"Color by Accident: Exploring Low-Water Immersion Dyeing", by Ann Johnston

Ann Johnston is an art quilter, known for her expertise in dyeing cloth. Her books "Color by Accident: Low Water Immersion Dyeing", "Color by Design: Paint and Print with Dye" and "The Quilter's Book of Design' are widely regarded as important references on the subject.

The first of these books was published in 1997, and now the material has been updated and made available on a four-hour DVD. It's a very hands-on subject, so it's great to be able to see Ann's demos, covering a wide range of topics.

I found the material to be clearly presented and well-organized. Ann has an "inexact" approach to mixing her dyes. She explains that she is not interested in matching colours, and so she can dispense with exact formulas and mix her dyes instinctively. She achieves many different effects using various techniques, with over 250 samples to prove it.

I learned that there are only fourteen single-chemical dye colours available, and that if you limit yourself to them, you can achieve an infinite number of colours and at the same time gain a better understanding of how the individual pigments behave in unique ways. I also learned that different fabrics accept dye differently and this can lead to very different effects, even when the other variables are unchanged. For example, with a densely-woven cotton, one side of the dyed cloth can look very unlike the other.

Twenty-two pages of notes, intended to support the information presented on the DVD, are available on Johnston's website. .

I would recommend this DVD resource as being every bit as informative as taking a workshop with Ann Johnston, with the added benefit that it's readily available when you need to review the material.

New book from Liz Barton

Elizabeth Barton's newly-published "Visual Guide to Working in a Series", subtitled "Next Steps in Inspired Design", is based on the on-line class Elizabeth taught through quiltuniversity.com. The course was the second of three I have taken with Barton. I have always been particularly drawn to her work because of her affinity for architectural themes.

The book opens with Barton making a persuasive case for working in a series, suggesting it will allow you to develop your own style while thoroughly exploring an idea, improving your technique, and creating a body of work. She proceeds to explain how one might go about choosing a theme and developing variations. As always, Barton is at ease referring the reader to artists in other media, giving examples of those who have used series as a vehicle to develop their work.

The focus then shifts to a discussion of evaluating both preliminary ideas and completed work. Barton recommends using drawing, watercolour sketching, collage, photocopying and photo manipulation as ways of preparing and refining a composition.

The latter part of the book is devoted to the principles of good composition. How can value contrast help make a successful piece?  How can negative space be used to add interest to the composition? What makes for a strong colour scheme? How can one create a sense of depth? The book ends with a checklist of seventeen questions to be used to assess the work in progress and to evaluate the finished piece.

With over two hundred images of art quilts by Barton and others, this book is a wonderful reference for those who have mastered the basics and want to develop their own imagery, whether abstract or representational, and their own artistic voice. To get a better sense of what Barton is all about, check out her blog, always lively, thoughtful and informative.

Cityscapes show, Kirkland Library

Montmartre #4, Heather Dubreuil

Heather's cityscapes show the radiant transformation of an everyday exterior through the expressive potential of colour. She creates sensuous, aesthetic delight by a careful consideration of form and composition.

I am delighted to let you know about my upcoming solo show, featuring my latest Cityscapes.

The show will run in conjunction with the regional SAQA show, Synthesis II, February 8 - 27, 2014.

Kirkland Library,
17,100 Hymus Blvd., Kirkland QC

Mon- Fri, 10 am - 9 pm and Sat - Sun, 10 am - 5 pm

A vernissage will be held on Sunday, February 9, 2 - 4 p.m. I would be pleased to see you there!

Synthesis II - SAQA Regional show

Sailpast - Pamela Allen

I am very excited to announce the opening of the first-ever SAQA regional show in Quebec.

SAQA (Studio Art Quilts Associates) is a world-wide organization with over 3000 members, devoted to the promotion of the art quilt. The Central Canada region is a vibrant group, with some 130 members from Ontario and Quebec.

This regional group has assembled a juried show, Synthesis II, which has already been exhibited in six Ontario galleries. It features 20 pieces from 16 artists, with a wide range of subject and technique.

