Spring Has Sprung

My backyard is in full bloom, and even the ground looks lovely scattered with fallen flower petals and buds.






The wisteria is particularly beautiful this year, and its sweet scent seems stronger than usual.



You'd never guess we're in the midst of a drought.

Another Alley Mystery

What might this be, and what is it doing in the alley behind my house?



Lots of strange things turn up in the alley, and always behind my house.

This is a MAC Power PC, from what . . . 15 years ago? 20 years ago? It weighs a ton. I could barely lift it to get it out of the way of the trash cans. But why would someone leave it behind my house? Is it some sort of message from God -- like "buy Apple stock?" I think it's a little late for that!

Solar Dyeing Experiments

I've been experimenting with solar dyeing -- using the heat and energy of the sun to dye fabrics rather than boiling or simmering them using electricity or gas.

Lots of yellows in this batch of pomegranate rind, yellow dock root, and juniper berries:

Some materials work really well with solar dyeing, like this batch of pomegranate rind with a little copper added from an oxidized copper pipe:

Other materials don't work well, like these carrot tops which don't appear to be emitting any color at all:

Thus the need for experimentation!

Seminole Quilt Series

I'm working on a new series based on Seminole quilt patterns with a feeling of the pioneer times of the 1800s. This is the first one in the series. It needs something more, but I haven't decided what else to do yet. It's 36" x 36" and unstretched at the moment, and created with natural dyes and earth pigments on cotton canvas.



When it's stretched the wrinkles will flatten out and the seams will be even. It's difficult to photograph it unstretched.

Natural Territory

Three of my "Decomposition" pieces are going to Natural Territory in Scottsdale, a new eco-friendly lifestyle store.

Click on images to enlarge.

Journey, 54" x 40"



Codex, 52" x 38"



Passage, 56" x 42"



Natural Territory will be opening in about two weeks, and they are located at:

15816 N. Greenway Hayden Loop, #300
Scottsdale, AZ 85260

In the meantime, I've been busy with a new body of work. I can't say more just yet, but you'll be the first to know as soon as I have something to show!