Impatience

~ Liz A

So I peeked last night …

Unfortunately, the center of the Inktense Shibori spiral wasn’t as defined as I had hoped. And because I unwrapped the cloth while it was still damp, a lot of the color washed out …

But I learned from that (which was the whole point). Then tried again, this time stitching with doubled thread, taking more process shots along the way …

I used just one color: Payne’s gray (or is it grey?) … which I love. But as it dried the gray began to look too uniform, so I mixed up a bit more and touched it onto the still-damp cloth.

Once again unable to wait any longer, I unbundled it this morning …

and methinks it made through washing and ironing just fine …

So now I’m pondering how best to work with complementary colors without muddling them together (the key word being “mud”). However, those trials will have to wait until we get back from our sojourn in New Mexico. For sure I’ll be looking for lots of inspiration while there.

Addenda: Shibori trials so far (for scale, the Inktense book is 2” x 3”)

And this is for Nancy …

27 thoughts on “Impatience”

  3. This one looks like a mollusk fossil!
    I remember reading once that in America, it is Gray (A for America is how it read) and grey in EU countries…so I go with that! wrong or right, it makes the decision for me 🙂

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  4. Ancient, pathways, especially the 2nd one; both cloths are infused with magical markings. Since you are coming to New Mexico, I researched the spiral in Native American art and found this:

    “The spiral was derived from Native American solar hieroglyphics and is known as the symbol for eternity or for the path of our existence on earth”.

    “The spiral is one of the oldest symbols used by humans. It appeared thousands of years ago in southwestern Native American tribal areas on cave walls and on ancient pottery.”

    “The spiral also symbolized a way of planting, starting at the center and moving out in circles as they planted. In Navajo it was called ha’oolmaaz”

    Although you have been to New Mexico before, you will find new pathways of inspiration and discovery… May you and Don enjoy each and every one..

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    2. Marti – I watched for spirals as we traversed New Mexico … finding them over and over, as you well-imagined … and then, on our final day as we drove to the airport (and what a wonderful airport the Sunport is!), I saw hot air balloons rising … truly a land of enchantment

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  5. LA – wow – what a beautiful piece – I think it was good to have peeked because going back to do the the Payne’s grey was an excellent idea – and though the first one was going to be beautiful – the double stitch etc just created a great piece. Well done.B

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  6. Travel safe and enjoy your meanderings and wanderings. Your trials are coming along a treat – so much learning – and I honestly don’t know how folk don’t peak!

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    1. “peaking” had a lot of meaning as we drove through the high hills of northern New Mexico, gazing in wonder at the mountains dusted with snow while we were there

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  8. that grey spiral is such a beauty! there are so many shades of mud that can be quite beautiful but if I was really wanting to work with opposite colours on the colour wheel I would make two dye baths, paint a resist over the first colour then overdye with the second colour

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    2. In her book “Living Color” Natalie Goldberg writes about the artist Barbara Zaring who painted a work entitled “100 ways to gray” … I have yet to find an image of it on the internet, but I will keep looking

      and yes, resist/overdyeing is definitely on my trial wish list!

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  12. Wonderful experiments! Oh and I love your bag that you made and carried on your trip. The one from India’s class. Really catches your eye. I bet you got lots of compliments on it.

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