Preamble
Art Quilts have featured on this blogspot and so for your convenience I have listed below previous posts in this series:
Art Quilts - Part I
Art Quilts - Part II
Art Quilts - Part III
Art Quilts - Part IV
Art Quilts - Part V
Art Quilts - Part VI
Art Quilts - Part VII
Art Quilters of the Netherlands - Part I
Art Quilters of the Netherlands - Part II
Art Quilters of the Netherlands - Part III
Four Selected European Art Quilters - Part I
Four Selected European Art Quilters - Part II
Four Selected European Art Quilters - Part III
Art Quilts of Jane Sassaman
Art Quilts of Michael A. Cummings
Introduction[1]
The art quilt movement began in the United States at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. The Whitney's 1971 exhibit 'Abstract Design in American Quilts' showcased quilts as a work of art rather than as bedcovers. The United States' bicentennial in 1976 further emphasised that the art of women, as in traditional quilt making, was largely ignored by the art media at large and in doing so, was missing a new genre in art that the feminist movement helped to further advertise. It took nearly another decade before the genre was labelled 'Art Quilt.' Finally, an art genre founded by women was finally recognised as a true art genre, whereby the art medium was now cloth.
I hope you enjoy some of the art quilts that are exhibited in this post, thereby giving you a sampler of a wonderful book[1] that should be proudly sitting on your shelf!
Art Quilts - Part V[1]
Title: Willow (1996).
Artist: Jane Sassaman.
Materials and Techniques: Machine appliqué and quilted.
Photograph courtesy of Geogory Gantner.
Size: 75 x 75 inches (1.9 x 1.9 m).
Title: African Jazz#5 (1990).
Artist: Michael A. Cummings.
Materials and Techniques: Cotton, blends, buttons, textile paint; appliquéd, machine sewn.
Photograph courtesy of Karen Bell.
Size: 108 x 72 inches (2.7 x 1.8 m).
Title: After the Rain (2004).
Artist: Ita Ziv.
Materials and Techniques: Nylon bags, nets; machine pieced, reverse appliquéd.
Photograph courtesy of Ran Erde.
Size: 108 x 72 inches (2.7 x 1.8 m).
Title: Fruition 2: Towards Sunset (1999).
Artist: Cher Cartwright.
Materials and Techniques: Cotton fabric, rayon thread; hand dyed, machine pieced and quilted.
Photograph courtesy of Kem Mayer.
Size: 33 x 34 inches (83.8 x 111.8 cm).
Title: Silent Sentinels (2004).
Artist: Noriko Endo.
Materials and Techniques: Cotton, tulle; machine quilted, appliquéd and embellished.
Size: 66 x 76 inches (1.7 x 1.9 m).
Photograph courtesy of Nagamitsu Endo.
Title: Grandchild (2002).
Artist: Deidre Scherer.
Materials and Techniques: Fabric, thread; cut, pieced, layered, machine sewn.
Size: 23 x 19 inches (58.4 x 48.3 cm).
Photograph courtesy of Jeff Baird.
Title: Getting Dizzy (1998).
Artist: Carolyn L. Mazloomi.
Materials and Techniques: Cotton, silk, netting; collage, machine quilted.
Size: 52 x 46 inches (1.3 x 1.2 m).
Photograph courtesy of Robert Giesler.
Title: School: It's Never Too Late to Learn (2000).
Artist: Hollis Chatelain.
Materials and Techniques: Cotton fabrics, wool batting, finer-reactive dyes; hand dye-painted, machine quilted.
Size: 63 x 46 inches (1.6 x 1.2 m).
Photograph courtesy of Lynn Ruck.
Title: Iron Lace (2006).
Artist: Linda Colsh.
Materials and Techniques: Cotton, used coffee filters, computer images and screens from photography by the artist; hand dyed, discharged and printed, machine pieced and quilted.
Size: 63 x 46 inches (1.6 x 1.2 m).
Photograph courtesy of Fotostudio Leemans.
Title: Body Garden (2002).
Artist: Charlotte Yde.
Materials and Techniques: Hand-dyed and commercial cotton; dyed, painted, machine pieced and quilted.
Size: 44 x 52 inches (1.1 x 1.3 m).
Photograph courtesy of Niels Jensen.
Reference:
[1] M. Sielman, Masters: Art Quilts, Lark Books, New York (2008).
Introduction
Art Quill Studio is the Education Division of Art Quill & Co Pty Ltd. I'm a director of the parent company, and I also head Art Quill Studio.
