Paper Clay and Digital Prints

For the last few weeks I have been creating elements out of paper clay.  The purpose is to find a surface to combine with my digital prints and encaustics to create bundles.  I am starting to build up my ceramic pieces to start studies of my ideas. The clay is fired at cone 10 in a final fire only, no bisque and no glaze.

This piece of paper clay includes a digitally printed cheesecloth skin and a piece of printed and melted tyvek.   Still in the works, not sure where this will end up, but I hope to have several studies done by the end of next week.

Textures of Crochet

Crochet is often used in my work to develop textural layers. In my spare time I love to crochet for fun. Awhile ago one of my friends sent me a picture of a large work that Prudence Mapstone an incredible crochet artist from Australia. My friend, Carol Wiebe, said that Ms. Mapstone was to crochet like I am to printing assembling my surfaces. Since i think Carol's and Prudences work is amazing, I loved the compliment. (Carol's new ebook Turn a Series of Small Quilts into an Art Book shows her innovative crochet binding for journals and books.)

Playing around with a small free style crochet project shows the amazing textures in yarn and the process of this type of fiber art. This piece is being created with one yarn color and type. The yarn pictured is nubbly, lightweight and variegated. Once all the random elements are finished they will be randomly attached together to finish the piece.