Kete show dye 'event'

Here are pictures of the latest vertical dyeing 'event'. It definitely got a lot of attention. It was hard to take photos as there were always people in the way so some of them are from odd angles.

The above photo is my favourite. I love it that  the guy is looking the the other way!

I got some really good feedback from all sorts of people including some gallery owners and craft collectors. Although most people didn't know what it was about as there were no artist statements.

Here is my latest stab at an artist statement for the Watermark panels.

Spring 2013

Cotton fabric and thread

Hand-guided machine applique and embroidery

Fabric Dye

Size 220cm X 150cm

My work investigates the relationship between commerce, the environment and the damaging effects of ‘the race to the bottom’, where the consumer and importer demand the lowest price and the manufacturer is forced to cut corners to secure a profit.

Water treatment is expensive and rivers in textile manufacturing countries,  run blue or pink or turquoise with waste-water run-off from the textile industry. The dyes are so strong that it is possible to predict fashionable colours for the seasons ahead by looking at Googlearth. As consumers, how much responsibility do we have for environmental destruction in a far off land, ‘out of sight, out of mind’? Do we have any right to even comment when our own rivers are polluted with invisible contaminants; fertilisers and bacteria from farms and heavy metals as run-off from roads?

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The hardest part is moving on. Now the work for this show is done, I need to start thinking about what I do next. We have a group show at the end of the year with approximately 1.5 m each so not much space. I don't think I am going to come up with a new idea before then so will see whether I can come up with a variation. All ideas gratefully received!
Clare

New Watermark wall-hanging

I've just spent the weekend making a 6th wall-hanging to be 'vertica0lly dyed'  this weekend at a show called Kete. It is on Friday 7th  - Sunday 9th September at The Academy of Finearts in Wellington. I finally found time to make it over the weekend after getting all the other essays, presentations etc out of the way.

There are also talks over the weekend. If you go to the website you can see who is on
http://www.nzafa.com/web/kete-contemporary-craft-and-design-fair

The latest wallhanging is the flattest yet. All the others had to be tweaked while they were hanging to try and get them to hang straight without wavy edges. This latest one is pretty flat (at the moment). Hopefully it will hang nicely in the gallery but a lot depends on humidity. Does anyone else find their quilts curl up at the bottom when hung in a gallery?

After this show, I need to start working out what I will make for the end of year show. At the moment I have very little idea what I will be making as I haven't had time to think, I just need some down time!

 I took this shot of the new wallhanging on the lounge floor on top of a grey blanket. I haven't got time to take before and after photos with special lights or anything so this maybe the only before shot I get.

It is similar to one of the ones i made for my last show but I have altered the outside border to make it more like the willow pattern plate. I think when the dye runs through it it will drip very nicely from the wider border.

I won't be able to fill the dye cups all weekend so it will run during the opening and then be allowed to dry. I'm down in Christchurch all weekend but will get back just in time to take it down on Sunday evening so it will be much less 'hands on' than my solo exhibition.