Batik:wax resist painting

I have fallen for a new art medium: Batiking. Batiking is a wax resist method of painting on fabric. I learned how to batik last year just by doing some research, and watching a few youtube videos. Once you have the right supplies, the process is somewhat soothing. I paint hot wax onto a stretched piece of cotton, and then paint with fabric dye onto the fabric. Whereever the wax is the dye cannot go. After the first layer is done I iron off the wax and then apply a new set of wax to the areas I painted, and the process continues like that until I'm satisfied that it is finished. There is a definate process but applying either the wax or the dye is a relaxing, calming process for me. I was sort of antsy all night last night until I started a new batik and sudddenly I had found some peace. I've also tried a dip bath for the batik instead of painting it on which requires a bit more thinking to make sure that all the layers of colours will together properly. Here is my first batik ever. It was using dye baths. The top piece shown was on display at the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library this past fall. The second piece is another batik that I made this padt winter. I have had a few problems with my computer the last little while so I haven't been able to post pictures, but I may be closer to getting that problem resolved.

Icarus and the Tree Herder by Ian Worrel

I love the animation and the drawing style set to motion in this animated short by artist Ian Worrel. It is called Icarus & the tree Herder. https://vimeo.com/5921562 Here is a link to his blog: http://enworrel.blogspot.ca/

Melanie Hoff-Visual Artist

In searching for tree artists today I found this artist Melanie Hoff who lets electricity run through pieces of plywood and as it burns the wood it creates tree-like or lighting burn marks. She posted a cool stop motion on the project https://melaniehoff.squarespace.com/#/15000volts/ Check it out.

All these things....

Alright here's my confession: I got lazy about blogging. I built up a good rythm for blogging for a while there, and then it kind of fell to the back burner. It is my new year's resolution to start blogging again. I'd like to catch you up to speed as to some of the things that have been going on since the blogging slowed to a trickle: •I was married in December! As much as I would like to think I wasn't a bride that let a wedding get in the way of other things in my life, I was like that to a point, but then wedding and social stuff took over pretty much from Sept-December. All that is now done, and I"m easing into married life with my new husband and am thoroughly enjoying having time back (and a husband!). •My work hours were bumped up in Sept, so I am kept busier with that than I used to be. •Aside from my regular teaching hourse I started teaching an after school children's art class again through continuing education which ended yesterday, so I'll get a little time back to work on my own things. •I travelled to newfoundland, and hit up other major cities along the way for most of August. •House repairs/renos have unfortunately consumed more time than I'd like. My art room ceiling had to be replaced and I've been slow with putting it back together. I set up space in the basement so I have at least had working space. Our bathroom is also under construction which I've been helping with. •I am taking the course titled "The Art of Managing your Career". It is a course offered through the Arts and Cultural Industries of Manitoba and taught by Heather Bishop. Each class has offered more and more wisdom, advice and is really motivating me with business plans and my artistic goals. I will be posting more about that soon.

Exhibit at the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library

The Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library has an exhibit opening next week on Sept 26th called X Y Me: New Craft Generations. I have a batik piece that will be on display. There is an opening reception wed from 6:30-8pm. The exhibit runs from Sept 26th until January 2013. The idea behind the exhibit is that is to host work by "X", "Y", and "Me" generation crafters. The Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library is what is left of the former Manitoba Craft Guild. Years ago the craft guild disbanded, but the space was still supported as a craft library,and also a display space. It is located at 1B – 183 Kennedy Street, in Winnipeg.
Regular Hours of Operation
Tuesday and Wednesday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday: 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm

Colour in Pastels...

I was fooling around with some oil pastels today. I always forget about them as a colour medium, but I actually really love how you can get the effects of paint, but the control of drawing. Once there are a lot of thick colours built up they can be a lot of fun to smear around. This one was done using a combination of paint thinner and a smudging stick.

Tales from the East Coast

Wowza, is it mid September already?! I owe this blog some drawings! The drawing wasn't stopped, but the blogging was because I took a trip all the way to Newfoundland and back. You can read about my adventure's on Lindsey's blog here at omycanada.blogspot.ca/. Basically we drove and drove and drove and drove from the mid-way point of Canada all the way as far east as we could go. We had a lot of hijinks along the way, and it will definitely go down as my best camping trip ever (at least to this date). We made our way from Winnipeg, drove down through the states through to Detroit and then traveled back through Canada over to Niagara Falls. After Niagara it was off to Toronto where we did the CN Tower, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and actually saw, touched, and climbed into the inside of Mr. Dress-ups tree house. As unimaginable as it is, it actually happened, and I will save that story for another day. This set the bar pretty high on our travels because fulfilling that childhood dream happened within only a few days of leaving Manitoba. Canada's provinces didn't disappoint me however, there was a never ending supply of activities and sights to see if only we had another 3, 4, 5, or 6 weeks to spend touring.
From Toronto we traveled onward to Quebec City, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Then we made our way back stopping in Halifax, PEI(where I did see the Anne of Green Gables house!), the Bay of Fundy, Quebec City, Montreal, and then onto our last stop to cap off the trip with a Light show on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Then it was a long drive all the way back through the Canadian shield stopping only briefly in Sudbury, and Thunder Bay. Ah, what a trip, but now it's back to teaching, back to life, and planning that big life-changing event that's coming up quickly which is my wedding.
Drawings from the trip will be posted soon, I'm still catching up on everything...