Last one before Christmas

On Wednesday of this week I took a flying visit to Auckland, there and back in one day. I hired a car and visited two exhibitions, POST Stitch curated by Kate Wells at Lopdall House, Titirangi (closes 8 February), and No Rules curated by Rosemary McLeod, Objectspace, Ponsonby Road (closes this weekend). Both these exhibitions celebrate textile arts and should continue to be referenced as to the state of the art in NZ. I felt very heartened when viewing the message and/or content in many of the works. When the very best of execution is combined with a thought provoking message, then the bells begin to ring and I inwardly sing hallelujah!
I would love to say more, but its almost Christmas and we have other things on our minds. Below are several images from the shows. An overview of the No Rules exhibition may be viewed on No Rules: Rediscovering Embroidery courtesy of Matt Blomeley at Objectspace.
If you do have some spare time over the holidays here is a link to another blog you might like to visit www.dailyvisuals.blogspot.com. It is written by Jane Dunnewold (of the book Complex Cloth fame). She has committed herself to a year of daily entries, photographing the world around us and making artistic observations. She started on 11 November. It will make you look at things in a more thoughtful way.
My next blog will be on Friday, 2 January 2009. Until then all the very best to everyone for a great holiday season; and thank you for continuing to read my blog.


My piece in the No Rules exhibition, Object Space. Where Did This Come From challenges the inappropriate image of the girl in New Zealand.


View of the Post Stitch exhibition


My piece(s) are in the middle of this group; two pieces connected by a thread. Titled Connecting it references the connections made when communicating.


Side gallery at Lopdall House with larger pieces


Another view of Post Stitch pieces. Katherine Morrison's Sub Rosa - Under the Rose in the foreground.


Post Stitch again. Clare Plug's ASPA 156 - Erebus Voices

Next Blog: 2009 here we are!

When a piece goes belly-up

Each time I start a new piece there is a keen sense of anticipation as to how it will turn out. Will it be my best piece ever, a so-so piece or, heavens forbid, a disaster only fit for the reject bin? All three happen of course, even to the most experienced people.
Making that decision to abandon a piece is never easy, and stressed with considerable frustration. The piece I showed you the beginnings of a few weeks back, based on a Celtic seat in northern Spain, is no longer. It got so far then I decided I didn't like the direction it was going. I tried a few remedies, until finally I did something that I knew would probably 'kill it'. It did, but that was okay.
I then started all over again with a quite different approach. This piece is now finished and I am pleased I decided to have a second attempt. It is still too early to grade its level of success but I am relatively happy with the outcome.
While working through this piece I had two unexpected new outcomes. One was purely by accident, and the other was rather more deliberate. I plan to develop these further and incorporate them into future pieces. So definitely a gain in starting again, if you know what I mean!
Anyway, I am not going to show the whole of the final piece yet as it needs to be professional photographed, but below are four details.









Next Blog: last one before Christmas

Magic Manutex Part 2

Following on from last week's blog about Manutex and how to mix it, I now have several photos of exercises using the Manutex and Procion MX dye mixture. These were worked at the 2007 Surface Design Association Conference in Kansas City, MO. Their 2009 conference is now on line. The Manutex dye mixture is best spread and rolled on to a sheet of glass or perspec with a sponge roller so that the mixture is absorbed evenly.


White fabric placed over a raised grid and a sponge roller partially covered with Manutex dye mixture rolled over the surface, similar to a rubbing.


For this piece I cut out a firm cardboard shape, cut nicks in the two long sides and then laced a string around the card. All of the surfaces were then sealed with a spray paint so that it would withstand washing. It has been placed under the fabric and rolled with a sponge roller and the Manutex dye mixture.


Here is the same motif used in combination with a plastic grid laid under the cloth and printed. The ovals were done the same way.


