Recent Monoprints on Fabric

I used a foam padding with plastic on top as the printing plate, spread my paints, pressed some texture plates, added dried leaves and laid the fabric on top.

Usually I use my wonderful gelli plate but wanted to try out a Pinterest idea and voila these gems, if I say so myself!   Now all I have to do is design something!

Serene Seen completed

Serene Seen  by Diane Hamburg 29x18" $290

Don't you love my husband's play on words???!!!  He is asked on occasion to give me some suggestions of titles.  I had hinted on the feeling of serenity when I look out of my studio window upon the sea.  The feeling of serenity/peace/contentment seldom fails to come over me.

I am so grateful for the loan of this piece of land to me and mine.  It belongs to the universe but the feeling, I believe, is mine.

Painting beach scene

I painted some fabric for a beach scene.

 

 

This is the wet fabric all scrunched up.  I let it dry over night.

 It wasn't dried the next day, but I ironed it.  Here it is ready for me to layer: batting and backing.  Then machine quilting comes, followed by some hand stitching I believe!

 

Dyeing using Silk Ties

Isn't this absolutely beautiful!  My sister and I layered a piece of muslin, layered a white silk scarf, added cut pieces of silk ties(whole), placed another silk scarf on top and ended with another piece of muslin.  We rolled it up and tied the roll.  Placed the roll in a pot, covered it in water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar and boiled the roll for 20 minutes.  Rinsed in cold water, unroll, and were tickled with the results.  The scarves are beautiful and fun to wear.  The muslin caught some of the leftover dye but turned out mostly pink.  The red and blues turned out the best, green next best.

We went on to experiment with silk broadcloth.  This time we didn't use the muslin, just the broadcloth.

We just used half the silk for the ties and then folded over the other half.  Simply beautiful.  By the way, the tie pieces can be used again and again.  And of course, I plan to use the pieces in some kind of fiber art project.  Stay turned!

Ice Dyeing

powdered dye on top of ice which was on top of the fabric

My sister just had to take this picture as I was tapping the powdered dye onto the ice.

I just spent a wonderful week with my sister, Marlene, in Auburn, California.  We played/experimented each and every day.  This is our journey into ice dyeing.  What a ball we had.  We soaked our fabric in soda ash.  Then manipulated the fabrics:  folded, tied, scrunched and set it on grates.  Placed ice on top and then sprinkled powdered dye on top.  At the last minute, I put in a treated t-shirt in the bottom of one of the pans.  Had I thought of it sooner, I would have placed clothing/fabric under the other as well.  There was a lot of run-off dye.  We covered the iced fabric to batch overnight.  And voila

This is my favorite!

And here's the shirt.

T-shirt that caught the run-off dye.

This is a technique I will use and use and use.  The fabric is wonderful - I just love the results.  And such an easy technique with such outstanding results!

Stay tuned for more of my sister's and my experiments.

Dyed and Printed Clothes for my wee one

My wee one is not so "wee" anymore.  Max has outgrown the first bunch of dyed/printed onsies.  We're onto the next set.  This are better for Fall/Winter time anyway!  Hope he likes them!

The above are 2 more Composition Books and covers I just finished.  They head to First Street Gallery, Neptune Beach, Florida for the Christmas season!  I figured out a way to do my "art" while stitching up a craft item.

Fun Time teaching Stencil/screening

Pat's work

Charlie's screening

Sue's layering

Maureen's quite pleased with the added circles

Gail's quite busy

Some more of Charlie's screening



I've just begun teaching surface design on fabric at my local art association:  Island Art Association, Fernandina Beach, Florida.  Last month I shared some printmaking techniques:  making one's own stamps.  This month, it was making ones' own stencils and screen printing with them.  11 brave souls attended the morning workshop.  I learned from last month to just share a few techniques and then "let the people go."  The class was a mixture of folks:  some experienced fiber artists, some new to surface design, and those in between.  From all corners, it sounds like everyone learned something new.  I must say I enjoyed myself.  It's such a grand learning experience for me, the "teacher," to see what the folks come up with.  I think we all had fun!

Current Workings

Just completed a series of 3 - Faint Impressions, using numerous discharged black fabrics. My darling sister sent me some blacks that discharged beautifully. I placed a leaf on the black and sprayed watered bleach to create a faint leaf impression. Then is pieced different discharged fabrics around it. One piece I am adding studio-made buttons and beads to enter in the Jacksonville's Quiltfest. I'll upload pics later.

For the themed show "The Approaching Storm" I wrote previously about, I entered and received an Honorable Mention Award for my signature beach landscape. Now, I take images of stormy weather besides the beautiful sun rises!! And opps! I forgot to photogragh that one before submitting. I tend to get so exciting about my next projects, I'm forgetting to finish the current one - that's taking the picture. I'll get one taken when I travel downtown to the Art Association.

I've begun a commission piece for a good friend of mine - still in the designing phase. I'm not a real planner... My friend likes poppies, earth tones, realistic images, elegance. I'm working on the background fabric: my own hand dyed yellow fabric and have added various printing: stamping, sponging. I'm thinking the fabric is too bright so will go backinto it with a wash. I'll take a pic of the current phase. Then again, I may go in a completely different path. The energy and thrill of a new challenge.