The parent company and its division, Art Quill Studio, mainly focusses on artistic endeavours, especially in the area of ArtCloth and ArtCloth Installations, Commissioned Artworks, Fabric Lengths, Wearable Art and Prints on Paper etc. However, the parent company, Art Quill & Co Pty Ltd, also publishes artist printmakers' books (e.g. Not in My Name and Beyond the Fear of Freedom).
Marie-Therese Wisniowski's Artist Printmakers' Book - Not in My Name.
Limited Edition: A total of 10 editions only, five of which are held in the collections of: University of Queensland Library (6/10), National Library of Australia (7/10), University of Sydney Library (8/10), State Library of New South Wales (9/10) and NSW Parliamentary Library (10/10).
Recommended retail price: AUstralian Dollar (AUD) $1550.00 (plus shipping).
Editions for sale: 2/10, 3/10, 4/10 and 5/10.
ISBN 0 646 42979 5
Marie-Therese Wisniowski's Artist Printmakers' Book - Beyond The Fear Of Freedom.
Limited Edition: A total of 15 editions, seven of which are held in the collections of: Indiana University - Purdue University, Indianapolis (USA) (9/15), Beau Beausoleil (USA) (10/15), Department of Art & Design, University of Western England, Bristol, UK (11/15), The National Library of Australia (12/15), State Library of NSW (13/15), University of Sydney Library (14/15) and NSW Parliamentary Library (15/15).
Recommended retail price: AUD $2,000 (plus shipping).
Editions for sale: 2/15, 3/15, 4/15, 5/15, 6/15, 7/15 and 8/15.
ISBN 978-0-9873013-7
The company has recently published a puzzle solver that is available for purchase from the company.
Dr E I von Nagy-Felsobuki, The Sudoku Solver.
Recommended retail price: AUD $14.99 (plus shipping).
ISBN 978-0-9873013-1-4
In the collection of the following libraries: National Library of Australia, University of Sydney Library, State Library of New South Wales and NSW Parliamentary Library.
The company has recently published the first novel in the trilogy titled - 4 Steps To Freedom. The novel has been set in a historical context in Germany between 1935 to 1949. The first novel in the trilogy can be ordered via a retail bookstore such as booktopia or directly from the distributor: John Reed Books.
Kalle Gayn, 4 Steps to Freedom (Front Cover).
Recommended retail price: AUD $24.99 (plus shipping).
ISBN 978-0-9873013-2-1
In the collection of the following libraries: National Library of Australia, University of Sydney Library, State Library of New South Wales, NSW Parliamentary Library, East Gippsland Shire Library (Vic), Monaro Regional Libraries (Bombala, NSW) and Cessnock City Library (NSW).
To read my interview with Kalle Gayn about his first novel in the trilogy, click on the following link: 4 Steps to Freedom.
The company has recently published Kalle Gayn's second novel in the trilogy and it is titled, 'Reign of the Mother.'
Kalle Gayn, Reign of the Mother (Front Cover).
Recommended retail price: AUD $24.99 (plus shipping).
ISBN 978-0-9873013-3-8
In the collection of the following libraries: National Library of Australia, University of Sydney Library, State Library of New South Wales and the NSW Parliamentary Library.
Kalle Gayn, Reign of the Mother (Back Cover).
Recommended retail price: AUD $24.99 (plus shipping).
ISBN 978-0-9873013-3-8
Both novels have been written so they can be read independently of each other. However, reading both novels will yield a greater insight into the main character of the trilogy, Magrete.
I was involved as a proofreader as well as being the design and layout artist of '4 Steps to Freedom' and 'Reign of the Mother' and so the author, Kalle Gayn, has dedicated both novels to me. I'm hardly an unbiased interviewer!
Today's post is an interview that I conducted with the author about his second novel in the trilogy.
I hope you enjoy it!
Marie-Therese Wisniowski
PS. If you wish to send an email to the author, Kalle Gayn, email the author at: Kalle Gayn.
Reign of the Mother
Author Interview: Kalle Gayn
M-T: Welcome back to my blogspot Kalle, and thank you for dedicating both of your novels to me.
KG: Thank you for interviewing me on your blogspot again, Marie-Therese! The dedications reflect your hard work in bringing these two novels into fruition.
M-T: We need to reflect on the first novel in the trilogy in order to place the second novel in its proper context.
Magrete Holweg lost her first husband, Herbert von Appen, prior to WWII. She was pregnant at the time with his child, Ilse, when he died. Herbert was a Nazi and an acquaintance of Himmler. Her second husband, George Nagy, was a good friend of Herbert von Appen. George and Magrete married late in 1943. George Nagy led a research team at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Chemistry under the directorship of Nobel Prize Laureate Professor Otto Hahn.
