New Fabric Length

Earlier this week I finished another length of hand-dyed fabric for sale and eventual construction into a garment. Lovely piece of fine ribbed silk, originally a warm cream. Length 2.35m (2.5yds), width 110cm (43in), NZ$95.

First I machine stitched large darts throughout the length, and stretched it best I could into a frame with the darts underneath.

Then painted on a warm mustard coloured dye. This partially seeped through into the darts on the wrong side but they remained quite clear when opened out.

Back on the frame and a stronger dye colour was used to outline the unstitched darts. The mustard colour of the fabric in this photo is right off beam here!

When the outlines were dry, I watered down the remaining dye and over-painted the background areas.

After leaving to batch overnight, the first wash is done with the fabric laid out on my driveway and given a good hose to remove the bulk of any excess dye. This method goes along way to avoid any back staining. Conventional washing and rinsing followed.

All done, and draped on my mannequin, Zoe.

Where to now...

Earlier this week I collected my work from the gallery where it had been on display for the last month. Eight small pieces, and one large, sold. This is very satisfying but sales were not the motivation for this exhibition. Sales are a bonus of course and it is very gratifying to think that people felt they wished to own a piece of my work. The motivation however was simply a commitment to make a series of works, to grow and develop my skills and creativity while working them, and then to display them as a whole at the end. The biggest critic forever is me, and having satisfied my own judgements, the positive responses to this exhibition were simply the icing on the cake (and they have been yummy!).

Like any major long-term planned event, there is somewhat of a deflated feeling after it is over or finished. This is to be expected but it also gives an opportunity to reflect on 'what next'. Two year's of planning and working through the works for my exhibition is quite a major chunk in one's life. I could now sit back and 'take a rest' but that is not me at all and although I am enjoying the satisfaction of looking back, I am already thinking ahead.

There is still much to do, to take everything to the next level. Another solo exhibition in two years? The value of solo exhibitions is huge and this could quite well be the outcome.

In the meantime I am considering adding printed lino cuts to my work. I like the unpredictability of the actual cutting where lines and shapes take on their own look, and the resulting prints are not perfect. And there is also something meditative about the process of cutting.

A lino cut in progress, with a pencil rubbing to check the process.

100th post

Well it had to happen of course but this is my 100th blog posting. I started in July 2008. I do enjoy writing these and am delighted that people continue to read them. There has been 2416 visits during this time, and 4124 pages read. You come from all countries small and large and I would like to thank you for your support and comments. I will definitely be continuing for yet another 100 posts, at least.....

I have just had a lovely weekend in New Plymouth visiting friends and family. Such a journey, a 5 - 6 hour drive, is always a good excuse to visit galleries en route. In Whanganui I visited my friend Eva's exhibition and was excited to see her work in 'another' space ie not in her home environment where I usually admire her work. Then to the Sarjeant Gallery for a very good glass exhibition, and the Whanganui Arts Review which displayed a wide variety of works, collectively endorsing a very active arts community. Another exhibition, Second Life using re-cycled materials, I had already seen in Pataka, Porirua, and it is interesting to see the same works displayed in a different gallery.

Percy Thompson, Stratford, was gearing up for the opening of their local art society's exhibition. However, the real gem was the Govett Brewster in New Plymouth which had three very different but exciting exhibitions, all by international women artists. Yes, they were challenging, but very diverse and each exhibition fitted their given spaces very well. Images are from the Govett Brewster website. These exhibitions close November 29.

Judith Wright: Conversations. Large paintings on handmade Japanese papers, and a video.

Guo Fengyi: China in Four Seasons. Very large pen drawings.

Nalini Malani: Transactions in the Construction of Pain 2005. Reverse paintings on the back of acrylic and mylar, digital printing on archival bamboo paper, and a video.

