Marbling at Art in Action

In July I spent a day at Art in Action, one of my favourite events of the year. It is held over 4 days in the beautiful grounds of Waterperry House near Oxford. There are some truly superb works on display and as well as watching artists and crafts people at work there is a chance to ask questions and several opportunities to try something new.

This year I tried a taster a marbling taster with Hikmet Barutçugil from Istanbul. I wanted to do a tulip and the results are shown above. I have done a bit of marbling on silk as described in a previous post and would like to do tulips on silk.

Hikmet works on silk as well as paper and also does yardage.

The photos below show Hikmet's wife demonstrating some of the steps involved. 

1 For marbling on paper natural dyes are used. These are splashed or carefully dripped onto a soft gel  like layer made from water and gum arabic.

2 The dyes are manipulated in various ways. The second photo shows the pattern floating on the gel .

 3 a monoprint is made by lowering a sheet of paper onto the surface then carefully pulling it off.

Each artist /crafts person contributes what they consider their best piece for a display that fills a large marquee. Hikmet won the Best in the Best of the Best at Art in Action last year. Shown below.

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Mosaics, Parc Guell, Barcelona

 Parc Guel was designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi and built between 1900 and 1914 and is part of a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Tip If you visit on a hot day and want a good work out first, go by tube and spend 20 min climbing  a steep hill, if you want to save your energy for the parc which is also on a hill with some steps go by cab or bus.

Gaudí's multicolored mosaic salamander fountain, popularly known as"el drac" the dragon shown above, is near the main entrance  

An enormous terrace is surrounded with curving seating like a giant 

sea serpent, with wonderful views over Barcelona to the sea.


This place was top of my list of places to see in Barcelona and was 

even more amazing than I imagined!  In this post I am just 

highlighting the mosaics. I found the scale of their use and the 

colours and patterns of them inspiring. Many of the mosaics here were the work of Gaudi's collaborator Josep Jujol. for more info click here

Trencandis is a type of mosaic done using broken pieces of tiles and dinnerware, waste products from potteries. Gaudi sourced these from Spanish manufacturers. This technique was used for the first time on the Guel Pavilions  The complex curving shapes could be covered by breaking the pieces even smaller. The colourful mosaics on the serpentine seating are said to be the work of Jujol who also included pieces of glass bottles, broken china from his own dinner services, pieces from a broken porcelain doll and tiles he specially commissioned.

I wrote a post earlier in the year that included mosaics from Kaffe Fassett's exhibition in London. I still have the pieces of a broken mug kept after seeing Kaffe talking about making mosaics from broken china, on TV back in the 80s.  here  
I am feeling inspired to find some other pieces and make something from it now!
I would also like to design a silk scarf with mosaic patterning.

Guell Pavillions

Details from the top of this building are shown below.

Strelitzias on Silk

 

This is an original silk painting of Strelitzia reginae, They are also known as Birds of Paradise. 
I first noticed and found out the name of these beautiful flowers in Madeira. I have seen them growing out of doors in the mild Winter climate there and have photographed, painted in watercolour and brought them back home on the plane. People are often surprised to hear this. It is allowed to take them to another EU country and the florists and airports are all prepared.
I have been trying to grow one in the UK but so far in about six years it has only produced leaves. it has to come inside in the Winter as it is tender here,
The painting was done in my studio and is mounted on a ph neutral backing board.
I have ear marked it for an exhibition in September unless it sells before then.

Details and contact  here

Notes about buying these flowers
 When I first bought them I was advised to get them from a florist. The next time I got them in the market from Botanica 17, both times beautifully packaged in a sturdy box and delivered to the hotel. For no extra charge BA would put them in a special area that didn't get cold like the area where the cases go. BA sold the line to Easyjet, they charge for this.
 I decided it wasn't worth bringing them on Easyjet. I had been originally advised by the rep not to buy the flowers from the market or airport. Having bought them from the market and found they were good I was tempted to try the airport ones which were much cheaper. The florist there said Easyjet don't charge if  you carry them on to the plane as a bouquet. wrapped. They are very robust flowers and were fine without the box though I think some flowers like orchids are better boxed. They lasted well.
 There are extra flowers in the beak of the flower that would come out if they were growing. As cut flowers you can give them a helping hand out of the beak when the first flowers start to fade and they will last a few days more.

