Seasonal work, Quad city arts, rock island, IL

Since 2017, I have integrated color and painting into my textile work. The body of work in this exhibit began as a series of paintings and drawings on cloth using chemical dyes. My process is open-ended. I begin by painting leaf silhouettes and plaid designs and then incorporate drawings using silkscreen to transfer my imagery to the fabric. I choose bed sheets and table linens for their low cost and availability at thrift stores. These found textiles encourage experimentation.

Soon after learning about chemical dyes, I began to investigate natural dye processes. I grew excited by the range of colors inherent in leaves, stems, flowers, and roots. I joined small-scale color studies on wool, cotton and linen with painting with natural pigments. These works expressed in painting and collage are small compositions inspired by the natural world.

The title Seasonal Work refers to the changes in my art making process in response to the seasons. I leave indoor studio projects behind when planting season begins. I plant flowers that yield beautiful colors and then process those flowers after the bees and other insects have had a chance to gather pollen and move it from flower to flower. At the end of the season, I harvest. There is time for making dye baths, and, in the heart of winter a focus again on painting, drawing and sewing.