Verona Walls

Art critic, novelist, painter and poet, John Berger, says "The process of seeing is less spontaneous and natural then we tend to believe. A large part of seeing depends upon habit and convention."
(quote taken from his BBC series Ways of Seeing.)

Start seeing as you walk along that same street. The street you walk along every day.

I see this wall every day as I walk in Verona, Italy, and I love it. I love the colours. I love the curve in the road where the wall is. I love the view of the Adige River near that wall.

I have enjoyed transferring my photographs onto different types of fabric in the past.

I plan to transfer these onto silk and use them as a background for an art piece.

(see art work from contemporary artist Franco Guerzoni, born Modena 1948- )

Learning

I really needed to take a good workshop to find a new source of inspiration. Sometimes you get tired of your same studio, the same fabrics, the same projects. You need to kick start something new.

Gunnel Hag's work using photo transfers

I spent Saturday at Gunnel Hag's studio in Toronto and experimented with photo transfers.

I am really happy with the samples I made during the workshop. I printed on several types of fabric; cotton, silk, linen and commercially printed cottons.

One of methods taught was new to me (using Bubble Jet Set) and the other two methods which I had experience with I was able to tweak using Gunnel's tips.

I also enjoyed talking to the other student who took the class. She had several degrees in art-related subjects and I found her inspirational. BONUS: she was of italian heritage!

Most of the photos I transferred were photos of textures. Below are a few examples of the 8.5" x 11" photo transfers.

photo of the wall in the courtyard of Giulietta's
house in Verona, Italy. 

photo of a rusty panel, Verona streets.
This was transferred onto silk. It is really lovely
and almost transparent.

This photo taken at one of Paris' cemeteries
was transferred onto a grey fabric with
a small square design.
I like it.

The building in downtown Toronto
was transferred onto a piece of
commercially printed cotton
with words and math formulas

I am not sure yet how I will add stitch to them or how I will integrate them in larger works. That part needs to have some 'steeping' time.

Morning Practice

One of last week's post cards.

photo transfer onto painted fabric
paper
I took the picture (rt side) in Rossano, Calabria 

I use my post cards to write thank-you notes and such.

Postcards

I won't be seeing my neighbourhood for a while.

In about a week I go to Europe.

I don't really miss the neighbourhood much while I am away.

Does that mean it's time to sell? and move to Italy??

(postcard, 4"x6", free motion technique on photo transfer image of a cracked sidewalk)

Making my Own Fabric

I always have my camera in my purse.

I noticed some of the advertisements on the street posts were 'altered' because of the big rains that had fallen during the night.

I printed those photographs on treated cotton fabric (Printed Treasures by Dritz)

I love the text that you barely see.

I like the texture.

I may print it again and alter the colour slightly.

I will eventually be using this 'new fabric' for an art piece.

Teaching

I taught my last class for this term at a Toronto high school. Last week I taught the students Free Motion stitching. Today the grade 10 students saw a presentation about different effects one can achieve with Free Motion sewing.

Cathy Bredyk-Law's work, detail of Laurentian Hills,
a piece that was part of Tradition in Transition

I showed images of textile work from Canadian, French and Italian artists. All recent works.

Italian artist Maria Teresa Sansotta,
"Le Tue Rughe Le Mie Radici", detail

We talked about cut work,

His Twinkling Perch, detail,  by Francie V-
a great example of cut work

I introduced the addition of materials that are not fabric,

painted and melted tyvek
Birth detail

I showed them works that had image transfers,

detail of an old piece of mine

I also brought some of my works to show them as well as works by other artists.

Some traditional quilts and some contemporary fibre art.

It is a technique that will open up many possibilities for them as creators. I look forward to seeing their creations towards the end of the school year. It will be interesting to see how they integrated this sewing technique in their art work.

School Project

The culminating works from the grade 10 art class are hanging in the hallway at Branksome Hall. It was exciting for me to see how the students combined the sewing techniques I taught them with the other techniques they learned during the year with their art teachers.

detail,
free motion stitching on painted canvas and gel transfer

detail,
hand stitching, machine stitching, painted melted tyvek on canvas

detail, "Batophobia",
 hand stitching and free motion machine stitching
 were used on a photo transfer by this
 grade 10 student.

The students were very keen to use the product Sulky "Solvy", which is a soluble film that is dissolved in water after it is stitched and the maker is left only with the stitching. The cuff shown below is a good example. It was stitched free form.

The artist of the following piece, "Media Destruction", also used the same product but achieved a different effect.

One can also draw with thread when using the darning foot attachment on a sewing machine.

detail, Almost Free
 the car and the text were drawn free hand with thread. 

The art staff wants to have me back again next year but earlier in the year so the students will have more time to experiment and develop the sewing techniques.

detail, Around the World
I did help this student sew like a "real" quilter.
 Look at her matching corners! Impressive!!

Words of Wisdom

I was never big on reading instructions and still I am not a fan.

That is why my studio smells of something toxic!  I was making photo transfers using my photos of Toronto.

I ironed a photo transfer that did not need to be ironed and instead I burnt it.

For this type of transfer, you need only to remove the paper backing.

I got rid of the iron-on sheets because I did not like the rubbery texture they gave when transfered onto cloth.

So now I have a head ache-got to get out of here and get some fresh air!

I should have read the 'words of wisdom', as my father-in-law always advised.

I used one of my photographs for the photo transfer below.

detail, Bougainvilla di Rossano, 2008