Dragons in My Rock Garden

Another source of my art is outside art. These fun dragons are based on the design from a dragon paper punch. Then the design was cut out of plywood with a saw and then I painted them with acrylics. A marine spray was added to waterproof them and now they find a home in one of my many rock gardens. P.S. The rocks gardens feature rocks/minerals from my former home in the Black Hills. They include petrified wood, rose quartz, mica quartz, feldspar, blue quartz, granite and WI limestone.

Paper Sculpture

I took a class several summers ago in Chicago with Dave Wood who is from Australia and a master of paper sculpture art pieces. This piece is now framed in a 3-D box, but that is too hard to photograph. As you may be able to see (sea), my favorite theme of the ocean lends itself once again to my art. This is a sea dragon with a verse says, "Awakening in a moment of peace, I give thanks to the source of all peace. As I set forth into the day, the sea sings with a new voice and I listen with new ears and give thanks." Anon. copyright by Jill's Quills 2008  $250.00 framed

Using My AB Sea Shellphabet

This painting features an alphabet I invented using sea shells, coral, and drift wood to represent each letter. I then made copies of the shellphabet, and cut out the letters I needed with an x-acto knife, added shading and then applied them to my paste paper painting. I then made this into a birthday cards. Super fun!

Some more examples of my work.

It is time for me to share more of my work. This is a display board I made for art shows, wedding events, etc. It shows some of my calligraphy on paste paper backgrounds. My work is very primary and bright, just like me. Many of these originals have been reproduced on calendars which I make for gifts each year.

Vertical ABC Long Silk

When I started the ABC Patchwork silks, I actually was planning to do a 12"x 60" silk scarf which could be hung vertically in a small space, or worn as a scarf.  Therefore, this silk evolved into that style.  This one features greens, blues and warm browns; colors from nature.  This turned into a very pretty piece of art.  Soldl!

Patchwork ABC's

What fun I have had making three silks of this flavor.  My goal was to use wacky calligraphy, to make each square speak for itself, and still have a coordinated, fluid piece of art.  I also used a limited palette, thus making it cohesive, yet interesting.  I also used gold resist which makes the letters stand out all the more.  A recipient of one of these Patchwork silks says the gold is especially delightful at night when a small light is nearby.  Of course, it looks beautiful in the day light as only a colorful silk can do.  This silk is 35"X35" and is for sale.  Sold!

Close up of the parrot orchid

This close-up shows some of the detailing that is possible with silk painting.  I can mix colors, paint with dry brush, and add bold color or soft details.  I am very pleased with this silk painting.  I chose this subject from an e-mail photo.  The flower is rare and from Thailand.  It is 35" X 35" and is for sale.  I know you would just love to add this to your wall.  Soldl!

Orchids that look like birds

This silk is now sold to a good home!

A Fishy Hoop

Now you can see the hoop.  I use these hoops when I teach 'A Taste of Silk Painting' to beginners and they come from the Dharma catalog ready to go.  I use a chemical to set the dye because they do not lend themselves to steaming very well.  I've thought about doing a whole alphabet with them.  Some day!

Fish from my video

This is an 11" hoop that I painted while my friend filmed the process.  It is finished now.  I used the video on my silk powerpoint that I made for a college class.  Now I have to learn how to put the video or the powerpoint on this blog.

In the Process

This is a photo of the previous silk.  I took the photo as I was just finishing the painting.  I used the lines of the silk's design to write my words which was a natural concept.  With the gold writing I chose to color this with purples and dark blues.  Sold!

Gold Writing

Here is my latest silk.  It is not steamed yet, but I have high hopes for the final product.  The resist is an iron-in colored product by Dupont, a water-based gutta.  I put an extra small tip on the tube, which makes it stream in a smaller line, good for writing.  The only tough part about using the colored gutta is that you cannot tell if it has penetrated the silk completely, thus occasionally leaks occur.  That's the serendipity of silk painting.  Yes, the silk has a brocade design.                 11" x 60"   Sold!

More Sea Views

This silk has writing worked into the ocean water, and lots of colorful coral, seaweed, etc.  The lion fish looks better than it does here because I outlined it with an iron-on copper and gold gutta, so some of the details stand out more.  Silks can be reworked, you can reapply resists, and over dye.  I generally feel that I have put in enough hours with a one time attempt.  Sold!  Don't you just love the coral!

Fascination with Ocean Critters

In my living room for about seven years, I have hung a trio of ocean silks.  They each feature sea dragons or sea horses.  At about the same time I met my first 'real' sea dragons; and have had a fascination with Weedy and Leafy Sea Dragons every since.  Since then I have acquired several sea dragon videos, and have seen the real critters in Chicago and Philadelphia.  Several of my calendars and Christmas cards have featured these critters, too.  Soldlll!

Sunset on Silk

This silk is just for fun.  I just kept adding colors, and kept washing them over the wet silk.  It only took about fifteen minutes to paint. So much fun to watch the dyes interact with each other.  35"x35".  Donated to a worthy cause!

Steaming

Once I decided to work for a year on silk paintings, I decided the only sure way to success was to invest in a steamer.  This is a commercial chimney which is about seven feet tall, so tall I need to keep it in the garage.  

When four or five silks are painted, they are wrapped in newsprint and steamed for about 90 minutes.  That is not the end of the process, though.

This piece is my '70's silk.

It is 35"x35" and looks nice of my studio wall.

A Years Worth of Silk Painting

I dedicated 2008 for designing, and painting silks.  Usually my 'spare' time is used to work on calligraphy, but 2008 was my 'Silk Year'.   Every weekend I was in the studio experimenting with new techniques, with different silks, and with different resists.  The results were usually quite nice.  This is the beginning of the dragonfly piece you first saw!  35"x35"

Why Paint Silks?

Painting silks is an awesome process.  It is a true art.  

(Some of you who saw my other blogspot will recognize some of my words.  I have had to start over because of an e-mail address change, so I am sorry that this seems a little disjointed.)  This was actually one of my last silks painted.  This silk has a design woven into it, so trying to paint the peacock feathers into the already present design was a challenge.  12"x60"

Writing on Silk?

Writing on silk is not an easy proposal.  The resist has to 'feel' like ink, but not spread like ink. Some precision is lost whenever writing on fabric, but the results are quite stunning.  This piece was done twice because the 'red' (which I used to make the browns) in the first piece ran into my lettering.  The size is about 35" x 35" and this is meant to hang on the wall as a piece of art.