Author: JP Dawes Artist

SAQA Regional Show 2012

| JP Dawes Artist
For Sale   $200

I posted this small piece when I finished the quilting earlier this year. I have been mounting some pieces on painted canvas. Using acrylics in the colors in each art quilt, I splash and blend the canvas. Then when the quilted piece is mounted, it all comes together into a mixed media piece, or assemblage art.

I entered 3 mounted pieces in the SAQA regional show that will be in Little Rock in 2012. This piece was ‘released’ but the other two were accepted.  Honestly, I think this was the best of the three. But in the world of juried shows, there will be another one that this will be accepted to, unless it is sold first.

The size of this canvas is 9 x 12 inches. It comes with hanging hardware installed. Please let me know if you are interested in a purchase.

Being grateful and thankful

| JP Dawes Artist

I don’t have any pictures to share today. This is only about words and feelings and the place I find myself in my life.

Last year my mother passed away so there has been much time spent with my father being his sounding board for where he finds himself in his life. I am thankful that I have been able to be there for him, even though most of the time it is long distance. I am grateful that he was well enough to travel to Denver with Ron and I last summer to visit my oldest son’s family and our newest [at the time] grandson. I am thankful that he was able to spend a few weeks with us in Arkansas over Christmas and New Years. His health has taken a decided down turn so I don’t see any more trips together in our future.

I had the chance to spend a few days with all of my children, their spouses and all the grandchildren this past summer. We got to see the newest grandson then.  That may not seem like much to people who’s families live close, but mine are scattered to the corners of the USA and sometimes corners of the world. I am thankful we all were able to be together at my dad’s. It is a rare occurrence to find us all under one roof.

It am thankful and grateful for a husband who is just as likely as me to throw caution to the wind and take on new ventures. And I am blessed that there always seems to be enough to eat on the table, health care expenses are paid and there is enough money in the bank to care for all our basic needs…and a little left over for those spur of the moment things that make life so interesting.

I am thankful for 3 small fur babies who wake me every morning with slobbery kisses and then cuddles on my lap after their morning constitutional.

And most of all, I am thankful and grateful for all the friends and acquaintances I have met online through groups that I belong to. Like pen pals of old from grade school, these people play an important part in my life.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you as you count your own blessings.

Light Up My Life!

| JP Dawes Artist

 OMG…this is what my studio looked like this morning after installing a picture window in the north facing wall.  Be still my heart…no more fighting to find the right light so I can simply have task lighting if I need a little help for my aging eyes.  After the wooden framing is painted I can put things back into place so I can play. What a joy it will be when the rose of sharon blooms outside my window.

I had resisted a window in the room since I didn’t want fabric fading. Boy was I wrong! I can keep the  covers pulled on the shelves to protect the fabric. But I need the drapes open to put joy in my heart and light in my studio.

Black Walnut Dye #2

| JP Dawes Artist

 Since the walnut dye pot was still on the stove I pulled a couple of previously dyed fabrics from my stash to see what happened with an over dye. The blue is from an indigo vat, the print was dyed with MX dyes and the one piece is rust dyed.

I also put a piece of hot pink cotton, some cheese cloth and a piece of white cotton batting in the pot.   I put them all in at the same time which was a leap of faith but probably not something I should have done. I’m not a dyer, I only play once in awhile if the occasion arises.

I think either the indigo or the rust piece still had residue from the original dye. Which ever one it was, and I suspect the indigo,  saddened the dye. So instead of a nice soft brown in the white areas, I got a soft gray. You can see it in the last photos.

I think I like the rusted piece the most but there are no ugly fabrics. They all have a place in a piece that isn’t  created yet.

Fall Days to Dye for

| JP Dawes Artist

 With all the talk about black walnuts on the Quiltart list I decided that since I live where they are plentiful that I would dye some cotton.  Thanks to my DH who picked all these up on our last camping trip.

The first photo is the start of the pot. I decided to do the direct mordant method since I’m not a dyer. I have soft water so all I did was add Alum and Cream of Tartar to the pot.

Of course the fabric was scoured first. Also, the cotton I use is a pima cotton with a slight gray cast to it. Hey, it was a monster roll at a yard sale for $5 so I always use what I have.

 The bottom photos are the results of this dye pot. I tried different rinses according to my book “Colors From Nature”  but there was no noticeable difference in the pieces when they dried.

I also wasn’t concerned with even color since I really like the little oddities that come about from not stirring the pot. Now I have added some previously dyed fabrics to the pot along with cotton batting and some cheese cloth. They will come out tomorrow and I will post the results.