PROCESS

MY PROCESSES & TECHNIQUES

Fiber Art is defined by a focus on how materials are used and manipulated by the artist, the significance of the work, and the aesthetic value of the piece. It is a crossover use of materials and techniques, using mixed media for surface design and specialized weaving techniques. It involves hand weaving, stitching arts, dyeing processes, fabric painting, and fabric manipulation. Materials come from many places…commercial box stores, thrift and antique stores, estate and yard sales, nature walks, and fiber fairs for unusual yarns and objects to incorporate.

Layer One:

My base canvas is a woven with strips of cloth instead of yarn. It is called rag weaving. I cut a piece of cloth into 1/2” to 1” strips, then weave them together on my loom. I sometimes weave in scraps of other cloth or art yarns to give it some texture and funk.

Layer Two:

I start adding various methods of design to the base cloth, individually or combined techniques. I might take a stitched piece of cloth and dye it in Indigo or other natural dyes, making a pattern for me to embroidery. I might print photos on a piece of cloth and then stitch, paint, stamp, and add found objects. I might just take the woven rag cloth by itself, then paint, stamp, screen print and/or add other techniques to it. I work intuitively as I go…like a painting. Sometimes I know what it will be , but then, sometimes, as the process goes, it surprises me.

Final stage:

Framing time. I have a wonderful framer who knows her stuff. We sit down together and do the finishing touches. She has a wonderful sense and knowledge of presenting fiber.