I like the activity of sewing. Seems reasonable, right? I make books. But many of my books end up being constructions in which I must fold and glue rather than sew. I'm stymied by this, why it happens. It seems like the book takes over. So I thought, why not just print on cloth and sew the prints into a quilt? I enjoyed making the first one, and had two more in mind. Here is the second.
I chose three linoleum blocks from my "library" to use: the reaching woman, some leaves, and the root, and I carved the new hip-hop dancer (I wanted a dancer, but a ballet dancer seemed overused) with a jasmine vine, the text block, and California poppy leaves. The words are "reaching, reaching for the edges, let us." I also wanted to experiment with a collagraph: I used gel medium to adhere a piece of burlap to the back of an old block and printed that in the slate blue.
I chose three linoleum blocks from my "library" to use: the reaching woman, some leaves, and the root, and I carved the new hip-hop dancer (I wanted a dancer, but a ballet dancer seemed overused) with a jasmine vine, the text block, and California poppy leaves. The words are "reaching, reaching for the edges, let us." I also wanted to experiment with a collagraph: I used gel medium to adhere a piece of burlap to the back of an old block and printed that in the slate blue.
I have a fondness for the reaching woman: I carved her when I was a student and printed her to be included in a portfolio, The World Is Sick, She Cried, So Let's Dance (1983).
She looks younger.
The root was carved for my 2006 book, Driftwood & Roots.
The leaves are part of a print of irises.
Still available for purchase on Etsy at my store.
On the airplane back from Nashville, seated between two football players,
a body of work came to me. Of course, most of it is box construction!
But I think there will be another art quilt as well.
Let Us Reach for the Edges.
Comments
I love this collection of consistent themes handled In different media, can I ask how you created the text on the book? I never can find a way to do it withought going the whole hog and finding a letter press somewhere, any alternatives? Also, what ink do you use to print the fabric? Do you run lightly through a press or is it enough to press onto the fabric? Is that why you mount the lino on a block? Questions, questions!!
Regards
Nicole
—Nicole,
I am a letterpress printer, so that is what I use. I purchase the linoleum blocks already mounted so I can print them on the press with a little shimming up. I use the amount of pressure I would use to print on paper, whatever works to get the impression and inking I want. The ink is standard oil-based ink, although Drive By Press makes a solid black just for fabric called "Drive By Black" that is supposed to be excellent. Someday I'll try it. You can do a search for it in quotes and it comes up right away. The real answer to all, I suppose, is that I use what I have, and I happen to have a letterpress…Regarding other ways of working: I often use pen and ink for lettering one-of-a-kinds, just not for editioned/multiple works. You can see other books at my Etsy shop: nevermindtheart and my website: www.neverbook.com
Thanks for writing!
-Alisa