Professor Otto Hahn.
When the Institute moved from Berlin to Tailfingen (a small village on the German-Swiss border) George relocated his family there.
Paulus Kirche (Paulus Church), Tailfingen.
M-T: Throughout the war Magrete was harbouring a Jewess, Anna, under the guise as her servant and so she saved Anna's life from the Nazi holocaust. Anna, after the war, met an American intelligence officer Captain Euguene Gould, who she later married. Just prior to Anna and Eugene leaving for America, Anna hated Magrete because of Anna's misheld belief that Magrete was responsible for Anna's Aunt's murder early in the war. On the day that Eugene and Anna were leaving Tailfingen for America, Anna discovered that she had got it wrong and so their friendship was rekindled.
Do you wish to add to what I have revealed so far?
KG: Only that Magrete had three children to her second husband, George, namely, Elisabeth, Eva and Francis with Francis being the youngest. Nevertheless, Ilse, the eldest of Magrete's children was the first child George had parented and so he had a special affection for her, even though she was not his child.
M-T: The first novel, 4 Steps to Freedom, has been characterized by East Gippsland Regional Library (Vic), Monaro Regional Libraries (Bombala, NSW), and by Cessnock City Library (NSW) as: Women (Fiction), Female Friendship (Fiction), Australia (Fiction), Germany (Fiction) and lastly, Historical Fiction. Do you agree with these categorisations of your first novel in the trilogy?
KG: I do! However, to give the reader a more concrete feel for the first two novels in the trilogy, I would put them in the genre of a 'Historical Literary Fiction' and so in the same genre as Dr Zhivago. I'm not claiming that my first two novels in the trilogy are of the same calibre, rather I am asserting that my characters are placed in a non-fiction historical context that they have no control over, and so both novels centre on how these characters react to the reality that they are immersed in.
Cover of the novel, Dr Zhivago.
M-T: The second novel starts where the first novel left off, in the Tailfingen displaced person's (DP) camp, with Magrete wishing to immigrate to Australia. What surprises me is that although France was the occupying power in the region of Tailfingen, France and its colonies never took in their DPs, even though they were a signatory to the International Refugee Organisation (IRO). Why?
KG: France was an unusual occupying power. Russia, Britain and America never capitulated to the Nazi regime, whereas the French did and yet, America insisted at the Yalta conference that France would be the fourth occupying power. Of course, the French were allotted the smallest region, the region that straddled the Austrian, German and Swiss borders to that of France. The French were arrogant, and ruled in that manner. Although a signatory to the IRO, the French wouldn't take in DP refugees, who they assumed aided and abetted the Nazis in occupying France.
Allied Occupation Zones.
M-T: We discover that Magrete wants to immigrate to Australia and convinces George to do so. What surprised me is that Arthur Calwell is the Australian Minister for Immigration in the Chifley government, who signs off on accepting 10,000 refugees per year from continental Europe as well as creating a scheme in which British families only pay ten pounds to immigrate to Australia. Why was the Labor government so generous?
Arthur Calwell, Australian Minister for Immigration in the Chifley government, a Ministry of his own making.
KG: Australia had a near death experience when the Japanese occupied Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea). The Labor party in Australia decided they needed a bigger population to survive any future attacks (i.e. populate or perish!) Remember, the Cold War had begun and so there were real concerns whether another world war would erupt in the not-too-distant future. Australia was an American ally and the Australian Labor Government was acutely aware that China lined up with the USSR. The struggle between capitalism and communism had all the hallmarks of the beginning of the end, since the USSR had nuclear weaponry as did the USA and Britain. Calwell was sympathetic to the harsh living conditions of DPs in Europe and so he made available places for some of them to immigrate to Australia on compassionate grounds.
M-T: The other issue that fascinates me that emerges in your novel is that the Australian bureaucracy was initially discriminating against Jewish immigration. Why? The holocaust was extensively publicised after the war as it provided direct evidence that the Nazi regime was evil!
KG: The evidence for anti-Jewish discrimination by Australian government officials is more circumstantial than what has been officially documented. Jews occupied government positions in many of the communist countries and so it was easier to suspect Jews as being left leaning, if not card carrying communists. It's tragic that they were murdered by the Nazis during the war and then shunned by countries, like Australia, immediately after the war, because governments feared their entry could not only be a security risk, but also create a bulwark against capitalism. The Jews couldn't win either way immediately after the war! It was only their push for the creation of Israel that gave them any sort of hope to be removed from Europe in a timely fashion, since most countries, like Canada and the USA had strict restrictions on who they would accept.
