July 15th — and I’ve finally set up a way to stretch my work in our little old gazebo. (Both sides of my basement are full of stretched work at the moment, so this is a helpful way to work on more pieces simultaneously.) This evening I’m soy sizing some small pieces (zig-zagged together making a long piece).
stretched, indigo dyed linen
Sailboat cleats screwed into the wood secure the harite (stretchers), but that’s my brush hanging there.
the cleat, the brush (jizomebake)
Many moons ago I painted these vintage linen napkins with some Earthhues natural dye extracts (logwood and madder) thickened with gum tragacanth. I was aiming for some background visual texture. They were disappointing to me so I tucked them away. Then, earlier this summer using some of my small stencils, I pasted-then-dipped, pasted-then-dipped them a few times in indigo. Now I like them. The under layer of dye peeks through in certain places. If you click for the close-up, you might be able to see that a little.
doves, stars, indigo on linen
water, grass, egret, indigo dyed vintage linen
The soy sizing will prevent any crocking. I will probably paint some darker indigo pigment highlights on them.
Inside my studio this morning I pasted some new circle motif stencils on silk broadcloth. Birds (of course) a clematis and a rabbit. These will be painted with natural pigments.
pasted circle motifs -- birds, flower, rabbit
i love these long stretches of cloth
I really like working on long pieces too. Something I can really unfurl and hang onto!