Sandbank - Penny Berens

Synthesis II will be exhibited at the Kirkland Library, 17100 Hymus Blvd., Kirkland, from February 8 - 27, 2014.

Gallery hours are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. and Saturday - Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A vernissage will be held on Sunday, February 9, from 2 - 4 p.m. I would be delighted to see you there!

And yes, I do have a piece in the show, Tuscany #5.

Peter Doig at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Red Boat (Imaginary Boys) 

"Mr. Doig's canvases are unabashedly beautiful, a trait often viewed with suspicion in the contemporary art world but for which he makes no apologies. " - The New York Times

No Foreign Lands is a remarkable show of the work of the celebrated painter Peter Doig. The show is limited to his output since 2002, when he chose to return to Trinidad, where he had spent his early childhood. Born in Edinburgh in 1959, Doig spent his formative years in Montreal, with his art training mostly in England. The title of the show is taken from the quote by Robert Louis Stevenson, "There are no foreign lands. It is the traveller only who is foreign."

One Hundred Years Ago

Most of the paintings in the exhibit are large oils on canvas or linen. Doig has a wonderful way with colour, and it is not difficult to see the influence of Matisse and Gauguin in his work.  There are also nods to Canadian Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven: note the red canoe in the landscape at right, and its title. His work is very "painterly", with lovely transparencies and the seemingly serendipitous flow of pigment, including the trademark drips of thinly applied paint.

Man Dressed as Bat

Doig has said, "I never really understood what was so conceptual about conceptual art, anyway - all painting, pretty much, is conceptual. I mean, every painting is an idea. Every painting is the result of a process. Conceptual art just removes the pleasures of looking - colour and beauty, things like that."

The show includes many preparatory drawings and sketches, which help the viewer to understand Doig's process. He is omnivorous and idiosyncratic in his borrowing of motifs and images, many of which appear repeatedly. Another signature feature in many of his paintings is the use of horizontal bands of colour.

Previously shown in Edinburgh, Montreal is the only North American venue for No Foreign Lands. The exhibit continues until May 4.

Susan Porter at the Hudson Medi-Centre

The Hudson Medi-Centre is pleased to show three large paintings by Susan Porter, until March 16. Susan's distinctively graphic acrylics of flowers are well-known and widely-appreciated.

Visitors may view these paintings during regular clinic hours at 465 Main Road, Hudson, Quebec.

To learn more abut Susan and her work, please visit her Facebook page.

New on-line directory of Montreal Galleries

Long overdue, this new website lists current exhibits in more than 120 Montreal galleries, including museums, artist-run cooperatives, and private galleries. Click on a particular gallery, and you can be linked to its homepage and a map showing its location. You can limit your search to a particular borough, and also get a listing of upcoming vernissages.

Another interesting feature is the three walking tours (downtown, Old Montreal and the Quartier des Spectacles) complete with maps to help you find the galleries on the circuits.

 For more information, visit http://galeriesmontreal.ca, and subscribe to their newsletter.

Open Window, Cesis, Take 2

Open Window, Cesis #2

My contract with the Arbor Gallery requires that I donate a 5" x 7" every year, which is given as a gift to one of their many volunteers.

Here is what I have made. Based on one of Lauma's photos, it is constructed entirely of hand-dyed cotton.

Making a small-scale piece like this allows me to preview a colour scheme and evaluate it as a possibility for a larger piece.

Below is another work I have made from the same photo. It features a patterned batik cotton for the main wall of the building, and measures 24" x 18".

Open Window, Cesis

Mounting the art quilt onto a stretched canvas

Almost all of my art quilts are mounted onto gallery canvas. I find that this gives the piece more "presence" when displayed. Without the canvas, small art quilts can look like placemats hung on the wall. Some of the group shows in which I participate insist on the use of gallery canvas, which is deeper than the standard canvas. For consistency,  I use this presentation almost without exception. Framing is expensive, so this method is cost-effective too. Any buyer of my work can easily add a floating frame if they wish.

