Clay Monoprints

Night & Day, You Are the One

Here are photos of four of the clay monoprints that I made last week with Mitch Lyons. The art's printed either on Pellon or on Reemay. These are not made with ink or paint, but rather a very thin layer of colored clay is pulled off a clay slab and adheres premanently to the cloth. Water is spritzed onto the clay slab before the Pellon is put down to print. An electrical charge builds up between the wet clay and the Pellon when a rolling force is applied. (The backside of the Pellon is rolled with a rolling pin, pizza roller, or spoon so that the entire surface comes in contact with the clay.) This charge is what holds the clay permanently to the cloth. There is no firing of clay, nothing. The prints are allowed to dry and then Thompson's Water Seal is spritzed to preserve the vibrant colors.

On Target 

Halycon II 

Peeps 

Clay monoprint by Mitch Lyons/

Making Art

Last week I spent two days making art with Mitch Lyons. Wow! I didn't know what hit me.
Work just poured out of me. I haven't had such fun since I took a workshop with Melody Johnson. I felt real connections between these monoprints and fused quilts--the immediacy of each, the work with raw color. I also felt a correlation to the illustration of Denise Fleming. Somehow these three different art forms are close, and I want to explore them. I think it is that in each of these three methods, the artist works with pure color. In the clay monoprints, pigments are added to white china clay; in Denise's paper pulp painting, pigment is added to cotton pulp; and with the fused quilting I have done, in the style of the Chicago School of Fusing, hand-dyed cotton fabrics are the result of bold pigment added to cotton. Pure color is very important in each form. That's not saying that a lot of planning, sketching, technique and preparing doesn't go into these pieces, they do. I'm grasping for words here...not articulating very well. I'll think on it.
I know that I'm itching to sew the monoprints. Colored clay printed on pellon and remay. Don't know that I can fuse it, but I know I can sew it! I will provide photos tomorrow of the prints.

Here is a recent postcard I made using Fusing. 

Something New

At long last I have something new to post. Karoda's insomnia must be contagious as I woke at 4am today and decided that instead of tossing and turning, I'd just get up and work in my studio. Must admit, I like that early morning quiet of a sleeping house. My digital camera technique is equivalent to my free motion quilting technique--both s--k. Feel free to look at someone else's blog.

Here is my Lenten "Golgotha" named for the hill with three crosses. Of course at a different time of year, I might choose another name more appropriate for the vibrant yellows.

Working from the bottom up, this is the third cross with repetititive small cross. Purple trim to try out my new pinking edged rotary cutter. I can hear my mentor now...only use Hobbs Heirloom batting or your results will look wrinkled just like this! I am trying to use up what is on hand as I make these practice pieces, and am replacing the old Warm&Natural with Hobbs as I buy new.

Here is the center cross/block. All quilting done in regular machine quilting.

This piece is comprised of blocks made at M. Johnson's "creative block" workshop, and the colors are all hers. Such lucious colors, they vibrate next to one another. These were the leftover basic blocks that I didn't know how to use. Finally I figured it out. This is the top square with a broken cross.

At the kind urging of Karoda and Frieda A. I have been practicing 'free dogs down' machine quilting as well as some free form hand embroidery.My technique is lousy, but at least I'm starting...and starting something very new for me. This is "Prairie Beyond the Fence."
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Big Win at Regional Science Fair

My darling daughter SJ burnt the midnight oil last week and managed to claim the Grand Prize Runner Up award for the second time in 2 years. (Mom's bustin') Here are some of her certificates of merit: 1st place in her category of Microbiology, Sr. Division and Grand Prize Runner-Up with full-paid trip to Phoenix and the International Science and Engineering Fair in May.
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Reaping the rewards of two semesters of hard, hard work, SJ sits with her winnings from the Science Fair.
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Kick Up Your Heels At Celtic Celebration - - The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register

Kick Up Your Heels At Celtic Celebration - - The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register

Mission accomplished! All the bugs are bagged in this orange container. Now all that's left is to write the damn paper!
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Here is my daughter Sarah. She is really an actress and only does microbiology for the costumes and props. This year's science project has to do with jelly fish flouresence, plasmids, E. coli and goldenseal. Don't ask!
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My darling scientist, Sarah Harshman. 10th grade, age Sweet 16.
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