Nov. 13th, 2020
Current research goals:
This week, I presented my work to-date at a mid-term critique. I have played with several material explorations leading up until now, including basket-based samples. As we enter the last stretch of this school season, I will be working towards furthering academic and studio-research for final critiques in December. I want to have two or more samples that focus with less techniques combined, so I can immerse myself a bit more and feel less scattered in my process. And I would like to have one of these pieces grow closer to a proto-type/ on its way to becoming a finished dimensional textile structure!
Materials and processes:
Print explorations
The process of printing felt significant to my concept in a subtle yet powerful way. Integrating surface with dimensional work is challenging! It’s allowing me to think about colour directly through objects-for example, using rusty metal or a goldenrod plant.
The idea to use colours that bees are attracted to is still a goal of mine, as well as integrating natural materials (ex. goldenrod is pollinated by bees). I received feedback in my mid-term critique through a question around why I was focusing on the surface work (eco-printing and rust printing/dying). This is helpful for me to confront and reassess how I can achieve colour and texture in my process and find a stronger connection to focus on structure with my concept.
While in the process of preparing the fabric with a mordant bath before printing, I had considered the question “how could I blend the surface and construction to better communicate together”? I had committed to eco-printing and rust printing because I love the various possibilities and textures you can get. However, I had not realized what aspect of the overall prints would be lost when cut and woven into structures until I was making them.
The process of eco-printing requires laying out the collected leaves, flowers, etc on wet fabric. Then I rolled the pieces around wooden dowels and bound them tightly with twine to prepare for steaming. There are unknowns (especially being new to eco-printing) involved between choosing how the materials look laid out across the fabric and what shows up more strongly on the fabric post-steaming. There are many factors involved, including: the amount of tannins in the materials to begin with, the mordant on the fabric (or lack of), amount of time steaming, and if any other chemicals are added to modify the colours. After steaming, I let the bundles cool and dry off before unravelling and washing them. The smokebush leaves I chose were collected over the summer and had to be rehydrated beforehand, so they did not transfer as much colour as I had hoped.
I discovered the range of possibilities available through combining layers of rust and eco-printing on fabric. Seeing the chemical reaction of iron with the natural ingredients on fabric is an exciting reaction that I definitely would want to experiment with further- if not used in my capstone project, then for my own interest!
While striving to be wary of not scattering my energy with too many techniques, I will zoom out and think about what is in the foreground for my project.
It seems to be a delicate balance since I do not want to narrow my production process too far, but I also have learned in recent years that I tend to try lots of things and not stay long enough in one technique to encounter more discoveries. I will challenge myself to dig in! There is wonder and value in both.
Sketchbook development
I am beginning to translate the information from the “Bee Bold” chart (see first blog post!). I have written down all the words listed under the “Process” column to inspire sketches- such as “bending”, “folding”, “offsetting”, etc. Take a look at some different sketchbook pages below! :
Coiling:
I tried various material combinations with coiling and wrapping as my technique. I used rope, wire, paper, and fabric cores that I wrapped with strips of fabric I found and/or had printed on.
Basket-weaving with fabric strips, willow, etc.
I harvested some willow and soaked the branches to prepare for weaving, then wove a radial base before adding fabric strips to build the sides.
For an alternate structure, I bound some leftover smokebush branches together to cross over each other in a star, and wove rust-printed linen and wool around, starting from the centre, forming into a hexagonal shape!:
Crochet:
I crocheted with recycled fabric and coated wire to see what types of structures and repeating shapes from negative and positive space were possible.
Making these samples has been a valuable, dynamic process. Moving forward, I hope to limit materials and colours in order to focus on what happens within the structures and forms themselves.
Reflections:
The last month was challenging because now that I've dove into making, there's been waves of inspiration and focus along with feeling resistance in motivation or staying tied to my concept. This fluctuation seems natural to me and the experience of a creative process and being human. As I work, I am accepting that sometimes I will feel daunted and drawn to lots of possibilities. This is, after all, one of the longest self-directed projects I’ve done before! Through reflection and feedback, I will continue moving and making improvements from trial and error.
Here are some new questions I have related to my project- (gained through my mid-term critique):
How can I achieve colour? And how important is it to the work I’m making now? (considering my use of recycled material, chosen fabrics, etc)
Which harder materials can I try weaving with- in a tapestry structure (loom)? and in a round/radial or spiral structure?
What can I learn from cavity nesting bees to help inform my structure more? What about ground nesting bees?
Which makers/artists work with weaving that blends soft and hard materials together?
Where do I want my work to exist? Where in Toronto, and why?
I am feeling pulled by both artistic and functional/design directions towards what I make- I started this project with the idea that I would make a series that could be both sculptural and useful, acting as shelter for wild bees in the city. But as I research and learn more, I am not sure this would be attainable in time I have alongside the focus in basketry and weaving I am drawn to. It is still a possibility, and perhaps the pieces can exist within this multiplicity.
Next steps
I will start with several in-depth sketches for the forms I want to create and think about why some shapes would welcome bees more than others. For my next physical sample, I will try combining coiling and weaving in a piece using my medium-sized tapestry loom, possibly integrating some grapevine I harvested to play with shape.
Thanks for reading!
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