Leon Trotsky was born Lev Davidovich Bronstein on 7th November 1879, the fifth child of a Ukrainian-Jewish family of wealthy farmers in Yanovka. After the Bolsheviks came to power, Trotsky became the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs.
M-T: Magrete's family arrived in Australia and she was separated from them, because her youngest child, Francis, was ill and so when she was finally reunited with her family in Bonegilla (an immigration camp in Victoria, Australia) she needed to leave for Melbourne to meet with Helmut Gruen (who was now known as Howard Green, since 'Gruen' is German for 'Green').
Bonegilla – Victoria 1949-50.
M-T: Gruen was the CEO of her first husband's family company, von Appen Pty Ltd, and Magrete begins a new journey in regaining her wealth with the help of Gruen. What fascinates me about Magrete is that she's multi-dimensional: mother, lover, wife, strategist, manager, and business owner. Female characters are often portrayed in films, plays and novels as mono dimensional: that is, they are brilliant at only one aspect of life, whereas Magrete is good at everything she touches. Wouldn't that bother the reader as being a tad unrealistic?
KG: It does add to the complexity of the novel. However, I can point to any number of novels who have the main male character as being multi-dimensional. There are geniuses in this world, and moreover, not all of them are men! Magrete is one of them. They don't have to be academic or win the Noble Prize, as Madam Curie did! Too often we think of geniuses to be evily flawed (Moriarty) or masterly unflawed (Robert Langdon). Magrete is neither rather she's just extremely gifted! She's untruthful when she has to be, and tells the truth when she needs to! In other words, she is extremely talented, but realistically so, since she does exhibit flaws in her character at various points in her life in both novels.
Robert Langdon in, The Da Vinci Code, is masterly unflawed.
M-T: Anna visits Magrete in Melbourne and re-establishes their relationship, but in doing so, Anna has developed her own interests in life: she remains childless and is into fashion. Is there an alternative universe going on here? Magrete has children and hates fashion. Is Anna Magrete's opposite: that is, if Magrete is a positive print is Anna the negative print?
KG: Not really! Even to this day couples in wealthier countries choose to have children to cement their relationship. Sure they no longer have six kids, because contraception is now widely in use. However, many couples want two, and of different sex. Not to have children in the early 1950s was seen as a major flaw: physically, emotionally and intellectually for the wife and rarely for her husband. Remember, even to this day every religion still has procreation at the front and centre of its religion. Magrete has children, because of her physiology. On the other hand, Anna is childless because of her circumstance, which is undefined in the second novel whether it's due to her physiology or due to her husband's or both. However, the fact that Anna remains childless has real ramifications for Magrete and Anna in the third novel of the trilogy.
Note: The graph displays that having no children is the least preferred option, whereas having two children is the most preferred option.
M-T: Magrete acquires new businesses, is in constant contact with Howard Green, makes new friendships, such as Frieda and Helen and many others, and finally as George and she drift apart, she meets the man of her dreams - Christian! Christian escorts Magrete's eldest child, Ilse, to the State Banquet that was hosted for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the Royale Ballroom in Melbourne (Australia). It's a coming of age scene for Ilse. Why are Australians then and to this day besotted by Royalty?
Royal Visit to Australia in 1954.
KG: Personally I don't get it! What, with Prince Andrew sleeping with a groomed teenager and with the Royal split by Meagan and Harry, I personally believe that the British royals are on the wane in Britain if not elsewhere. Unlike the current state of the British Monarchy, Queen Elizabeth's first visit to our shores as a young Monarch was a huge success and so the novel reflects that success. Schools had the day off and students and adults alike lined the streets in Melbourne to get a five-second glimpse of her and Prince Philip as their motorcade rushed past.
The Victorian banquet was the highlight of their trip, not only for Victorians, but also for the rest of the country. For Ilse, and for society in general at that time it was a real honour to get an invitation, since only the privileged few received one.
MT: Once again, I've purposely not dwelt on too many incidents in the novel, because I don't want to reveal too much of the storyline. What I did find intriguing was the ending, since it creates a pathway to the third novel in the trilogy.
Thank you for revealing some intriguing aspects underpinning your novel. I hope the critics like it!
KG: So do I! Thank you once again Marie-Therese.
