A4 Challenge Group Looky Looky!

August 25, 2014August 27, 2014 | JP Dawes Artist

This is a re- post since I wanted to introduce you to a new group that has come together from the QuiltArt List. We will do a challenge every 2 months. Here’s the address if you want to keep up with what we are doing. http://challengeplaygrop.wordpress.com/ (Yes, it is misspelled, my doing I’m afraid.) My post is the first but others should start showing up in the next week,

Jeannie Sredl came up with our theme for the first challenge of “Off To The Races”. That could be interpreted many ways by the diverse group of artists in this group. I think this quote says it all and should be the mantra of this new group.

The Race was on, the souls of the racers were in it. ~~ Lew Wallace, Ben Hur

Here is my offering in A4 size and a little about it. I wanted to challenge myself to use the mountains of hand dyed fabrics and threads I’ve been making. I started with only the fabrics in mind and no particular composition. That’s the way I work most of the time. I tell people I am seduced by the cloth as I let it morph into what it wants to be when it grows up.

I cut and pin, stitch, look at, stitch some more. When it starts taking on a shape I can see the meaning and how it relates to a theme I’m working from. The quote on the piece is from Aditya Chandra:

Life is one race I never want to win, I’d rather stroll around enjoying the scenery.

Here it is, I hope you enjoy my scenery.

offtothe races copy — Janice Paine Dawes

Little Pink Worm Undone

August 12, 2014 | JP Dawes Artist

A small piece of the pink worm undone. I’ve not decided what I will do with the whole piece so for now I will keep it under wraps. I can say I am in love with it and it was totally worth the hours spent stitching the resists.

Little Pink Worm

August 11, 2014 | JP Dawes Artist

The best kind of little pink worm is on the end of a hook enticing a fish to bite it’s dinner, so I can have dinner! But that isn’t the kind this is…but it looks like some kind of wiggly pink something or other doesn’t it? This is a piece of snow dyed fabric from last winter’s dye days that was less than stellar. So I worked for hours and hours stitching and wrapping resist patterns into it. It is in a dye bath of very stinky old walnut dye right now. The photo is a little fuzzy [caterpillar?] but I’m hoping for good things when it’s dyed, dried and untied.

I’m a Published Author! WOOO HOOO

August 7, 2014 | JP Dawes Artist

Paper Art 2014 can be purchased from Interweave HERE. I don’t know the date it will show up in stores. That’s my article on page 56. It came about when I had left over indigo in a vat after a day of dyeing. It was challenging writing instructions. I had to assume the reader didn’t know any of the steps and took it by baby steps so even a beginner can complete the project.

Page 56 ..that's me! — Page 56 ..that’s me!

Wrist Support the cheap way…

August 5, 2014 | JP Dawes Artist

As many of you know, I have severe rheumatoid arthritis. Like all people with RA there are good days and days you have to push yourself to get out of bed. That makes it difficult to complete projects. While in Tennessee at Arrowmont, Joan Morris showed us this great stuff that she wraps her fingers in when she is pulling shibori strings. I don’t know if it is her creative use of it or if it came from the hand therapist she uses.

I have used Nike Dry Fit women’s weight lifting gloves for support. This method is so forgiving as you move but gives my tendons much needed support while trying to finish a project. It is adjustable and you can place it where you need support the most. It is the stuff that horse ankles are wrapped with for support. Yes, you can buy it for humans in white at a much much higher price. The stuff for horses at our local feed store is $2.49 a tube and comes in really cool colors. It can be unstuck and reused when you use it on your hands and wrists. So, here are what my hands look like wrapped and ready to rumble…’errr quilt….