Category Archives: artists

Paint or Dye

I was enjoying the posts over at The Snarky Quilter’s (SQ) blog where SQ and a friend share their steps and early results following Mickey Lawler’s techniques to create some painted fabric.

The Snarky Quilter's paint set-up — The Snarky Quilter’s paint set-up

They made some neat fabric pieces and a little discussion ensued regarding painted fabric. SQ commented that painters working in oil also paint on fabric. Some of us think of painting on fabric as a “newish” technique. I hadn’t really thought of it as she did. I have been painting on fabric for a long time and continue to explore. SQ’s comment got me thinking though… As fiber and quilt artists who paint on fabric, we have a special consideration: we want to create layers but we know that needles are going to penetrate the surface, and that needles through painted fabric leave holes!

beauty on the trails — Paint washes and then stitched. “Beauty on the Trail” by Ann

That is one of the biggest advantages of dyeing versus painting; dye changes the hand of the fabric very little, if at all, and usually less than paint. Color washes are probably the best way to achieve layers on fabric that will be stitched without causing a thick layer of paint (and big holes!). Another alternative – Stitch or quilt and then paint.

above lake cuyamaca detail — Here border was quilted and then painted over. “Beyond Lake Cuyamaca” by Ann

I dye a little and really admire artists who dye their own fabric but I will stick to using paint. I just love it. Some might say it’s a control thing! I’m okay with that!

Rope wrapped dyed by Ann — Rope wrapped dyed

Whole cloth painted — Painted Whole Cloth by Ann

Paint or dye – Do you have a preference?

A Special Kitty Treat!

This is our ten year old kitty, Kona in her box (which measures 8” x 11”). The box is smack dab in the center of our so called “great” room, on a small area rug. Despite the fact that she has cat beds on just about every piece of furniture in the house she has decided this is her box, her bed, her raft! So it remains there to be kicked and tripped over, every time one of us walk through the room.

Today when I revisited this photo I noticed all the texture: the cardboard, the fur, the weave of the rug and the pattern, even the tiny corner of wood… all so tactile and inspiring to a fiber artist.

Many of us have made quilts inspired by our cats. When I think of cats and quilts I can’t help but think of quilt artist Ann Fahl ‘s quilts featuring her cat Oreo.

ann fahl quilt2 — Summer Sanctuary by Ann Fahl

Ann Fahl writes “Summer Sanctuary is a quilt when first completed didn’t include Oreo. She was added later!”

ann fahl quilt1 — Under the Giant Coneflowers by Ann Fahl

Another of Ann’s quilts – Under the Giant Coneflowers, is one of my favorites. Ann’s book, A Black and White Tale, includes all of her cat pieces. I hope you will visit Ann Fahl’s website and her blog to read more about her books and to see her incredible body of work.

I own two of Ann Fahl’s free-motion thread play books and have admired her work for a long time. I thank Ann for giving me permission to share her art.

New Curious.com Lessons

I’m excited to have two new lessons on Curious.com/fiberdesignsbyann. One is How to Create Hand Painted Fabric and the other is How to Make a Fabric Hurricane! The hurricanes are made using my hand painted fabric that was treated with Terial Magic (TM). I’m working on more project lessons using my hand painted fabric and TM.

If you take my lessons and make any of the projects I would love to see your results!

best painted fabric — Quick, easy, and fun hand painted fabric

hurricane day and night — Hurricane for flameless candles. The hand painted fabric makes them look like gem stone.

If you haven’t check out Curious.com I would suggest you do… There is so much to learn!

Fabric Quilling

I seems to have taken a detour which means I started working on something I didn’t plan to. Before I get back to where I should be going, which is creating a new mini landscape, I thought I’d share this. I treated some of my hand painted fabric with Terial Magic, a neat spray that makes fabric stiff until it is rinsed out. For this project the Terial Magic will not be removed.

This is my first, uneducated attempt at quilling. Quilling is a technique that uses paper strips to make coils and other decorative pieces. I figured if my fabric could be made stiff like paper I could use it in place of the paper. It was very fun and it could be addicting! Have you Quilled?

quilled_flower_1 — First attempt. I like the leaf. The strip was cut 1/4″ wide. Usually 1/8″ wide is what is used. I used a tooth pick instead of the Quill tool (but one is on order!)… Breaking all the rules!

quilled_flower_ann_scott — See the fabric a little better.

pink yellow flower — I’ll be sharing how this fabric is painted in the near future. Strips cut 1/8″ on this one.

