Encausticopolis: Surface Design Association Conference Part 1

Greetings from Kansas City. I'm attending the Surface Design Association Conference, which is something I've thought about doing for years. I would look at the marvelous offerings, and think this would be great to attend, and then I wondered but why would I go to Kansas City? Last year at the Plaza Art Fair, I found out! Kansas City is a fantastic place. It has a thriving art scene, and the KCAI, great restaurants and great people! I had a serious prejudice against the midwest. I owe the midwest an apology. Please forgive my coastal ignorance! So I am here for a pre-conference workshop with marvelous mavens Lisa Grey and Jason Pollen. We are learning disperse dying-a technique used for dying polyester. Who knew you could love polyester? When I went to art school in the previous century, we learned to hate polyester, and now we love it. Things have changed! Anyway I thought it would be fun to show you what I'm doing, and the wonderful workspace here in the Fiber Department at the KCAI.

workspace with Jason far off in the background at the Bernina

our workspace

the dye prep room

a woven paper dye transfer

what I've printed so far

my usual encaustic work now on fabric!

You know how in your naivetee you can invent new things without really thinking? Then you spend the next 5 hours, days or years trying to recreate what you created from a magical "un-knowing" place?

Well I made this "drawing" from a funny little thread buggar which I picked up and put in the dye, and drew with it on paper to transfer onto fabric. Loved it. Printed it (actually transferred it) on the polyester fabric. I spent hours today trying to find that little thread buggar then recreating it and making drawings like the original one. It never happened! But here's how I tried.