Preamble
For your convenience I have listed below all of the Guest Artists posts on this blogspot:
My Voice using Disperse Dyes on Cloth (Jennifer Libby Fay)
An Artistic Dialogue With My Immediate Environment (Lesley Turner)
The Art of Fascinators (Flora Fascinata)
Reality, Influence and Invention (Shirley McKernan)
The Mythical Beasts (Eric and Robyn Werkhoven)
Studio La Primitive Fashion Fantastic (Eric and Robyn Werkhoven)
The Art of Mary Edna Fraser: Poetic Landscapes
Introduction
This week I am delighted to share with you the colourful art and life's journey of Guest Artists Eric and Robyn Werkhoven.
Eric and Robyn Werkhoven, 2019.
In 2019 Eric and Robyn Werkhoven celebrated a forty year artistic relationship, presently living and working as contemporary artists in East Gresford situated in the scenic Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia. Together exhibiting under the title of Studio La Primitive, they describe their world - life is art and art is life.
They have been involved in the visual arts for many years including: performance/event art, painting, sculpture, textile design and management of galleries. Both are award winning artists and have been 'Finalists' in major Australian art prizes. Their work has been selected for exhibitions nationally and internationally.
In 2013 they established the successful Arts and Literary online magazine – Studio La Primitive Arts Zine, with an audience, nationally and internationally, and with a mailing list that includes galleries, art collectors and art lovers.
The Zine is free, with no advertising from sponsors. “It is just something we want to do for the Arts, which has been our lifelong passion.” They have featured many national and international artists, photographers and writers including: Wendy Sharpe, George Gittoes, Matthew Couper, Kathrin Longhurst, Nigel Milsom, Marcus Callum and James Johnston - just to name a few!
In 2017 the Arts Zine was selected by the NSW State Library to be preserved as a digital publication of lasting cultural value for long-term access by the Australian community.
Studio La Primitive Arts Zine, Issue 1, October 2013, Front Cover.
Click on the following link to view all archived issues of the Arts Zine since October 2013 - Archived Issues
I know you will enjoy their artistic journey.
Marie-Therese Wisniowski.
ERIC & ROBYN and the MYTHICAL BEASTS
Eric is primarily a sculptor but also loves writing, drawing and is a keen musician.
Eric Werkhoven, 2010.
His art work and life are equally colourful. Eric was born in Java, Indonesia, his heritage is Dutch-Indonesian. His family moved to Holland and later to Tanzania, Africa. Here he spent a happy and spirited boyhood, surrounded by the exotic beauty and dangers of wild Africa.
His teenage years were lived in Holland, where his interest in the Arts developed, attending Art College in Den Haag. The yearning for open space and adventure led Eric to Australia in 1970.
Travel has been an integral part of his life, journeying to Israel, New Zealand and New Guinea, and revisiting Indonesia. Absorbing the ethos of different lifestyles has been an important factor for his artistic development.
Artist and Year: Eric Werkhoven, 2011.
Title: Acrobat & Beast.
Technique and Media: Autoclaved Aerated cement/cement.
Size: 122h x 120w x 40d cm.
Artist and Year: Eric Werkhoven, 2011.
Title: Gazing at the Stars.
Technique and Media: Autoclaved Aerated cement/cement.
Size: 67h x 66w x 20d cm.
Artist and Year: Eric Werkhoven, 2018.
Title: When Enough is Enough.
Technique and Media: Autoclaved Aerated cement/cement.
Size: 60h x 60w x 70d cm.
Maitland Regional Art Gallery 2018.
Robyn was born in Penrith and spent her earlier school years in Wollongong. After art school, she commenced her career as a Graphic Designer in Sydney, in the seventies. Her interest in textile design led Robyn to open her own business with unique silk screened clothing in Wollongong and Sydney.
Robyn Werkhoven with her portrait of Sherrel Oakey, 2017.
“Since early childhood I have been fascinated with drawing or painting the human figure. This led me to exploring and expressing the dynamic and delicate nuances of the human form and psyche. Originally I wanted to be a ballerina, and was captivated by the world of dance and theatre. The theatrical staging element still remains a strong theme throughout my work.”
Portraiture is a keen interest, with celebrities and dignitaries included in her portfolio. In 2009 Robyn became an exhibiting member with Portrait Artists Australia, this led to exhibiting portraits in national and international shows. The portrait of our iconic fashion designer Jenny Kee was included in an exhibition in the Australian Embassy, Washington U.S.A.
Artist and Year: Robyn Werkhoven, 2011.
Title: Jenny Kee and Waratahs.
Technique and Media: Oil on canvas.
Size: 76h x 76w cm.
Portia Geach Finalist & Portrait Artists Australia, exhibition Sydney Parliament House.
Artist and Year: Dress design by Robyn Werkhoven. Images by Eric and Robyn Werkhoven, 2013.
