Share your heart, show your work

All summer I have been obsessing on creating Art Cloth.  I have been ready to explore a medium that gave me the color/texture feel that I get from the fiber arts.  I dye and paint on silk, I love watching the color pop, but I want to explore more of an art technique.  I wanted to create art that I could hang on the wall, make cards and copy onto paper.  My intent when I moved to the island was to come out with my own brand of batik art.  Melding the vibrant colors of the carribean art with the technique of African Art.  

This week I joined an online coaching group called 'share your heart, show your work.'  This group and the coach inspired me to say 'F' it just do it!  I had been looking all over the Internet and books for inspiration, but to no avail.  What ended up catching my eyes was right in my own back yard.  Once I felt the 'muse' I started gathering my supplies and digging through my art cloth stash and I was off....

My inspiration came from my garden.  Last summer I planted 4 Lantana plants hoping to have a vibrant effusion of color in my summer garden.  Well, only this one survived the winter and it was weak at best.  Finally here in mid August it's taking off and after a few days of storms it produced a profusion of vibrant neon flowers.  Seeing this got my juices going to start painting.

I have tried so many fabric painting techniques over the years.  I've played at this process, but it wasn't working in the past.  Today was a different story.  I've obsessed about this technique for years.  Going over and over it in my head.  I made an attempt last year that I loved, but it still needed work.  Sometimes when creating art you have to step away for awhile.  Today I was on point and riding the color vortex.  I began playing and letting my inner child come out.  Loving the results and having fun.  Drawing and doodling with the resist and stamping with it also.

My favorite piece from the first group.

When I was washing the resist out of the fabric was heart was singing!  The vibrant color was so amazing wet.  It was so healing, truly color therapy.  My Soul vibrates at a high level with color.

Nala my studio help.

Day 2 - I was ready to make some more, do a little experimenting and finally, finally got the right fabric combination, batik technique and fabric paint.  I decided that I love the cassava batik resist method.   It gives you a nice white line and washes out with hot water.  Painting on quilting cotton gives me the texture and whimsical appearance I'm looking for.  Dy-na-flow paint gives me the vibrancy and soft fabric feel.  After so many attempts at batik art over the years.  I finally found the perfect receipt.  

My favorite piece from this group is the turtle.  It's always been my symbol for living on this island.  This island is a turtle sanctuary.  Love it!

Thanks to collage app, I think I'm going to make a nine patch quilt out of these samples.  I want big artwork so a quilt is probably the best way.  I'm not a good quilter so simple is best.  Maybe I can find someone to long arm quilt my projects.  I realized that this would be my third art quilt since I've moved to the beach.  I'm going to contact the island quilting group to see if I can find someone to help me out.

The final banner display of all my work this week.  Seeing this fun, vibrant, whimsical banner makes my heart feel full of joy!