First draft of an idea from Kathleen Cunningham

 " . . . This ability to invite interaction is part of what draws artists to the idea of cloth.
. . . It satisfies because it is active, it is tactile, and it is personal."

This is a first draft/experiment with inviting interaction with images that go beyond surface design. Using stitch to add to the surface in a graphic way. I like the stitching  and the interaction, but it's still just a first pass. As a photographer, I photographed the stitched fabric outside in the shadow of a tree—leaf shadows on leaf fabric. Is the photo the art or the fabric? More to come. . . .

Detail

Jeanne Sisson's Subtle Layering Process on 'Carried'

 

Jeanne Sisson, www.jeannesisson.com

To start I ironed fabric onto freezer paper to stabilize it before drawing or painting. Then I used this Arabic calligraphy pen and India ink to draw the figure onto the linen.

The textures above and behind the figure are multiple layers of monotype printing with acrylic medium that will act as a resist when a wash of acrylic paint is applied later. The background was masked with freezer paper and textures were monotype printed onto the figure and foreground with paint.

Lastly, I applied a couple of layers of acrylic paint in washes to create depth.

Carried, 12 x 14”, mixed media on linen