Mounting Silk for Framing

Over the years I have tried lots of different methods for mounting silk for framing. I prefer to use a method which means that the silk could be removed later if necessary.

 Which methods have you tried and what worked best?

 

If you would like to see some of my silk paintings visit  https://www.tessaspanton.co.uk/gallery-3

 

Mounting Small pieces

CARDS

If you are wanting to make cards there are several easy ways of fixing the silk to the card. 

1.You will need a  a triple fold card with an aperture and a glue stick like Pritt. Put the glue onto the area on the card where you want the silk to go. Lay the silk onto the glued area and smooth out any wrinkles. Or use small pieces of masking tape as below.

For a padded look put a piece of polyester wadding between the silk and the card. 

2. Instead of glue iron the silk onto a piece of freezer paper. eg a roll of Reynolds freezer paper 

Make sure the shiny side is up.  You can get ready cut pieces of a suitable size for cards from Silkcraft, click here 

Do a test first as I found this freezer paper worked better shiny side down.

Glue or tape this to the card.

3. If you don't have a triple fold aperture card you could use a plain blank card. For a rustic look fray the edges on all 4 sides of the silk then glue it onto the card.

SMALL PAINTINGS

I sometimes use this method for small works. It works best for pieces of silk under about 10in or 25cm

Lay the silk onto a piece of mount board. Secure with small pieces of a good quality adhesive tape. eg Sekisui tape from Jacksons on Amazon click here Don't use ordinary sellotape or cheap masking tape. 

Start in the middle of one side. I have numbered the first 4 positions for taping. Then work out from each of these points gently stretching the silk till their are no wrinkles.

Alternative 

Wrap the silk around to the back of the mount card and tuck in the corners, secure in the same way with small pieces of tape or use a needle and thread to lace as described below.

Mounting larger pieces

This is the easiest way I have found. 
You will need
Mount card ph neutral or better still conservation grade mount board  for backing the silk painting and for making the mount from.  Antique white or ivory usually shows the colours off to their best.  Framers sometimes sell off cuts of mount board and even brightly coloured ones are usually white on the back.

Acid free double sided tape about 1/2-1in wide  click here for an example or even better get acid free conservation grade click here

fig 1 above  Silk stretched on a frame. The image comes within the central square. The rest is spare silk which will be under the picture mount. 
I once left so little border on a large painting which made it impossible to mount properly using any of these methods. I went to a framer who dry mounted  the entire image using  conservation grade materials. an expense I could have avoided with more border.

After you have fixed the work, re-damp it, stretch it back onto the frame and leave it to dry. The image would come up to within the central area.
If you have used iron fix paints and metallic gutta you can skip removing it from the frame to fix. Just turn the frame over and iron the work on the back.

Fig 2 above  For the backing cut a piece of mount board a little smaller than the inside measurement of the silk painting frame and stick double sided tape just inside each of the four edges. 

This can now be stuck to the back of your painting and the whole thing removed from the frame. Fold the spare silk round to the back of the board and fix with  more double sided tape. Fix the picture to the mount using double sided tape.

I wrote about this method for the Guild of Silk Painters Journal back in 2007. 

 Lacing the Back

I use this method occasionally, it works well but is time consuming.

 Stretch the silk over a piece of mount card, no double sided tape is needed so the picture can be brought to the edge of the backing and the spare silk turned to the back for stitching. 
Temporarily secure on the back with masking tape and tuck in the corner.

Start in the centre of one side securing a strong thread with several backstitches.  Take it   across to the opposite side, stitch through the silk then return to the other side again pulling the thread taut, repeat until you reach the corner. You will need to rethread your needle several times and tie the new thread in. When you reach the corner leave the thread loose.

Start again at the centre and work towards the opposite corner. Do the same with the other two sides. Adjust the tension till even, stitch the corners and finish the loose threads.

Or use acid free foam core,  lace with fishing line and reinforce each hole with PVA glue

'Fall Out Method'  aka Newberry Method

I learnt about this from Stephie,  a friend with a Folksy shop. I have just tried it and it worked well.