Title: Dance Dress.
Technique and Media: Hand painted images and silk screened bodice and hem designs employing fabric paint on 100% cotton.
Artist and Year: Robyn Werkhoven, 2015.
Title: Tribute to Nature - 36 Images.
Technique and Media: Aqua pencil on board.
Size: 60h x 60w cm.
2015 Winner of Laman Street Art Prize.
For the past thirteen years artists Eric and Robyn Werkhoven have collaborated on a unique series of drawings and paintings celebrating everyday life by "...delving into the world of human folly and irrationalities of mans’ existence, with sheer delight and a touch of irony” for exhibitions in Australia and Europe.
“How can two artists collaborate on what is so utterly a personal process? Well, for us it is similar to two musicians playing a piece of music or two writers creating a story together. We both share a love for ancient cultures, mythology, philosophy and we are staunch environmentalists. Inspiration may derive from writers, poets, song lyrics, theatre and the world of dance. And of course colour plays a big part in our works - Soul food for the senses. Animals feature in our work - animals and man are entwined in the cycle of life. The imagination can take you anywhere!”
Eric says: “Collaborative drawing sets off on a journey in the comfort of our home. We intuitively develop highlights and juxtapositions of figurative expressions. The theme becomes apparent after the first drawing, to create a series.”
Artists and Year: Eric and Robyn Werkhoven, 2017.
Title: Monkey Boys.
Technique and Media: Graphite pencil & oil pastel on paper.
Size: 42h x 30w cm.
Artists and Year: Eric and Robyn Werkhoven, 2017.
Title: Primal Dance.
Technique and Media: Graphite pencil & oil pastel on paper.
Size: 42h x 30w cm.
Artists and Year: Eric and Robyn Werkhoven, 2019.
Title: Interior Sound.
Technique and Media: Graphite pencil & oil pastel on paper.
Size: 42h x 30w cm.
Artists and Year: Eric and Robyn Werkhoven, 2019.
Title: Interior Sound 2.
Technique and Media: Graphite pencil & oil pastel on paper.
Size: 42h x 30w cm.
Artists and Year: Eric and Robyn Werkhoven, 2019.
Title: Shoos - God is Listening.
Technique and Media: Acrylic on canvas.
Size: 90h x 60w cm.
Artists and Year: Eric and Robyn Werkhoven, 2019.
Title: The Snake Charmer.
Technique and Media: Acrylic on canvas.
Size: 60h x 45w cm.
Artists and Year: Eric and Robyn Werkhoven, 2019.
Title: Dogs Barking up the Right Tree.
Technique and Media: Acrylic on Fabriano paper.
Size: 76h x 105w cm.
Artists and Year: Eric and Robyn Werkhoven, 2019.
Title: Domestic Triangle.
Technique and Media: Acrylic on board.
Size: 82h x 97w cm.
Since 2011 they have established and curated a series of group exhibitions with challenging and cutting edge themes, Death, Pain & Pleasure, Nightmares and Blood. The last exhibition in 2018 was Concerning Peace held at Maitland Regional Gallery, featuring the work from some of Australia’s stellar artists.
At present the artists are the subject of a documentary film being made on their art and life – Eric & Robyn and the Mythical Beasts by film makers Nicky Elliott and Pete Delahunty and award winning film producer Tom Zubrycki. “This film is a passionate love story, shot over three years, featuring two of the most extraordinary, funny and creative artists in Australia.” (Nicky Elliott).
Note: To be updated on the release of the film, link to the trailer: https://vimeo.com/314422036
“To celebrate a forty year artistic relationship with Eric, I decided to paint a double portrait, portraying us surrounded by a few of the mythical beasts and bizarre characters that inhabit our imaginations. Our faces are serious and intense as if witnessing the daily drama of life and an indeterminate future. The stylised, contorted creatures are part of life’s parade, some appear to be in a hurry to be elsewhere, while others meditate on what’s it all about? A perpetual intrigue with the mysteries and absurdities of mans’ existence."
Artist and Year: Robyn Werkhoven, 2019.
Title: Eric & Robyn and the Mythical Beasts.
Technique and Media: Oil and acrylic on canvas.
Size: 60h x 90w cm.
Finalist in the Portia Geach Memorial Portrait Prize 2019, held at the S.H. Ervin Gallery in Sydney.
Note: All the above images are copyrighted. Eric & Robyn Werkhoven © 2019.
Links:
Website: Eric & Robyn
March Arts Zine 2020
Preamble
This is the ninety-seventh post in the "Art Resource" series, specifically aimed to construct an appropriate knowledge base in order to develop an artistic voice in ArtCloth.
