Words on the Surface, Redux

 

Putting text to the test, we creative women printed, dyed, batiked, stamped and calligraphed through the weekend. Candid comments took my planning to the next step, toward turning this workshop into a proposal for on-the-road teaching. The upside: it seems to be an intriguing topic, one that can take participants in many directions. It works for both advanced professionals and for beginning students (with a bit of tweaking and not too many in a class). The techniques taught can be applied to work of different scale and different formats. Downside: it takes a lot of supplies.

Here are some of the samples I made, and some of the results from participants, as well as a few candid shots of the artists (Mary Ann Johnson, Elizabeth Romanella, Caryl Gaubatz, l to r). The samples are some of Kathy Hayson's pieces. We used soy batik, thermofax printing with shaving foam, sun printing, original stamps and other techniques -- and combined and layered them to create Complex Cloth.

Our intent in these samples shown was to embed the text messages into the surface of the cloth, with the form holding as much importance (and as much of the "message" as any literary element.  That could mean really making it disappear or become a surface texture, or, if we wanted the words to still be legible, finding ways to integrate surface color and texture.

I'm open to ideas and suggestions, and would love to collect jpg examples of other artist's works to include in a slide show for future events -- with due credit of course. If you are interested in being part of this teaching aid, please contact me though the comments section. 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Michelle Czulada]

Hi Susie, I love what you've done here.. I'd love to be a part.. can I do it from Florida?

[Susie]

Hi Michelle -- Please just experiment away and send me your best efforts via picture, I'd love to have you part of the show. Susie

[Terri West]

Have you been to Starbucks lately? I don't know who does the art for their shops but it is loaded with text ---at least here in the Orlando area

[Mary]

beautiful work--love your artist statement on your website, too...glad to find you

[Michelle Czulada]

Susie, is that last image (the green fabric and text) done via thermofax?

I'm going to give it a go myself..thanks for the inspiration! ;o)

[linda]

I would love to take your class, to print, dye, and explore with like-minded souls. I can't shake a fascination with text and am always dropping it into my projects. Text simultaneously has a visual rhythm, an immediate meaning, and all kinds of personal echoes. Great idea for a class.

[PaMdora]

Great post Susie. I love putting text in my work, but it's completely a different approach because I'm wanting my text to be legible as part of one of my picture stories. I think I was influenced a long time ago when I took an Image and Text class that was jointly taught by a writer and an artist.

Anyway, I include a lot of labels, signs, text, etc in my work because I don't think people realize how much the written word is part of our everyday environment. We tend to tune it out, but if you look afresh, you'll see writing everywhere as part of our urban landscape.

[Susie]

Thanks for all the great comments. I am on a crazy deadline right now to get some work finished for the Southwest School of Art and Craft and a few others, but I plan to return to this topic and workshop idea and will be in touch with everyone who has offered to share images, or is interested in taking the course! Thanks for all the encouraging words, here and on the quiltart list! Susie

[Debra Roby]

Are you familiar with Rayna Gilman??
http://www.galleryfxv.com/Rayna.html

She uses a number of the same techniques you mentioned, and uses words and old photos in her art.