Mark Making with Nature Online Class


Begins April 12th A six week intensive online class.
Complete with full video instruction.
Materials List: Materials List: Complete list will be emailed to student two weeks before class begins: (Student Provides)
PFD Silk, Cotton, Wool or Hemp Fabrics
Soda Ash for scouring.
Alum 16 oz, Tannin 4 oz, Iron (one ounce), Cream of Tartar, Citric Acid, Ammonia (for color shifts), Chalk (Calcium Carbonante)
Dye Pots, Stainless Steel or Enamel, enough to hold a minimum of 2 gallons of water. Heat source. Gloves, Respirator/Dust Mask for handling mordants and dye extracts.

Spring Time Blues Online Indigo Class


Class begins March 1st, 2006 and runs for approximately six weeks.
One lesson will be given each week on the History of Indigo, Starting a Vat, Maintaining a Vat, Indigo Dyed Textile Care, and much more.
We will use several types of indigo vats, with the fermentation vat being optional.
Materials included in fee are: Instructions. (More will be added to this list)
First Lesson March 1st, Second Lesson March 8th, Third Lesson March 15th, Fourth Lesson March 22nd, Fifth Lesson March 29th, and the Sixth Lesson April 5th

Kitchen Cabinets Etc

Now that John has successfully installed counters in my wet studio I have full confidence that he can install cabinets and counters in our kitchen. I never doubted that he could do this, but it's nice to see that he is incredibly talented in this area. I'm sure he's not looking forward to the ensuing momumental task though.

I'll stay out of his way by focusing on the new zine, The Natural Surface, teaching my online classes, creating my artwork and filling orders for the business. Someday I have hopes to hire a personal assistant to help with the ever growing mountain of paperwork. Paperwork is a lot like rabbits, when you leave the room and come back there's more than when you had left.

Smart cookie that I am though I'm bringing a lot of talented people on board the new zine, I cannot do all of this by myself! It's insane to even try. I'm hoping we will have the website up and running by the end of the week. There I'll post all the info necessary for those who want to submit articles and artwork for the zine.

I'm off for a long winters nap.

Call for Articles & Artwork

Articles for a new magazine/e-zine. Must pertain to Natural Surfaces in some form or another and comprise 75% of the techniques used to derive said surface.

Natural Surface Techniques include the usage of natural materials on surfaces such as: Natural Dyes, Rust Dyeing, Clay Dyeing, Ochers/Oxides/Pigments. Natural Surfaces may be either flat or dimensional (2D/3D). Other Natural Surfaces include papermaking, felt making, leather work, the use of gut, etc.

Images of Artwork that fit this format are also wanted for the magazine Gallery.

Deadline for articles and artwork: April 1st, 2006

Kimberly
http://www.prairiefibers.com
http://www.kbaxterpackwood.com
http://www.naturalsurfaces.blogspot.com

Natural Surfaces Challenge 1

Natural Surfaces Challenge 1
In order to participate in this challenge you MUST be a member of The Natural Surfaces Yahoo Group for the duration of the challenge.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Natural_Surfaces/

Final piece must:

Consist of more than five techniques: Natural Dyeing, Pigments, Clay/Ocher/Oxides, Stitching, Felting, Encaustic, Handmade Paper (which could include paper pulp, silk paper, wool/felt/pulp combination) etc. Yes you can use synthetic paints, and in some instances even synthetic dyes but over all natural techniques should comprise 75% of your final piece.

Size Minimum 18" wide Maxium 36" wide. Length minimum 72" long and the is maxium 108" long.

To make this fair you must be a member of this list and March 1 is the cut off date for joining this Challenge. Maybe I'll even come up with a better name for the challenge. This also gives me time to arrange an exhibition, in real time not just on the internet.

Due date: January 2nd, 2007

I plan to post this in the files section and on my blog:
http://www.naturalsurfaces.blgospot.com

I have expectations of creativity and from what I've seen of members work you guys are definately up to the challenge.

You can make more than one piece but I reserve the right to limit your final piece(s) depending on the number of participants. If there are only a few of us then you can enter more pieces.

Kimberly
http://www.prairiefibers.com
http://www.kbaxterpackwood.com

Pressed Flowers

I'm discovering that I definately prefer working with certain colors over others. That's not to say I don't enjoy producing wild lucious colors, but I'd rather work with muted tones for my own personal art work, with the occasional jolt of vibrancy.

If your interested in purchasing the postcard click on the title link above. I'm hoping to have the second piece tomorrow night but feel I must stop for this evening, it's starting to get late and I still have dishes to do! Joy joy joy.

Purging Again

I'm pruging unwanted fabrics, fibers and other miscellaneous crap because it's like a noose around my neck. The truth is I'm probably never going to use those batiks I amassed, mostly because I'm visually exhausted from seeing them in everywhere. My friend Brenda is concerned that I may get bored. She may be right but I doubt it, the stuff is so buried that I never see it anyway. My thinking is it's time to focus and I've narrowed it down to surface design, art quilts, collage/bookmaking and weaving. Plus for kicks and giggles I make my own jewelry, knit and spin on the side. If anything I feel I could be even more focused than this.

I've come to the conclusion that all of this other stuff is keeping me from producing works of any real substance. And it just keeps me from producing period.