Nearing the End of the Uglies

Some new things I have learned. (1) I like having nice new size; (2) the GAC900 is a really good surfactant -- it makes most paints float better without trashing the size like some of the stronger ones -- even worked really well on the ProChem Marbling paints which I haven't liked using particularly; (3) the new secret for me in rinsing is making the rinse water just slightly warm (maybe 90 degrees give or take) -- excess seems to come off with just a dunk or two instead of four or five dunks which has muddied some of my pieces.

Philosophically, this making over of the uglies is a real theme in my work. I am drawn to things that many think of as ugly or horrible and trying to make them beautiful or at least attractive to the eye. I had known that in my art quilts but hadn't seen the parallel in my marbling -- there is something very satisfying about taking fabric you don't care for and remaking it. Of course I have found that my idea of beauty is wildly divergent from some of the norms. Probably why I just keep my mouth shut when selling some of my fabric! (Then again, this could all be my old cheap New England thriftiness ingrained in me from my mother.)

My favorite from today. An old stripey piece that I covered with mostly red and some blue. The stripes were mostly shades of blue.


This was a piece of commercial rust colored fabric that I had discharged shibori-style and it was just plain boring. This is a little better.

This was a class piece where I had experimented with all kinds and sizes of stamping of dyes -- also all colors of the rainbow. Not sure if this is much better but maybe bookmarks!

This was a very boring piece of commercial batik that I had in nondescript muted colors. Much improved (imho).

This is another of the ones with the really swirled background done as a class piece.

After today, only have five more uglies that need to be covered! I was definitely in the zone this morning and did nine at one sitting (really standing) before I came to a halt for lunch!

Next on my agenda is some shibori dyeing and maybe some discharging as well. This will entail a major cleanup from the marbling, as paint is just so much messier than dyeing!! Even though I am your basic slob, I have never been able to start new projects without a cleanup of the old stuff (even when I was working in corporate America).