with dyes and chemicals

I think most people who work with dyes and chemicals these days are pretty aware that personal health precautions are the norm. All dye books devote a chapter to this topic and tutors should be passing on warnings. Each individual has to weigh up how often they use dyes and the amount of risk. As I am a regular user of dyes I rate the risk factor highly.
Starting with the air I breath. I use those simple white face masks for one-off handling of dye powders, and measure everything in an enclosed dye box. When handling a series of dye powders I use an industrial face mask which covers both my nose and mouth. This mask is definitely not a fashion statement, looks uncomfortable although I am now used to it. It has two sets of replaceable filters, one for dust and the other for vapours (discharge techniques). When not in use I store this in a sealable container so as to extend the life of the filters.
To cover my hands I use disposable gloves for smaller fiddly jobs, but when immersion dyeing larger lengths of fabric I use industrial gloves (available from any hardware store). These come well up my arms, and allow me to slide my hands in and out without struggling. I recently used my current pair to protect myself when pruning the roses and consequently I got a hole in them, resulting in one brightly coloured finger during the next dyeing episode! I will now purchase another pair and relocate the old ones to the garden department.
To protect my clothes I have a strong vinyl apron which I purchased at the Surface Design Association (SDA) conference in Kansas City, MO http://www.surfacedesign.org
I use equipment specifically reserved for dyeing (no kitchen stuff) and am lucky enough to have a well-ventilated studio space to work in.
Next Blog: Understanding fibre content and its importance when dyeing


Me ready to take on the dyeing world....


And this is how I feel... with all due respects to this lovely Spanish donkey who hee-hawed with great gusto when our group of NZer's passed by http://www.lifestylejourneys.co.nz

Using Your Digital Camera as a Design Tool, Part 2

One of the many benefits of taking digital images of any work in progress, is that there is the ability to view and crop works on the computer. Simply putting the image of the work up on the screen gives the opportunity to assess progress away from the work itself. This will probably be of a different scale to the actual work but does allows for a 'fresh eye' assessment. If the composition is somewhat in doubt, try cropping/trimming off some of the areas and viewing the work again. Save each of the cropped images so that you can return and assess them again. This is much easier than trying to mask off areas, re-arrange, and perhaps try and return to possibility number two. You may find that by removing a portion, the whole piece comes together more successfully.
The same process may be used when you have decided that a work is just about there. Sometimes the raw unfinished edges, yet to be bound or framed and with the wall/background behind the image, can be very distracting. Crop them out and view the work again as a completed work.
The images here show a piece I was having grave difficulties with (I cringe at showing this piece but I did promise to show some 'warts'). As a result of cropping this piece on screen I sliced off the sides and then felt it might just have a future (with some perseverance this piece did survive and I will show you the completed piece in Part 3 of Using your Digital Camera as a Design Tool).
The final image is of a Silk Jacquard fabric length completed this week – all techniques used will be profiled in due course.
With reference to my Blog of last week: the http://www.rssfwd.com website which allows you to receive this Blog as an email after each posting seems to be contrary at times, but it does work, when it opens up! An alternative is http://www.feedblitz.com Open up Solutions on their top bar and choose Subscribers. You can read all about their service and register.


Oh dear!!


That's better...


FL4 Silk Jacquard 115cm x 1.9 metres; soya wax, cold-batch dyeing and discharge.

Next Blog: Personal safety measures when working with dyes and chemicals

Cabbage and receiving new blogs as an email

You might like to consider having this Blog arrive in your email box after I have published. This avoids you having to remember to visit this Blog on the internet and will assure that you receive every posting. I would hate to think that you might miss something! Remember that this Blog is a tutorial, it is free, so why wouldn't you want to receive it!
Visit this website http://www.rssfwd.com (RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary but I prefer to call it Really Simple Service). It has three very simple stages for you to complete. You may like to copy and paste the url ie http://www.dianaparkes.blogspot.com into the space provided, or you can type it in. When the Blogs arrive in your email box don't forget to click on the LOAD IMAGES which will appear top right to download the images. You may unsubscribe at any time. Also, at the end of each Blog (when you are reading it on the internet, not the email) there is an envelope icon with an arrow allowing you to forward each Blog on to someone else.
OK that's enough of the really serious stuff (another RSS!). You may be puzzled as to why the images of a pile of fabric scraps and a cabbage. They are both (believe it or not) called cabbage. Yes, the green thing is definitely a cabbage, but according to a new book The Fairchild Encyclopedia of Menswear, Mary Lisa Vacenas, ISBN 9781563674655 Fairchild Books, years ago traditional tailors used to call the scraps of fabric left over from cutting out a garment, cabbage. (Ref: Selvedge magazine http://www.selvedge.org )
This week I visited Pataka www.pataka.org.nz in Porirua. All galleries feature textiles, Sharing Stories, Amazing Lace, Lightwaves, Muramura, Regeneration. Well worth a visit. Also the cafe has really super sustenance – there's that RSS again!
Next Blog: Using Your Digital Camera as a Design Tool, Part 2

Frida Kahlo 1907-1954 Mexican Artist

I am a great fan of Frida Kahlo. I admire her work, courage and style. Circumstances gave her a very difficult physical life, but she never let this hold her back from doing what she wished - there was always a way, however difficult. She maintained this tenacity and love of life wearing the Mexican national costume. The recent unsealing of Frida's personal dressing room, and the restoration of the garments, some apparently still retaining whiffs of her perfume, has led to the wonderful collection which is the basis of a new book, Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress (ISBN 978-0-8118-6344-5 Chronicle Books LLC). I have now received my copy. What a wonderful book, hardback, and full of amazing photos. Many show Frida wearing a selection of garments (b & w), and opposite in colour are the same garments on a mannequin displayed in her home, now the Museo Frida Kahlo. During a visit to Mexico in 2006 I visited this museum and found it quite an emotional experience. I am able to recognise many of the rooms in the book's photos, and where the film of her life was staged. There is now a gift shop and cafe in the grounds, and I was able to purchase a half-size cup with Frida Kahlo's name glazed on the side. This is my morning coffee mug and I look forward to having my morning coffee with Frida every day!
As an incredible coincidence, I recently discovered that she celebrated her birthday on the very same day as I do - amazing eh!
The photos show the cover of the book, my coffee mug resting on a teaspoon, and me in the garden of Museo Frida Kahlo 2006.
Next Blog: Cabbage and receiving new blogs as an email

Publishing images of completed works, when and when not to

With today's technology and all its possibilities (think the Internet, Facebook, digital imaging etc) one has to be very careful how and when to publish completed works. Many juried exhibitions require that the work be unseen in any previous exhibition and that selection would be the first time the work be seen in public. It can now also mean that a work must not have been published on the internet, blogs, books or anywhere else. Okay, there is obviously a need to be careful. What has happened already is that someone had an image of an artist's work and published it without permission. When this was discovered by the organisors of an exhibition in which it had been accepted, the work was withdrawn. What really hurt was that it was selected to receive an award. The lesson here is to keep a tight rein on images of work, think where images may appear and also be aware that, if not your own work, permission must be given before publishing.
With this in mind, I will only publish details or unfinished works on this blog. However, once a piece has been in a public space I am happy to show completed works.
Above is one of my first WholeCloth Banner works. It is called Time Floating 74cm x 98cm and is worked on a silk broadcloth using Procion MX dyes, discharge techniques and just a little bit of pigment. It was selected for the 2008 International Fiber Celebration, Lincoln Center Galleries, Fort Collins, CO, USA, and received the award for The Best Use of Dyes.

Next Blog: Frida Kahlo 1907-1954 Mexican Artist