I used 5mm acid free white foam core cut larger than the mount aperture. I cut an aperture a little larger than that of the mount. I placed the silk on the fall out piece and put it back into the aperture. I found it needed some tape to hold it. I cut the aperture on an angle but it could be done with  a straight edge. A layer of polyester wadding could be placed on the fall out first under the silk. The whole thing then goes under the mount.

Other methods
These methods may not give such long lasting results.
1. Silk paintings can be mounted on adhesive mount board. This is usually used for posters.
2. Small pieces can be ironed onto freezer paper.

Framing 

When mounted the work can be put into a picture frame. It is better to have a small space between the glass and the silk otherwise small amounts of condensation could encourage mould to grow on the silk. A picture mount will do this job.

  Make the border width 2-3in.  For a larger picture ( eg over 20x24in ) make it 3- 4in.  The lower border can be made a little wider by adding another 1/4  -1/2 in. This is more important on larger pictures as without it the lower border can appear smaller than on the other sides

If you prefer to frame without a mount, glue small strips of mount card under the rebate of the frame to create the gap between the silk and the glass. It is a bit fiddly but should be invisible from the front. 

 

  

    Pink Orchid  silk painting (c) Tessa Spanton 

Pink Orchid and other of my designs are available to buy as cards that can be personalised and sent to any address world wide from 

 We All Send Cards

 

          

 

If you have read this far and found it helpful do leave a comment.

Flowery Ebru

Above beaded detail and below mounted and framed

I wrote more about this in this post and here it is finished. I used pearl beads for the centres and deep metallic blue tiny glass tube beads for the stamens.

Now on show at the Corner Gallery

Kaffe Fassett – A Life in Colour

Exhibition Dates: 22 March – 29 June 2013

at the Fashion and Textile Museum 83, Bermondsey Street, London

  Click on the first picture to see it larger.

This exhibition is a feast of colour, texture and pattern and brilliantly staged. I visited on a very cold grey day and was pleased to swap the icy winds that whipped past the bottom of the Shard for the warm and colourful interior of the Fashion and Textile Museum. 
I was delighted to find that photography is permitted although  I only had an iphone with me.
 I found the exhibition very inspiring and will let the pictures speak for themselves.

Kaffe Fassett was originally a painter before he worked with textiles. The early part of the exhibition shows some of his paintings.
Paintings, knitwear, needlepoint, tapestry and patchwork quilts are arranged in different spaces making the effect of ever changing stage sets as you move around the exhibition and see different combinations from various angles.
 In the first 2 photos  I am looking through archways back at area showing paintings and forwards to a rich and opulent area clothed with brightly coloured and patterned textile pieces. 

Back in the 80s I remember seeing Kaffe on TV. He was making mosaics from broken china. I was inspired to keep a favourite mug that got broken, I still have the pieces somewhere waiting to be turned into a mosaic sometime!
I like the way the bottom of the mug or jug have been incorporated into this mosaic.

I love these hats patterned with buttons.

PS We had a lovely lunch at Jose's just over the road. It is an authentic Spanish Tapas bar. I have written  a review over on my food blog. click here

Gyotaku

                                 
                                         Perch printed on silk using a replica of a fish.
                                         details here

 Gyotaku is  traditional Japanese fish printing that dates back to the 1800s.
(Japanese 魚拓, from gyo "fish" + taku "rubbing") 

Maybe it started as a way for fishermen to record a trophy catch and later became an art form.
I used a replica of a perch, I don't think these are available in the UK but if you are in the US they can be bought from Blick's, click here
I was kindly given a set of these by Tina, another blogger who writes In the studio On the Shore
creating paintings of the British and American coasts.
The replicas are made of rubber and are shown below.

I had experimented with these before using a metallic Lumiere on painted silk. Shown above)(
I used a brush to apply the Lumiere and didn't get much of the fine detail coming through.
This time I used Schminke printing ink and and a roller.
I tried it on some Japanese printing paper but it was a bit thick for shaping round the fish. I tried some acid free tissue and some lightweight silk and both worked well.