Living a layered life, I enjoy the colors surrounding my Kentucky cabin.  My art to wear becomes a form of memoir! Perfect for a Kentucky Derby party. Shibori dyed, pole wrapped 44x44" silk devore using the Vinyl Sulphon dyes.  Following color theory I used analagous colors of blue, turquoise and green.  Edges are finished using the Bernina rolled hem adapter.  Finally after 10,000 hours, I think I have it down!  Available at Etsy.http://www.etsy.com/shop/LaverneZabielski

Copper Chiffon

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So simple, yet elegant, chiffon poncho, pole wrapped, and shibori dyed in copper, rust and olive.

“Stand up straight, Rose,” her mother said while she wrapped chiffon around her, estimating the amount needed.

“Do you like it, Rose?” She was designing her prom dress. It was only pinned together.

She thought about the way Echinacea had decorated her rooms. Decorated was not the correct word. Echinacea didn’t decorate. She made art, finding places to hang shawls and skirts. Learning from Echinacea, Rose decided, had been as exciting as any art class she ever took.

excerpt from my memoir, The Garden Girls Letters and Journal

Serging and Sewing While Steaming

Stage 7 Steaming

Unwrapped from the shibori pole silks are steam set

 Stage 8  Serge and sew
All stations are full, I move on to sewing and serging black and white while.  While it's not color, my forte, there have been requests.  This back and white will soon become a caftan jacket.

Stage 9 Pondering

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All the while asking what to do with this newly dyed green.


 

Honeyrose stares up at the trees. Her colors are brilliant, precise and in immaculate order. “When ideas sift and filter,” she says, “words penetrate your soul, the place where intimacy grows. Then you can . . .”

“Listen to your body,” Clove chimes in.

Honeyrose nods, “And speak what you know.” She affirms.

Sitting down on an old sycamore stump her voice softens. “Authority,” she continues, “is to articulate with passion—using your power tone—the stories only Garden Girls know.” Since Honeyrose is the woman I am to become, I listen very closely. 

excerpt from my memoir, The Garden Girls Letters and Journal

Today's Itinerary

Today I unwrap the silk from the poles that I had shibori dyed several days ago.  This Kentucky humidity means it takes forever for them to dry.  At least in the winter I can set them by the wood stove.  In summer, all I can do is wait, and work to fill other stations of perpetual works in progress and gather with artist friends to discuss sources of inspiration, work load and destinations.

“Where are you headed?” Artemisia asked.

That was the purpose of the gathering. The women had become fractured. All four were going in separate directions. Gardenia had begun to question the extent to which she was leaving home. Nettles was concerned about spending more time in the garden. Herbs were drying and she had begun to get pictures of presents in her mind that she could make with them. Lily’s silk painting was stuck and Rose was feeling like she wasn’t really expressing herself fully. That’s why she called the gathering.

“Let’s talk about us,” she said in the postcard she had mailed each Garden Girl. “What if we were real artists? What would life be like then?” 

excerpt from my memoir, The Garden Girls Letters and Journal

 Seeking Passion
My friend asked me why I do it, shibori dye fabric over and over again.  Good question.  I think the answer might be what defines an artist.  I'm addicted to the question "What if?" I told her.   What if I add this color, what if I design this dress, what if I sew it this way instead?  I can't stop.  I listed to Larry play his new Cordoba guitar.   He can't stop.   He plays the same pieces over and over.  My newest "what if" is using the Vinyl Sulphon dyes to dye alpaca and merino roving.  I'm excited to see the results after it is made into bats and felted on the FeltLOOM and I create a "what if" piece of wearable art.  From the looks of this photo, I may be onto to something with this new process as the newly dyed roving in copper and rust and blues dries in sun.

In writing, Rose was seeking passion, the passion that gets you excited and keeps you awake at night. Rose was always passionate; there was no getting around it. She wasn’t ever going to give it up. To be able to create passion, that’s what freedom is, that’s what life is; just keep on writing because what else is there?  

excerpt from my memoir, The Garden Girls Letters and Journal

The First Bird Sings at 5:54 am

I open the windows.  It's chilly outside.  I make a fire in the wood stove.  There is still lots of scraps of wood to burn that was part of the old siding that had to be removed because of rot.  Hence, implementation of a Living a Layered Life rule for sure. Make Art Now.  Never let lack of money or materials keep you from making art.  Use what's at hand.

This dress was made from two remnants of 1 1/2 yard pieces of jacquard silk.  Usually all my art is made from at least 72 -80" pieces.   I shibori dyed it in copper and rust colors and copied a dress that I love and has gotten worn out from frequent wear.   The shawl is a prototype for a new design.  This one has flaws, however.  That means I get to wear it!  I will make more now that I have the idea in place and technique down. I don't know about the dress.  It is more size specific.  I prefer to create things that fit many. The photo doesn't show the true brilliance of color that I get from using the vinyl sulphon dyes.

  

I started thinking that maybe Rose and Clove could open a floor-covering store. You know, sell carpet and linoleum and hire local guys to install it. Then they could take off and go to women’s music festivals and sell artwork they made from carpet remnants and linoleum scraps.

excerpt from my memoir, "The Garden Girl Letters and Journal"