Studio Snapshots!

I got a new Canon G11 for my birthday and I spent a sunny afternoon recently learning how to use it by taking some shots in my studio.

New Scarves in Process

The first photo shows the scarves after the resist has been applied. The scarves were steamed for 2 hours to set the dye i nthe resist and to activate the resists holding properties.
In the photo below 3 freshly dyed scarves are hanging on the line in my studio waiting to go through the second steaming in the stainless steel silk steamer.

Below is a photo of the Ravens/Crows under a full moon scarf still stretched in the rack drying

Close up of one end of the Raven Moon scarf...................

................and a close up of the other end.

My work is in 2 more Etsy Showcases

My silkpaintings were chosen for 2 seperate Treasury Showcases on Etsy today.
The first one is called "All Christmas Trees": http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=98868

and the second showcase my work was chosen for today is called "Home for the Holidays" : http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=98771

I am not sure how long the showcases last but I hope you enjoy them while they are still active.

I just finished applying thick resist to both a "Blackbirds Singing" scarf and a "Poppy's" scarf back to back. Both these designs have a lot of resist work and my hands get really sore afterwards so I put ice on them. Guess I am getting old ;~)

Crow House Studio Fan page on Facebook

I have been busy listing items that I am selling on Etsy on my Crow House Studio Facebook Fan page. Click the link below to visit my page and be sure to click on the "Become a Fan" link if you like my work! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Marcille-Crow-House-Studio/31337354316?ref=s

Thanks,

Linda

Support Artists, Writers and Musicians this Holiday Season!

Support your local artists, writers, musicians and crafts people this holiday season. Look for open studio tours and craft shows in your area! Shop on online art/craft sites like Etsy.com and Artfire.com. This economy has been extremely tough on many artists and they really need your support more that the large box stores do!! What would life be like without art, music and litera...ture? If you agree pass this message onto your email and Facebook friends today. Thanks,
Linda Marcille

Delivering Silk Paintings to Vermont Artisan Designs

Don and I delivered a bunch of fall and winter paintings to Vermont Artisan Designs in Brattleboro, VT today. Here are some photos of me getting the paintings ready in the studio and then Don and I at the gallery taking down the old paintings and hanging up the new ones.

Christmas Shopping Made Easy!

Now you can buy my silk scarves, ties, limited edition prints, paintings, silk ornaments and art magnets online at Etsy.com.
Here is the link to my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/silkartisan buy online, pay via Pay Pal or credit Card and I will ship your purchase right to your door!!!

Two Charity Auctions I have donated artwork to

Auction nuumber 1:
I have donated 2 prints to the “doing our pART” auction to raise money for the Vermont Food Bank . This auctuon is the Vermont Arts Council’s second online art auction to benefit the Vermont Foodbank. Last fall, 80 artists and arts organizations stepped to the plate by donating goods and services to the event. When the bidding closed, $10,254 in art had been sold and the Vermont Foodbank received 100% of the proceeds. The contribution equaled 15 tons of food, or approximately 27,000 meals for hungry Vermonters.

Unfortunately the Foodbank’s need is just as great this year--one in eight Vermonters is currently tapping into their services. The online auction comes at a time when many Vermonters are feeling anxious about the approaching winter months. With the high costs of both food and heating fuel, many people will be forced to choose between keeping their houses warm or putting a meal on the table.

To that end the Arts Council is inviting artists, artisans and arts organizations to contribute to an online auction. It will take place from November 27 – December 4, 2008 and 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Vermont Foodbank. Contributing artists and arts organizations can opt to receive 30% of the proceeds from the sale of their contribution OR they can donate the full amount to the Vermont Foodbank

You can see my prints at this link http://www.cmarket.com/auction/item/Item.action?id=100191995

Auction #2:
I have donated a scarf to the SDA auction. The Surface Design Association has nearly 4000 members worldwide. Each member creates textiles, paper, art, etc in his or her unique style. Each scarf, shawl, DVD or book in this auction has been created by the artist for this auction.
The Surface Design Association auction supports the Creative Promise Awards, conference scholarships, various SDA grants, and additional member benefits

Until November 15, the auction will be open with fabulous scarves, shawls, workshops and books for you to bid upon.
You can see the scarf I donated here: http://www.cmarket.com/auction/item/Item.action?id=98136651

Can't keep a silk painting addict down!

Well I am supposed to be resting my wrist/thumb, and technically I am, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do and this girl's gotta paint silk!! So I applied some anti-diffusant to some scarf blanks so I could paint without applying resist. Don came in the studio and took a photo of me removing a scarf from the stretcher with my brace on my wrist & thumb. I still have a couple of scarves that I had previously applied resist to that I can paint also while I am on wrist leave. My wrist is getting much better and I hope to be back to applying resist very soon.

Resting My Wrist

Well after doing a large wholesale scarf order for Northshire Book Store in Manchester, VT followed by another wholesale order for the Peace and Justice Store in Burlington and a number of smaller custom orders inbetween my wrist and thumb joint started to complain big time.

After each day spent applying resist to scarves I was icing my wrist and thumb joint and I started wearing a brace I got from occupational therapy a few years ago but eventually I had to take a break from applying resist. So I have spent the last week dying scarves that I had already applied resist to and painting scarves with anti-diffusant or block printing them which is easier on the wrist.

The three floral ones below were for a custom order. They were also the final straw for my wrist. Squeezing the resist bottle while applying the glue-like resist to all those lines is a real pain in the wrist ;~)

New Scarves Fresh from the Studio!