I used my fancy rotary cutter, cut an angle and ended up with this little rosette… not something a “real” quill artist would probably do.

Talk and Workshop

I spent an evening and a day with Valley of the Mist Quilters Guild last week. A wonderful group of people making a difference in the world. On Saturday they created beautiful pieces in my Miniature Landscapes workshop, held at Primitive Gatherings CA . If you get the opportunity to visit that shop you will be wowed! And if you are in the Temecula/Murrieta area look up Valley of the Mist Quilters, they are a great group and would love to have you join them.

lecture photos — Fabric Exploration talk and some of my quilts

laura ida instructor ann — Sharing the stash…

votmqg mini landscape wkshop1 — Busy, busy…

votmqg group scapes2 — Some of the group with their beautiful mini scapes

shirley cindy patty — We had a fun time together!

Photos taken by Pauline McCauley, Terri Barry, Shirley Brown and/or Ann.

Art in the Park and more…

There are so many art events going on in and around San Diego this month. I wish I could attend all of them but that’s not going to happen.

Here is a video my son produced for Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation. He and I each have three pieces of art in the Art in the Park. The reception is tonight but the art will be on display until November 7th.

One of the pieces is a hand painted whole cloth, heavily machine quilted including a wild rose in the stitching. It is mounted on a black canvas. I am very pleased with how this piece turned out!

Here is my small (14″ x 10″) piece that is at Visions Art Museum in their member challenge “Weather Forecast.”

There is a wonderful exhibition in the museum’s main galleries now through January 4, 2015. If you are in San Diego I would highly recommend it. It is a beautiful venue and lovely place to enjoy art. Visions Art Museum.

Getting in there and finishing…

Well, I’m back! August was a month of many projects or should I say the beginning of many projects… and the finish of a few. I wonder if you have had that same situation (I hate to call it a “problem”), discovering so many new techniques, materials, and products to make art that at times it’s hard to focus and finish up the ones previously started.

During the month of August I had the pleasure of being invited to be one of the guest artists on the great blog “…And Then We Set It On Fire…, if you haven’t checked it out I would highly suggest you do. There you will find a wealth of surface design, mixed media, and fiber art ideas being explored (and finished) by several talented artists. They are so fantastic to share their wonderful creations, how they got there and even the mishaps along the way.

Coming in October to the Poway Center for the Performing Arts the SAQA exhibition “Shades of Passion.” I’m excited that two of my art quilts have been accepted into the this exhibition and after seeing the line-up of artists I’m honored to have my work included.

Now I’m in the studio working on more pieces for upcoming workshops in 2015!

Here are some bits and pieces, all works in progress, of what’s been happening in the studio in the past few weeks ~

Moving and a little free motion

I moved my studio and have been trying to get back into the swing of things. I had a painted whole cloth that I actually started quilting ages ago but put away because I was unhappy with the quilting. After the studio move I decided, rather than moving that piece from cupboard to cabinet many time over, I would cut it apart – part it out! So here is a little bit of that whole cloth, salvaged and free motion quilted… I’m trying to get comfortable working/playing in my new (smaller and much less private) space. Sometimes we just have to sit down at the quilting (or sewing ) machine and move on.

About this piece – As I said it is a portion of a larger hand painted piece. It is really free motion quilted which means I didn’t mark it. It has wool batting which quilts beautifully. I just started with one flower and filled in every space for a tight and balanced design. Oh, I’m feeling better already!

Supporting Artists

I see amazing art every day, and I wish I could buy every piece that I love but, of course that’s not possible. Every once in a while, though, I do treat myself to a special piece. For a long time I have been drooling over these small, gorgeous, mixed media landscapes, by artist Doria Anne Goocher.

Doria was kind enough to host a SAQA meeting in her home recently, where I finally decided to purchase some of her art. The piece contains a variety of beautiful fabrics and papers as well as quilting stitches. It is mounted in a perfect mat and frame. After the meeting Doria reminder me that about 15 years ago (maybe longer) she took my miniature landscape art quilt class! Sadly, I can not take any credit for her talent.

doria g scape — This photo doesn’t do it justice.

To learn more about Doria and her art I hope you will visit her website Designs by Doria When you see artwork that speaks to you, I hope you’ll buy it and feel great for supporting an artist.

Fiber Designs by Ann

Fiber art Design, Instruction, Sales