Not Busy

I know these are not the most appropriate chairs for one's living room.  They are, however, very comfortable.  And when placed in the zero gravity position they lead to excellent relaxation, hence, meditation and reception of awesome ideas.

The May collection of shibori dyed pieces are complete.  Most are pole wrapped.  A few are rope wrapped.  All pieces are dyed using three colors.  I love the variety. Even Highlin' is enjoying the color.  The empty bowl symbolizes the next step:  sewing a cohesive body of wearable art.

The Excitement of Color

Much better.  After over dyeing this silk charmeuse using the Shibori pole wrap I like the copper color.  More intense.  There is excitement watching the rust and copper glisten as I serge.  The first time, with the fold and clamp, I just couldn't get enough dye to penetrate so that the colors I formulated were able to "shine" to their full potential.  I guess that's the pleasure in making art.  Finding the excitement.  Whether it's when writing poetry, performing, visual or musical.

http://www.lavernez.com/

   I remember the dinner, the wineglasses, the red and the white. I didn’t want to go home early. I wanted to laugh all night and I wondered what made it different, what caused the excitement? Was it Clove’s voice, the way she spoke when an idea came and it took her several minutes, it seemed, to speak. You had to sit real still to catch every word so you could understand and you so much wanted to understand.                             excerpt from "The Garden Girls Letters and Memoir"

  Well, I wasn't really happy with how this fold and clamp turned out. And I am a little frustrated.  It's ok, but it doesn't have that Wow! factor that makes me say, "Oh my that color is so beautiful, I can't believe I did  it." And if I'm not totally excited, what's the point.    The problem is that there was too much yardage being folded.  That's why I like the pole wrap when I have large pieces to dye and that's what I'm going to do with this fabric, shibori dye it again, using the pole. 

My Dear,

Rose was frustrated, to say the least. She knew by the way her words paused, by how she was so careful about what she spoke.

“Is your writing always so erotic?” She asked Clove the first time they wrote together.

“Only when I get close to the bone,” Clove answered.

“And when does talk become sex?” Rose asked.

“When the writing is close to the bone, where the passion rides, like in a simple conversation.”

This was a time for Rose to get organized, but there seemed to be another kind of organizing she wanted to do. There was the organizing of her mind and setting of priorities, which seemed too much work, and the only way to begin was to write her memories of last night’s dinner party­­:

                                                                                  excerpt from the Garden Girl Letters and Memoir

Colors of Spring

We're still building a fire in the wood stove but the colors of spring are upon us.  First the moss on the rocks turns a brighter yellow green.  Soon the dogwoods will be popping. This shibori dyed silk charmeuse and devore caftan jacket makes a perfect cover for chilly spring evenings.  After dyeing the silk, I ripped it in strips and serged them together alternating fabrics.  One size fits many.  You can find it on Etsy or email me for something specific.  There's nothing better than collaboration.

Charmeuse and Velvet

Caftan and Coat

More experiments.  Will I ever get there?  The pole wrapped shibori dyed charmeuse in shades of purple and yellow (which became green when I added the black) started out as a 60" square which I then cut on the bias to create this caftan.  I read somewhere that working on the bias is like working with live fabric.  No kidding.  Every time I moved it the shape changed.  The velvet coat was made from three yards of shibori dyed yardage dyed in shades of yellow (which became copper, rust and olive when I added black.)  I love color theory!  The experiment here was whether or not to dye one long piece or three smaller pieces precut to fit the back and sides.  Just like writing.   Constant rewrites says mentor +Connie May Fowler  Can't wait for the Kentucky Craft Market, Mar 2-3 in Lexington at the Convention Center.

Rearranging

I didn't plan to rearrange everything.  It's just that when we decided to finish the basement everything got rearranged.  That's why I'm temporarily not creating.  I don't know where anything is because it has all been tucked away, safely, to avoid paint and drywall dust.  The good thing is that during this process I have realized that I don't want my studio back in the basement.  I want it out in the little cabin that we built to be used as a shed.  I've decided that having my dyeing studio in the basement keeps me in the house too much.  If I'm in the little cabin, then I have to go outside and see the stars, or feel the sun, even if it is hot, and even if the little cabin is hot, it will be worth it.

Shibori Painted Fabric Comes Alive

Shibori Hand Painted Crepe by Laverne

Design by Soreyda

Model, Kelly Green Crume 

 Future of Fashion Promo 2011 - May 28, 2011

Andrew Kung Photography
www.andrewkung.com

Art on The Wall, or on the Body

You  could take this hand felted, shibori painted, Kentucky alpaca and Texas merino wool down off the wall and wrap it around you.  Especially on a suddenly cool spring evening.

Merino and Alpaca and Locks

I admit it.  I can't stop touching this piece or looking at it.  Now to take it to another level is the challenge.