Resistad Water Based Resist

Why do we love thee (Resistad) let me count the ways. (Sorry I couldn’t resist, oops, did it again!). Resistad is very wax-like in its resisting properties. Once properly heat set or steamed it can be painted over with dye as long as you use a cotton ball to wipe off the beads of dye that form on the resisted areas. If you leave the beads of dye on the resist they will work their way through (can be a cool effect if wanted).

I color my Resistad with Dupont dyes, and then I apply it to the silk using an Air Pen applicator with a small compressor. I also use it by coloring it with dye and painting it directly on the silk as a thickened dye, or by using a Pro-liner with a metal nib.

There are 2 ways to set the Resistad before you apply the dyes. Heat setting with an iron or hair dryer or steaming. Since I use black Dupont dye to color most of my lines I double steam the Resistad to keep the black dye from bleeding into lighter colors because Dupont black is very erosive to the Resistad. Other dyes may not have the same effect so experiment.

After I have applied the Resistad to 4 or 5 paintings I place them in the steamer (horizontal Dharma steamer) and steam for 1½ hours. This sets the black dye and activates the Resistad in one easy step. No curing over night then standing over each of the five paintings pointing a dryer at each line or ironing hoping that each line was heated enough.

Having said all of that, many Resistad users have had very good luck simply heat setting the Resistad using the overnight curing and hair dryers and irons to heat set it. I on the other hand have no luck with this method and have found that my colored Resistad failed in areas and was blurry in others, Part of this is because I use Dupont dyes which as I stated earlier are erosive to the thin Resistad lines. I also use very thin lines on my paintings, thicker resist lines or shapes have more holding power and may just need to be ironed. When the Resistad is steam set it becomes very wax-like and I have come to count on that superb holding power so that I can actually paint over lines and shapes without the dye bleeding through.

After I have steamed my resisted silk I re-stretch all of them on my stretchers and I paint in the Dupont Dyes on all five paintings. After that I roll them all up and steam them together for 2 hours to set the dyes.

When properly set Resistad holds a line like gutta or wax without the fumes or need for dry-cleaning. It has a very small amount of solvent in it so there is a slight odor but nothing like solvent based gutta. It is totally water rinse-able and when used for line work does not interfere with the hand of the silk.

If it is painted on covering large areas it does slightly alter the silks hand. It can be used to do block printing, direct painting, very fine line work (holds a size three line like a dream no breaks ever and that is a very thin line). When diluted to a very weak strength it can be used as an antidiffusant, it can be sponged on the silk to create leaves on trees or textures, and John, the creator of Resistad has some really cool ideas for mono-printing and using dried colored Resistad on a glass surface and then picking it up with wet silk. Ask him about his project sheets.

Resistad is the best water-based resist in the world a few years ago I did a cost break down on it to show the YSPG readers that it was not as cost prohibitive as some of them thought. Please note that this cost analysis was done in 2006-2007 and postage and materials costs may have risen slightly since then.

First you want to buy the Medium Resistad, and then you dilute it half and half with water for clear or dye for colored resist. I use a little more water/dye for thinner end product and ease of squeezing. It should pour like honey after it has been mixed and allowed to rest for ½ an hour (it thickens as it sits).

So right there you have cut the initial cost in half. Look at the breakdown below, as you can see Resistad colored with Dupont dyes that have
been properly mixed with Dupont Dilutant is only $1.86 per ounce, including the dreaded shipping and handling from New Zealand that everyone fears so much.

A pro-liner holds about 1.65 ounces of resist and that is a lot of line work for about $3.00.

Prices below are based on calculations from 2005-2006
Dupont Dyes Undiluted
250 ml = $15.67 including S/H = $1.75 oz (Now $18.95 Not including shipping 10/09)
1000ml = $43.76 including S/H = $1.36 oz (Now $43.25 Not including shipping 10/09)
Per ounce undiluted = $1.75
Per ounce diluted = $0.88

Dupont Dilutant
1000ml = $36.11 including S/H (Now $35.95 Not including shipping 10/09)
After adding water = $0.1 per oz

Resistad
2kg (4.4lbs or 71oz) = $1.95 per oz incl. S/H ( I just ordered some and it is up to $2.25 per oz including shipping)

Resistad, Dye & Dilutant = $1.86 per ounce (so based on the increases in red above this figure needs to be redone)

Procolours website is http://www.procolour.co.nz/home.html

Linda Marcille
Crow House Studio
http://www.crowhousestudio.com/

In February I was juried into Vermont Artisan Designs on Main St in Brattleboro, Vermont. Please stop buy this amazing gallery, you will be enchanted by two floors of the finest fine art and fine craft in the state.

They are open 7 days a week so if you are in the Southern Vermont, Northern Massachusetts or Western New Hampshire areas please stop by and check out my silk paintings! You can contact the gallery about my work by calling (802) 257-7044 or sending them an email at service@buyvermontart.com.

"Vermont Artisan Designs - along with the new, upstairs, Gallery 2 - is an extensive showcase of fine art and hand-crafted gifts. In addition to the fine art and sculpture found in Gallery 2, the works of more than 350 American craftspeople are on display. This unusual gallery has been located in Brattleboro, Vermont, for more than 35 years. Owners Suzy and Greg Worden invite you to visit when you're in southeastern Vermont, please stop by our 106 Main Street location."

Visit their website at: http://www.buyvermontart.com/

Painting From the Heart

Two of my dear friends lost their home, business and all of their belongings to a fire. I felt so helpless and wanted to do something really special for them but I did not know what to do. Then Susan sent me a photo of the pile of burned rubble that was their cabin and I decided to paint their beautiful little home on silk as it was before the fire.