Sciency Stuff (Documented & Designed by an Artist)

 
 I had a great time experimenting with one of my videographer friends, Jake. I was assisting him in testing various dye reactions in a variety of water based solutions. He will be filming the final (cooliest) dye reactions as part of a professional project.

 In no particular order...
Water bases: salt water, soapy water, fruit pectin mixed in water
Injected materials: india ink, fabric dyes, food coloring, black acrylic paint
I brought crazy products to try.... These didn't make it to the test kitchen:
honey
glitter
vinegar
.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

I guess g l i t t e r isn't very professional.

 

I've never thought about trying to buy needles and syringes...
but you can gather what CVS employees might be thinking.
#promisewerenotdruggies

 Cool food-safe hose hooked up to the kitchen sink.
...the things ya learn

J A K E' S rad camera. 
(Canon 5D Mark III)

  

Behind the scenes

A definite winner.

 
Next we watched dyes travel (or not travel) on dry land (sorta).
We drew water patterns on surfaces like:
poster board, duck cloth, and other woven fabrics.

These are simple snapshots, but the video recording is mesmerizing.
The dye quickly traveled down our handmade paths.


My photography and textile design passions are often intertwined.
I'm amazed at how well they work together.


And VOILA.
A pattern is born.

Admittedly, this is a little grotesque, but with some manipulation the product can be quite beautiful.

  ...continuing with the "gory" theme.
We poured fabric dye in the baking tray so we could lay fabric on it to see if it would absorb around the areas we painted

Heat gun and camera in hand.

What a rich rich red.

Sabina Fay Braxton Workshop

Melanie Davis invited me to go to Sabina Fay Braxton's workshop at J. Nelson showroom inside ADAC (Atlanta Decorative Arts Center).

I had never been inside ADAC before! It is now open to the public.

 

 

 

Inside of ADAC (photo not taken by me)

It's like a mall just for interior designers (heaven)

 

 

 

I was told to bring an inspirational piece of fabric, so I brought the first thing that popped into my head. My favorite GAP scarf.

It's got a neutral geometric pattern, with wonderful hot pink trim.

 

 

Sabina asked what I wanted my ground color to be and I had a WHOLE table of her own textiles to use as inspiration. I didn't know where to begin, so I went with something neutral. She took my scarf and scraps of her own textiles (that I chose) back to the work room and she made this! (She works in private and doesn't allow others to see her process :( 

 

She used the same colors found in my scarf. It doesn't show up well in the photograph, but there are metallic touches all over this grid pattern.

 





 

I want to frame these two pieces she made me.