Formerly, I used black gesso on the sides and front edges, but because it left scuff marks on the wall, I have switched to Carbon Black acrylic paint. It gives a nice matte finish. I suggest sticking to one brand so that repairs can be done invisibly, in the event of damage.

zigzag stitching around edge of quilt,
small margin of painted canvas showing when mounted

My standard size of canvas is 24" x 18", so I cut the art quilt to 23 5/8" x 17 5/8". This allows for a narrow edge of canvas to show around the quilt. I like to finish the edges of my Cityscapes with a short zigzag stitch in black thread.

When the quilt is completed, I cut a piece of inexpensive black felt to measure 23 1/2" x 17 1/2". Above, you can see the felt pinned onto the back of the art quilt. I hand stitch the felt to the back of the quilt, using a running stitch around the outer edge. I pick up just a few threads from the back of the quilt, effectively tacking it to the felt, without having the stitch go through to the front surface.

Because of my use of fusible web, my quilts are quite stiff, and it's enough to tack the quilt to the felt around the outside edge. If I am working in a larger size, I put some tacking stitches every few inches, attaching the central area of the quilt to the felt. In this way, the quilt will not balloon out from the canvas.

I then glue the felt layer to the canvas. If the canvas should ever become damaged, I would want to be able to salvage the quilt by "unstitching" it from the felt. Using that layer of felt gives me the option of removing the quilt from the canvas.

I use matte gel medium as the glue, bought by the gallon, placing several spoonfuls of the gel onto the canvas, and spreading a thin layer with a brush or credit card over the entire surface of the painted canvas, but leaving about 1/2 inch margin around the edge. Working quickly, I place the art quilt onto the canvas, ensuring that it is well centred and pressing it into place.

using the brayer

Then I flip over the canvas and put it face down onto a clean surface. I use a brayer and, working from the centre to the outer edges, roll it over the back of the canvas to ensure a good adhesion between the quilt and the canvas. I do a quick check to see that no excess glue has been squeezed out beyond the edge of the quilt, and then return it face down onto the clean surface. I put some books onto the back of the canvas to add a little pressure, helping the quilt to stick well to the canvas while the matte medium dries. This takes a couple of hours. (I've been leaving this step out lately because I found it "squishes" the surface of the quilt. Consider it optional.)

books for weight

The last step is to label the back of the canvas with the title and date of the piece, and my name. Hanging hardware is attached to the frame. Et voilà! The art quilt is ready for its debut.

Camden Town,
Heather Dubreuil

Open Door, Riga, revisited

Open Door, Riga, revisited

No, I don't have all the titles worked out yet. Here is my third piece based on Lauma Cenne's photos taken in Latvia. I have used the skeleton of the lines and shapes of her image, and transformed it by using my own colour palette.

This time, I placed high value contrasts in three spots, to make a sort of triangle that keeps the eye moving around the composition.

photo by Lauma Cenne

It might be interesting to compare it to both the original photo and to the first piece inspired by it. And...

Open Door, Riga

... I think it's cool to look at it rotated, too, to assess the composition.


             

Open Window, Cēsis

Here is the second of my pieces based on Lauma's photos of Latvia. The original photo is shown below.

photo by Lauma Cenne

I didn't stray too far from the values, but the brick texture was replaced by something closer to an aggregate, using a patterned batik. I created the shadows with a double layer of black Mistyfuse, and the other cottons were hand-dyed.

Open Door, Riga

Above is a photo of a recently completed piece. It uses both hand-dyed and commercial cotton, and measures 24" x 18".

The photo on which it was based is shown below. I took liberties with the values, textures and colours, as you can see. My goal was to make the door that is to the right of centre the focal point, and I tried to minimize the impact of the chimneys that are central in the composition. Though some texture was achieved through the use of the commercial cotton, it doesn't compare to the luscious textures of Lauma's photo. 

photo by Lauma Cenne