More of the same; the larger diagonal grid is that cardboard lattice often used in shop displays. The fly swat, although it makes a good print, is just that - a fly swat. I often see the use of recognisable printing objects in textile works/magazines etc and am constantly turned off by these. Unless the theme of a piece is about potatoes, using a potato masher to print (for example) will be just that - a potato masher. I feel too often there is an unwillingness to stretch further and make more meaningful prints.


On the other hand in a workshop there is a need to work through as many things as possible, without too many deep thoughts. This is an example of not using the letter stencil more creatively. The coloured background is done by spreading the Manutex dye mix like finger printing - luvly!!


A stencil cut from stencil paper.


The same stencil is printed by placing it on top of an already printed cloth and rolling over with the Manutex dye mix. Good for limited edition printing.

Next Blog: When a piece goes belly-up....

Magic Manutex Part 1

One of my most valued dye products is Manutex (sodium alginate) available from Creative Craft Supplies. This product looks abit like brown sugar but is a seaweed extract. In dyeing processes it is used for thickening dyes for direct painting and screen printing.
I consider it to be like a good cooking stock and use Ann Johnson's recipe, keep it in a marked container in the fridge and return it to room temperature before I use it. It will last for quite some time, months in fact but may eventually go 'off', evidenced by a 'bad' smell and the growth of mould. I don't have this happen as I use it regularly.
Here's the recipe:
Dissolve 6.5 tbsps urea in three cups boiling water then strain the urea water through a cloth to remove any grit that is often found in the urea.
Sprinkle six teaspoons Manutex into the urea water and stir briskly with a hand whisk constantly for three to five minutes, then a regular stir until it cools. By this time it will have achieved the thickness of a thick runny honey. It is now ready for use, or to go into the fridge.
When I need to paint or print, I simply pour some into a container, and stir in sufficient dry dye powder for my needs. Finally I stir in dry soda ash granules (one teaspoon per cup of Manutex dye mixture) to activate the dyes. This mixture now has a useable life span of about two hours so it is best to be prepared with the fabric about to be printed/painted, although more Soda Ash can be added to re-activate.
I usually leave the fabric to cold-batch overnight. Depending on the size of the piece I will hose it down on my driveway as mentioned in a previous blog. Then it is rinsed in the conventional manner, followed by a hot wash, and a spin in the washing machine before ironing dry.
Next week I will discuss some of the outcomes in using the Manutex mixture.


My Manutex container with dates of mixing


Progress photo of Layers showing clean lines as a result of painting with the Manutex mixture. No gutta or waxed lines here.


Progress showing the blending of colours on the piece shown last week which has now gone 'belly-up' – more about this at a later date!


Detail of Flying High

Next Blog: Magic Manutex Part 2

Weekly treats for life balance

How often do we use the words 'I'm too busy'? I am sure we are all guilty of this at times, particularly when it is used as an excuse not to do something or not be involved; it really means we would be prefer to be doing something else. Nothing at all wrong with that.
However when we use this as an excuse not to treat or spoil ourselves, then I think this is different matter and a concern. Everyone leads a busy lifestyle these days; there are things we need to do, and other things about which we make a choice. Keeping a balance between the two is never easy and I am sure everyone will agree that a life balance, however swayed, is very important.
I have always been a fan of visiting galleries, art house movies, garden visiting, and outings by myself or with friends. Enjoying coffee or lunch is the icing-on-the-cake, as well as an edible reality.
When visiting India last year, I purchased several small A6 size handmade paper books to give as gifts but decided to keep one for myself. I ruled pages into three segments and entered the date of a Monday in each. The first Monday was 20 August 2007.
Now each week I record the events and visits that I have treated myself. Some weeks there may be only one entry, but the next week may have three or four. A casual glance back through the records brings back many happy memories and reflections.
These outings feed my soul, educate me, and give me plenty to think about. I would like to think I am a more interesting person because of them.
Last week I showed you an image of a stone seat viewed on my walks in Spain. This piece is now underway and I have included a couple of progress images.


