design | Beth Emmott

This is the archive for the ‘design’ Category

What Summer?

September 11th, 2020

Well that was June, and this is Sept. Haven’t been anywhere—3 times to a friend’s—outside— brought our own wine—and 2 normal Dr’s visits—since March!!! Hard to paint but I have done some. Images of places where I wish I was. And one lockdown portrait!

Image of Mask
Vision of 2020

I did finish the long, dyed piece with hand twisted silk cordage – added some slow seed stitching.(10.5 x71 inches)
See detail on Fiber Page.

Image of Life/Twists and Turns
Life Takes Twists and Turns

When I first did the cordage twisting, I made some using tea bag paper and got the idea of using the paper as a support for designing stamps and printing. The result is a series of 12 works called, collectively, “Tea Bag Tales” More can be seen on my Works on Paper page. This one is titled, “Beach Dreams”.

Image of Tea Bag Tales
“Beach Dreams”

Then there is always a book needing to be done and this one uses tea bag paper – some dyed, some not – and with ink. Bound with cordage made of dandelion stems and a dandelion cordage bookmark. More images of this may be seen on My Books Page.

Image of Tea Bag Book
Tea Bag Book Spread with Book Mark

I had dried the dandelions this spring and finally got around to twisting them. Some I dyed with rusty tea, some were half dyed so the twist is half dyed and half natural. Some the twist loosened a bit up as they dried, and some I weighted as they dried to try and keep their twist, and some stayed tight as they dried on their own. I love the different personalities they have.

Image of dandelion cordage
Twisted Single Dandelion Stem

I’d only picked and dried a few stems, so I’ve used my stash and can’t wait till next spring to dry more. (I’ll probably still be here locked down…)

Each project leads to another and I feel I’m ready to begin painting in earnest (if the world doesn’t get worse and spiral me into a deeper funk.) I’ve been reading a lot and enjoying the many artist interviews appearing on social media. So wonderful to see what people are doing all over the world. As I’m locked up it really helps to see others in the same situation and how they are dealing with canceled exhibitions, workshops, and lack of travel. Don’t feel quite so isolated. A life line.

2020, so much crazy

June 28th, 2020

It’s been a while—said that before but this time—Been really hard to post things—positive things—about my work. My exhibition at Imperfect Gallery was postponed until October— hopefully. So I have piles of framed paintings etc all over—waiting. But many others have much worse interruptions to their lives.
We’ve been thankful that we mainly work from home and for our yard and garden which kept us busy and outside this spring. We are able to get food delivered or have curb side pick up and I made masks, 2 different kinds.

We voted by mail—that was a first but seems to have worked out fine. Let’s hope it’s all ok for Nov as I’m not to excited about standing in lines…And, a very nice thing happened, my photograph, “Haven” won best in Show!

Image of me with mask — On my way to mail ballot!

It’s been hard to get down to painting. I have a canvas started but it sits on my easel and stares at me! I have been able to work in fiber as it seems to be calming and I have completed several projects and have ideas for more.

The long strip of wool shown in my last post has turned into 3 long strips, each about 6.5 feet x 2 in, and each dyed with tea and iron but differently. Each strip has simple hand stitching running its length and the last two are embellished with buttons or beads. The fourth strip, (not shown here) is becoming small individual works.)

Image of long strip — Working title: “On the Surface””

Image of seconf long strip — Working title: “We can Do This”

Image of third long strip — Working Title: “We Can Dream”

I took a small online workshop with India Flint on twisting cordage out of various materials. Took awhile for my fingers to get the hang of it but finally it clicked and I had a ball with this—still am.
I had picked up a stick from the Wissahickon last summer and had soaked it in water to be able to pull the long fibers apart. This turned out to be perfect for making “wooden cordage” Next I needed some silk fabric and having none during lock down, I raided (with permission) my husband’s ties for a red and white one that he never wore and twisted that. Next up was ordering some silk on line and dyeing it with bright dyes. Some of that was twisted with the wood fibers and some just twisted with the joy of playing with the bright colors.

Image of wooden cordage — Cordage made from Wissahickon Stick

Image of cordage from silk tie — Cordage from silk tie

Image of dyed silk — Image of brightly dyed silk cordage

The red and white has been used in a project with a working title of “Life Twists and Turns”. It consists of a long dyed fabric with the cordage “couched” down it’s length as it twists and turns.