Three Sisters

Before I give you some insight in the workings of THREE SISTERS, I have now posted all the images from my exhibition FIBRE REACTIVE on to my website. Go to www.dianaparkes.co.nz and open up WholeCloth Banners. Each image may be clicked on to enlarge and they move through by simply clicking on the rolled-over NEXT in the top right area of each image.

THREE SISTERS came about because of the new size limits for the Surface Design Association Members' exhibition at their conference earlier this year. I am not a fan of working within squares so, after considerable contemplation I decided to work a triptych and then select one to send to the conference. I decided on three similar shapes which evolved as outcrops from either land or sea; these are often given familiar names by those living in the area.

© 2008 Diana Parkes, THREE SISTERS, dye and pigment on silk, size overall 46cm x 142cm / 18" x 56".

The first dye application being washed with the hose on my driveway. This method helps to prevent the dye back-staining on to the white fabric.

Several more applications: printing with unravelled cloth, and discharged grids (the conference was titled Off The Grid). Also some partial printed text based on 'woman and her wits' from a 100 year old book that I have in my bookshelf. The initial dyeing did back-stain on to the white background but in this case I felt this was beneficial.

Further dye colours introduced into the corners, and some more to finish off the piece (see completed image).


And here it is on the cover of the SDA newsletter, smack in the middle!

Workbooks

The other day I had a session with my current workbook. All those little bits of experiments or tests, and rejects accumulated while working, get pushed to one side until I find time to look at them again. This can be quite enlightening as, removed from the original intention, they appear quite different. I usually cut out the best pieces and paste them into a workbook. This makes for good record making, and occasional reviewing over time.

Here are three pages from my current workbook. This workbook has black pages which creates its own challenges especially when note making, but on the whole I think it works well.







On Sunday afternoon, a friend and I went on an architecture tour organised by our local gallery, TheNewDowse. We started at a local Buddhist community which was set in idyllic New Zealand bush. It was a most interesting visit and I snapped this image on the side of some steps. I find it very elegant and serene.

Figures In The Mist

Here is another piece from my exhibition.

©2008 Diana Parkes, FIGURES IN THE MIST, dye, discharge and pigment on silk, 85cm x 94cm; 34" x 37".

I had been looking through some of my images taken in Spain and selected one of a narrow window opening in an 8th century church. I liked the stone blocks which supported this window and, although still at a beginners level in photoshop, I did manage to remove the window and the rest of the stone work.


I transferred, free-hand, similar shapes to some silk

After adding some colour washes to the background, I then decided I didn't like these at all! This is not an unusual reaction (it happens often), but instead of discarding it....

....I put it through a discharge bath and felt much better about the resulting, more subtle colours. I also turned it into a horizontal position. I was then able to introduce further elements to the piece as in the final image above. I often make these radical shifts and am absolutely hopeless at working commissions - I could never stick with a pre-determined design!

Interesting to note that the top photo is a professional photo while those-in-progress are my humble, but faithful, digital camera. The top photo is truer to the real colours. This certainly supports the value of getting photos taken professionally!

Colour Connections Installation

Every gallery likes to educate, and as part of my Fibre Reaction exhibition at Expressions, Upper Hutt, there is now a display in the foyer doing just that. This wasn't able to be set up until a week after the opening but will be there for the remaining time of my exhibition. In it I have taken 99 pieces of white cloth, 50cm x 50cm (20" x 20") plus one commercially dyed black piece. With the white and black pieces at either end, the 98 pieces in between are based on the dye percentage principle and work through a complex range of colours. I am hoping people will take time to think how some colours are produced. There is also a cabinet with some of my 'tools of trade', along with a basket of dyed pieces to handle and some books to view. Hopefully these will further an understanding of dyeing.






And while on the subject of colour, below is the facade of the Wellington City Gallery, which currently houses an exhibition by Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama, MIRRORED YEARS. This artist works with colour and dots. Her exhibition is wonderful, and her lifelong dedication to making art is inspiring. Well worth a visit (or two). www.citygallery.org.nz