The cover image on my notebook


Six weeks in my notebook


Playing with the shapes of the seat and cutting them out of paper to view them lifesize and placed on the background of dyed silk


The start of colouring the shapes using Procion MX dyes mixed with a manutex printing paste

Next Blog: Magic Manutex

Signatures on completed works

Okay, the latest piece is finished. Well, almost, but how does one add their signature or some type of identification and date? Painters have it reasonably easy and use a flourish across the lower right corner which claims the painting as theirs. It is not quite that easy with textiles; the nature of the fabric is not always conducive to an artistic scrawl, and textile people are often shy about such proclamations. Embroiderers can sneak a stitched name, or initials, within existing stitching where it will sit quite comfortably.
This is of course a decision for each to make and once decided, I think we would all feel the need to repeat the same signature treatment on all future work. For my own work, I don't like the idea of any signature interfering with the design and, heaven forbid, spelling my name wrong at this final stage would leave me very upset. I frequently type my own name incorrectly so it can be a real risk.
Last year a friend and I travelled north from Lower Hutt on one of those relaxed trips which included stopovers at several of those places one normally drives past with a promise that 'next time' I will definitely stop and visit. We made it into the antique shop on the Highway One corner at Bulls. There I discovered a tray of metal printing blocks and casually began to pull out the letters that formed my name. Needless to say I purchased a series that made up my name and each of the numerals, with the exception of a seven which I couldn't find. Now I use these to stamp my name on the back bottom (left when viewed from the back) hem of my pieces. I like the shapes. I already have a set of rubber stamps which would do the same thing but these metal letters I feel are abit more classy.
I have yet to find that seven but I am not too concerned. I won't need it until 2017.

The metal letter blocks, in reverse of course. The gaps are for the repeat 'a' of which there are three in my name.


A completed signature


I came across this stone seat on my walks in Spain Lifestyle Journeys I am thinking of designing my next piece on its shapes.

Next Blog: Weekly treats for life balance

Building myself a new website

I have a confession to make. I am a closet computer buff. This technology has had me extending myself to discover more of its capabilities for quite sometime now. This can be extremely frustrating at times, and I often feel I take the longest journey possible to get to where I want to be but I just can't let it beat me.
Recently I felt I needed to re-model my website. I like having a website but hiring a professional website builder can be expensive. This is how I first started with a website some years ago, and I have always been able to add/delete/alter its content. This is rather like unlocking the door to a house, going inside and shifting/adding/removing some of the furniture, then locking the door again on the way out. So I already have some skills in websites. With the desire for a new website, I decided that this time I was going to build 'the house' itself. And, I did.
An internet search revealed a number of website building programmes which allowed one to build their own website, for free. I chose VodaHost.com, from the USA. I had my new website content prepared, and downloaded their programme. A very comprehensive series of tutorials 'walked' me through each stage of the process. It was still one of the biggest learning curves I have experienced, but I finally had my nine website pages prepared. I then had to transfer my domain name from my NZ server, to VodaHost in the USA. This was achieved but then I couldn't work out why my email was not working, until I re-read all my instructions and of course I had to re-instate my email with my USA server! Dumb, I know, but true!
VodaHost has a very supportive customer programme and respond quickly and efficiently. I have installed their SpamAssassin and a comprehensive site meter. There are heaps of other features I can select from and install, when I feel the need for another challenge. And best of all, their annual fee is a fraction of what it had been costing me in the past.
My website is still www.dianaparkes.co.nz. Take a look, open up the nine pages and click on the smaller images for enlargements and their details.
Inbetween times I have been steadily working away on things textile. Here is an image of three metres of double weave crinkle silk recently dyed for a client.


Partway through, soya wax and discharge printing, dye


Overall discharge as I decided that the colours were too strong. Then I outlined the leaf design


Leaf shapes highlighted with additional colour

Next Blog: Signatures on completed works