Dyed Rovings...fun in the dye pot.

I just got back from a trip to Santa Fe to see friends, see big open landscape, my favorite church, eat great food and see wonderful art. My hats are selling well and I am going back in to my dye studio tomorrow to dye some merino rovings from Taos. I have been using acid dyes in the dry dye technique to ombre color in for a painterly look on the finished felt. This week I will do a resist over-dye on some of the hats. My visit to the Southwest opened my head and made me ready to dive back in. These pictures are last month's dyed rovings on the table drying. I love the way the dry dye gradates the colors.

L

Lelavision is based on Vashon Island. Leah Mann and Ela Lamblin have worked together for 16 years. Ela builds amazing musical structures that educate and entertain. Leah creates movement. I have been building costume pieces for them and we have a look that is earthy but rich. Hand dyed linens, equestrian cloth and silk velvets are made into interchangeable costumes that they mix and match. I love the look of richness and metal.

R and J at The Seattle Repertory Theater

I was on staff at the Seattle Rep for 6ish seasons. I go back now and then to work on shows. I ran the Millinery/Crafts shop and was the Painter/Dyer. One of the shows I built was Romeo and Juliet. It was designed by David Murin and I lead the paint and dye team. These two pictures are of leather vests that have been color washed ( several layers of color ) and then hand painted or stenciled. I love the rich colors. They were great under lights.

Cupcake Girl

Cupcake Girl is a full service roving confectionary costume. She was built for En-Joy Productions and The Workshop for a big party in Gasworks Park in Seattle. The construction was a collaboration with Sue Minn and myself. It was an engineering feat. Cupcake Girl has become quite the party girl and rents out for many occasions. Most of the fabrics were purchased, a few were painted and dyed. Michelle Bates photos.

More Buffoons

The costumes for El Dorado are dip dyed lycra, painted and distressed to look old and decayed. The headpieces and feet are foam built-ups and so are many of the twisted body parts. The actor creating their persona and then creating the show was new to me. Each Buffoon is reflective of the person inside. As actors changed it was a process for the new person to inhabit the old skin.

UMO's El Dorado

I have had a 20 year relationship with UMO ( see www.umo.org ). I designed and built the Buffoons 18 years ago for their show El Dorado. They have been wildly popular and have been re-built several times. In August 2010 they remounted the show at ACT in Seattle. The show is more spot on at this point in our history. The photos are by Michelle Bates ( www.michellebates.net ), a wonderful action photographer. Visit her website for more Buffoon shots as well as all her beautiful work.

More Felt Work

These hats are from the show at The Heron's Nest on Vashon. They are wet felted and then needle felted. The Devil Horn and Spider hats on the previous post use the same method.

Felt Hats, a new direction with fiber

I took a felt class in 2008 and have been playing with dyeing wool and felting since then. I had the chance to do an Artist Residency and worked with Carolyn Buehl and over 200 children to make beanies from hand dyed rovings. In September of 2010 I had a small show at The Heron's Nest Gallery on Vashon Island and sold out my hats. So now I am busy making more for the holiday season.

Cotton unitard, part of Fertility costume

This is a hand painted unitard that is part of the Fertility costume. The process starts as a color wash and then has a thickened dye applied.

Welcome to my blog. Thanks for your interest in my work.

In 2008 I began an exploration of body functions/dysfunction through costuming and dance. My first 2 pieces are hand painted cotton unitards with painted silk headpieces. I am exploring bones and fertility. I am interested in nerves and organs next.