BACKGROUNDS FOR THE MAPPING JOURNEYS PROJECTS
My students were disappointed to miss out on the Sunprinting with Setacolor class last year so since we were a small group I incorporated a few of the techniques from that class into this one for backgrounds. Using Setacolor fabric paints and laying interesting shapes onto the fabric, they were 'printed' in the sun. This is a unique aspect of Setacolor transparent fabric paints. Try it out. You only need a sunny day and of course the Setacolor Transparent paints. Leave the fabric quite wet. Lay out the paint on fabric. Lay some interesting shapes of stencils or leaves or other items of this sort and let the fabric dry in the sunlight.
Try 'scrunching' up the fabric, or adding salt, or laying your fabric over an interesting texture such as wire or manhole cover or possibly uneven gravel surface. Students in past years tried these techniques and came up with fabulous backgrounds.
WORKS IN PROGRESS
SWISS MOUNTAIN VALLEY
Donna was barely home from a fabulous vacation to Switzerland and this was her inspiration.
I am waiting for photos of the finished piece.
A WALK THROUGH THE FAIRY GARDEN
Valinda really had the juices flowing in her imagination. Fairy imagery is high on her priority in her work and this is what she chose as her 'mapping journey'.
In the class we discussed many different imageries for maps and mapping projects. Jill Berry's book 'Personal Geographies' was the inspiration for this class. There are many ideas and ways to interpret 'mapping' in your work and these two were amazing to me..
As usual my students came up with ideas that I would not have thought about...they are always an inspiration to me and I learn something new from every class I teach.
INSPIRATION
For new work for me. This is an aerial photo of Citeus Britannieus in northern Portugal. I visited this ancient Celtic site on a vacation some years ago. The mystery still lies close with me. The shapes and lines - the map of this ancient town where lives were lived on a daily basis more than one thousand years ago - are inspiring for me. Production of this work will be a series of cloth and paper works. More on that as the story unfolds.
So for inspiration look to your own experiences and travels for ideas and inspiration.
Summer is in full force here in Edmonton. My garden is quite lovely right now. Festivals abound in our fabulous city and I with husband have been on the move a bit enjoying the Alberta summer.
DID YOU KNOW...India Flint has written a really interesting book about natural dyes...ECO COLOUR, Botanical Dyes for Beautiful Textiles. The photos in this book on their own are fabulous. Borrow it from your local library and enjoy. It's summer. Try out a few of these projects.
Well on to the long weekend and the Heritage Festival. Another Edmonton summer festival providing inspiration for textile and paper work!