Image of process — Cordage laid out on dyed fabric, ready for couching.

I have ideas for other projects using the cordage but I really want to get back to my painting. I have been sketching-trying for every day, (the idea of a daily journal/practice of stitching didn’t work out). And, I’m exploring gouache in some small studies but my plan is get back to my easel and to explore painting places I’d rather be this summer than locked in my house. We’ll see.

Fiber Book and my Very Fine Hat

May 2nd, 2019

Spring has come, all of a sudden everything is green… and magenta and yellow and violet—Philadelphia has a very wild burst of color when spring arrives. I’ve been busy working on a new set of paintings but I spell it with stitching.

My latest “rabbit hole” is a fiber book based on my grandmother, her mother, and her mother. Using many bits and pieces from their collections of saved fabric, lace and trims—my grandmother was the youngest and as all this was passed down it ended up with her and then to me—I descend from savers or some might say pack rats. All three women sewed so there is a wealth of scraps.

Slowly the pages have been taking shape as things are rearranged and reassembled. I learned to print photo’s on fabric—that was a big break through… my dyed fabrics make an appearance as does my stitching. And finally I made a commitment on a cover. So here is the cover and the pages for each woman.

The cover is piece of canvas dyed with tea and rusty bits. It is stitched and has self ties. When untied it reveals a pocket with a photo of me with what I thought was a most wonderful hat when I was four years old.

Three generations of women, all “Stitchers”, although I don’t think they would have used that title.
Other pages and spreads consist of fabric and buttons and feathers and prints and lace and … some are still in the works…

These women have inspired this book but it isn’t necessarily about them but rather about women in general, things that were important to them in their time and that belonged to them in their time.

Sweet Gum Prints

July 23rd, 2018

Spent the afternoon a few weeks ago in the Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. Didn’t have a lot of time but we walked around, some photography and I collected leaves of Sweetgum Trees. I love their long pointy shapes and when I got home I made this little book of leaf prints.

I haven’t made the cover yet but I’m thinking of a series of leaf books from travels this summer. We’ll see…

In the mean time I did make a sketch book from watercolor paper… and did start working in it. Small sketch of hostas in our back garden.

A simple cardboard cover, closed with a rubber band, with accordion pages of Archers Watercolor paper. My plan is for the simple cover to contrast with a plethora of sketches inside. This is a start.

Expositions

July 15th, 2018

Two of my little Tapestries are in current expositions. Here they are with an image of their installation. I won’t be able to get to either exhibition—my work seems to travel more that I do— but I’m excited to be included in each!

“Have a Cup of Tea with Me” is in the ATA (American Tapestry Alliance) exhibition, “The Biggest Little Tapestries in the World!” in Reno NV. This piece will be included in the exhibition catalog.

“…and She Looked out the Window” is in the Webster Arts Gallery‘s exhibit, “Warp and Weft”, in Webster Groves, Missouri.

I’m new to tapestry weaving and am thankful to both organizations for giving me a chance to exhibit my work!!!

Weaving on the Road…

June 28th, 2018

Off to Virginia to stay with Fletcher and Cooper while their parents were away and I took my Hokett Loom, yarns and design materials. I knew the boys would have their noses in the World Cup and I would have time to indulge in weaving.

I pack my weaving supplies in translucent bags that all fit into a larger bag. One for my Hokett with the tray I use it on, one for a selection of yarns and one for little bits of equipment. My design supplies go in a small shoulder bag with watercolors, sketchbooks etc. With these two bags I could set up a little studio space and was set!

Got out my sketchbook and watercolors and came up with my design. I’ve been sketching trees and leaves lately so decided on stylized leaves. Next to warp my little loom and prepare my weft yarns. I did bring the little spinner thing that I got from Rebecca Mezoff to un ply my Harrisville yarns. BUT… my design called for black and I forgot that while I needed to un ply the blue and green yarn, I needed to double the black and didn’t bring enough… You can see where I ran out of black yarn in the image above!!! Always something!!!!

I did have more black at home and was able to finish!!! So all is well with one part of my world, at least…