Other posts in this series are:
Glossary of Cultural and Architectural Terms
Units Used in Dyeing and Printing of Fabrics
Occupational, Health & Safety
A Brief History of Color
The Nature of Color
Psychology of Color
Color Schemes
The Naming of Colors
The Munsell Color Classification System
Methuen Color Index and Classification System
The CIE System
Pantone - A Modern Color Classification System
Optical Properties of Fiber Materials
General Properties of Fiber Polymers and Fibers - Part I
General Properties of Fiber Polymers and Fibers - Part II
General Properties of Fiber Polymers and Fibers - Part III
General Properties of Fiber Polymers and Fibers - Part IV
General Properties of Fiber Polymers and Fibers - Part V
Protein Fibers - Wool
Protein Fibers - Speciality Hair Fibers
Protein Fibers - Silk
Protein Fibers - Wool versus Silk
Timelines of Fabrics, Dyes and Other Stuff
Cellulosic Fibers (Natural) - Cotton
Cellulosic Fibers (Natural) - Linen
Other Natural Cellulosic Fibers
General Overview of Man-Made Fibers
Man-Made Cellulosic Fibers - Viscose
Man-Made Cellulosic Fibers - Esters
Man-Made Synthetic Fibers - Nylon
Man-Made Synthetic Fibers - Polyester
Man-Made Synthetic Fibers - Acrylic and Modacrylic
Man-Made Synthetic Fibers - Olefins
Man-Made Synthetic Fibers - Elastomers
Man-Made Synthetic Fibers - Mineral Fibers
Man Made Fibers - Other Textile Fibers
Fiber Blends
From Fiber to Yarn: Overview - Part I
From Fiber to Yarn: Overview - Part II
Melt-Spun Fibers
Characteristics of Filament Yarn
Yarn Classification
Direct Spun Yarns
Textured Filament Yarns
Fabric Construction - Felt
Fabric Construction - Nonwoven fabrics
A Fashion Data Base
Fabric Construction - Leather
Fabric Construction - Films
Glossary of Colors, Dyes, Inks, Pigments and Resins
Fabric Construction – Foams and Poromeric Material
Knitting
Hosiery
Glossary of Fabrics, Fibers, Finishes, Garments and Yarns
Weaving and the Loom
Similarities and Differences in Woven Fabrics
The Three Basic Weaves - Plain Weave (Part I)
The Three Basic Weaves - Plain Weave (Part II)
The Three Basic Weaves - Twill Weave
The Three Basic Weaves - Satin Weave
Figured Weaves - Leno Weave
Figured Weaves – Piqué Weave
Figured Fabrics
Glossary of Art, Artists, Art Motifs and Art Movements
Crêpe Fabrics
Crêpe Effect Fabrics
Pile Fabrics - General
Woven Pile Fabrics
Chenille Yarn and Tufted Pile Fabrics
Knit-Pile Fabrics
Flocked Pile Fabrics and Other Pile Construction Processes
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Napped Fabrics – Part I
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Finishes: Mercerization
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Finishes: Flame-Proofed Fabrics
Finishes to Prevent Attack by Insects and Micro-Organisms
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Shrinkage - Part I
Shrinkage - Part II
Progressive Shrinkage and Methods of Control
Durable Press and Wash-and-Wear Finishes - Part I
Durable Press and Wash-and-Wear Finishes - Part II
Durable Press and Wash-and-Wear Finishes - Part III
Durable Press and Wash-and-Wear Finishes - Part IV
Durable Press and Wash-and-Wear Finishes - Part V
The General Theory of Dyeing – Part I
The General Theory Of Dyeing - Part II
Natural Dyes
Natural Dyes - Indigo
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Basic Dyes
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Blends – Fibers and Direct Dyeing
The General Theory of Printing
There are currently eight data bases on this blogspot, namely, the Glossary of Cultural and Architectural Terms, Timelines of Fabrics, Dyes and Other Stuff, A Fashion Data Base, the Glossary of Colors, Dyes, Inks, Pigments and Resins, the Glossary of Fabrics, Fibers, Finishes, Garments and Yarns, Glossary of Art, Artists, Art Motifs and Art Movements, Glossary of Paper, Photography, Printing, Prints and Publication Terms and the Glossary of Scientific Terms, which has been updated to Version 3.5. All data bases will be updated from time-to-time in the future.
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Durable Press and Wash-and-Wear Finishes - Part V[1]
Problems
There have been and still are problems for both the consumer and manufacturer in all methods of achieving a "non-iron" fabric.
In the delay-cure process, for example, the sensitised cloth may tend to self cure if it is stored for a very long time before being made-up into garments, it will then tend to resist shaping during the garment-curing step.
Strength Loss
Strength loss of cellulose fibers is one of the most serious problems for the consumer. The high level of resin needed to give durability to the durable press and the heat necessary to shape-set the garment weaken the garment as much as 50%, causing the manufacturer to shift to the use of blends with polyesters and Nylon 420.
Strength loss is due to a change in the mechanical properties of the cellulose fibers and is not due to any chemical tendering of the cloth, since stripping the resin will restore the tensile strength to its original value. The physical position of the cross-links seems to be more important than the exact chemical nature of the cross-links.
If the fabric becomes stiff, there is a loss of tear strength. Wear resulting from lack of abrasion resistance is usually shown first in the edges of cuffs, pockets, closures and in the roll of the collar.
Left: Wear and Tear. Right: Repaired.
Fabric construction can be adjusted somewhat to compensate for strength loss and to improve abrasion resistance. Weaves with long floats, such as sateen, and basket weaves, such as Oxford, are more flexible and tend to resist abrasive wear better than the firmer weaves.
Oxford Weave Supima Cotton Slim Fit Blue Button Cuff Shirt.
Slightly coarser filling yarns will improve the strength of broadcloth. Balancing the weave crimp in both the warp and the filling is also helpful.
Color Loss
"Frosting" is the term widely used in the textile industry to refer to the loss of color from durable press and wash-and-wear fabrics. It is caused by localized wear. In single fiber constructions, frosting occurs where there is variation due to incomplete penetration of dyestuffs. In fiber blends, differential wear produces frosting where fibers do not match in shades. Color that wears away is permanently lost from the garment.
Soiling
Soiling is a problem that became more acute when the polyester/cotton blends began to replace 100% cotton in durable press. Soil does not wash out easily. The introduction of soil release finishes consists of a suitable chemical grafted, cured or polymerised on the surface of the cloth. Visa by Deering-Millikin, Come-Clean by Burlington and X-it by Graniteville were the first three introduced. The use of soil release finishes are particularly important in white shirts, blouses, uniforms and sheets.
Chlorine Damage
Chlorine bleaches will cause yellowing and tendering of the cellulose. The nitrogen groups (NH) pick up the chlorine and hang on to it during rinsing and dry storage. The heat of ironing releases the chlorine in the form of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and the acid weakens the fabric causing strength loss.
If there is no hot ironing there is no damage. Rinsing with antichlor, such as sodium thiosulfate, will remove the chlorine. The amount of chlorine retained need not be high to cause damage. More chlorine is retained with urea formaldehyde than with melamine. In the cyclic ureas, the amine groups (NH2) are not free to pick up chlorine, and the aldehydes do not contain nitrogen, thus they are non chlorine-retentive.
Odors
The fishy amine odor is produced during the curing step and is held in the fabric as an amine salt. When articles are stored or when clothing is worn during hot, humid weather, the amines combine with the moisture and a fishy odor results. The odor is due to the formation of free formaldehyde.
Sewing Problems
Resin-treated fabrics create problems for the home sewer. Fabrics can seldom be straightened if they are "off grain". In plaid gingham, this makes matching impossible. It is difficult to ease-in excess fabric. Creases will not lie flat. Collars and cuffs must be edge stitched if a flat effect is desired. Pin marks show, and if machine stitching must be ripped, the needle holes show and the fabric might tear easily.
The alteration of the durable-press garments created a big problem. Garments could not be lengthened or seams let out because the original crease could not be pressed out and would show. Alter-Ease a spray product by J. P. Stevens, was developed to remove the original creases and to permit new ones to be pressed into the cloth.
Care
Durable-press garments should be laundered before the fabrics become heavily soiled and as soon as possible after soiling. Turn the garment inside out to prevent "frosting" and to prevent wear on the creases. Launder in the coolest water that will remove the soil. For heavily soiled spots, apply a liquid detergent full strength to the spot. Soak in hot water, let water to cool and agitate for six to eight minutes. Agitation time should be as short as possible to remove soil. Rinse in cool water. Use of a fabric softener will reduce the build up of static, which attracts soil and which causes garments to cling.
For drying, keep loads small and set the heat at wash-and-wear. At the end of the period, let garments tumble for a cool-down period of five to ten minutes. Remove the garments as soon as the dryer stops.
Reference:
[1] N. Hollen and J. Saddler, Textiles, 3rd Edition, MacMillan Company, London (1968).
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