In Pursuit of Complex Cloth:Dyeing Approaches WorkshopVictorian Feltmakers Inc.Tutor: Marie-Therese Wisniowski

Preamble
This blogspot exhibits many of my students outputs from a variety of workshops. There are one, two and five day workshops as well as workshops that have a different focus. Nevertheless, it always surprises me how much I learn from my students and how enthusiastic they are to learn and so for your convenience, I have listed the workshop posts below.

Visual Communication and Design (The University of Newcastle Multi-Media Course).
The University of Newcastle (Newcastle and Ourimbah Campuses, NSW, Australia) 2008 to 2010.

In Pursuit of ArtCloth:Improvisational Screen Printing Workshop
The Australian Textile Arts & Surface Design Association Inc. Sydney, NSW.

One and Two Day Disperse Dye Workshops
Various Textile Groups (Australia) 2008 - 2011.

Five Day Workshop - In Pursuit of Complex Cloth
“Wrapt in Rocky” Textile Fibre Forum Conference (Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia) 29^th June to 5^th July 2008.

Five Day Workshop – In Pursuit of Complex Cloth
Orange Textile Fiber Forum (Orange, NSW, Australia) 19^th to 25^th April 2009.

5 Day Workshop – In Pursuit of Complex Cloth
Geelong Fiber Forum (Geelong, Victoria, Australia) 27^th September to 3^rd October 2009.

Two Day Workshop - Deconstructed and Polychromatic Screen Printing
Beautiful Silks (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) 20^th to 21^st March 2010.

Five Day Workshop – Disperse Dye and Transfer Printing
“Wrapt in Rocky” Biennial Textile Forum/Conference Program (Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia) 25^th June to 1^st July 2010.

Two Day Workshop – Improvisational Screen Printing
ATASDA (Sydney, NSW, Australia) 28^th to 29^th August 2010.

Two Day Workshop – In Pursuit of Complex Cloth (Day One)
”Stitching and Beyond” Textile Group (Woodbridge, Tasmania, Australia) 2^nd to 3^rd October 2010.

Two Day Workshop – In Pursuit of Complex Cloth (Day Two)
”Stitching and Beyond” Textile Group (Woodbridge, Tasmania, Australia) 2^nd to 3^rd October 2010.

Advance Silk Screen Printing
Redcliffe City Art Gallery Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia) 10^th April 2011.

One Day Workshop - In Pursuit of Complex Cloth
The Victorian Feltmakers Inc. (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) 14^th May 2011.

One Day Workshop - In Pursuit of Complex Cloth (Felted and Silk Fibers)
Victorian Feltmakers Inc (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) 15^th May 2011.

Five Day Workshop – Disperse Dye and Transfer Printing
SDA (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) 13^th to 17^th June 2011.

Five Day Disperse Dye Master Class – Barbara Scott
Art Quill Studio (Arcadia Vale, NSW, Australia) 15^th to 19^th August 2011.

Five Day Workshop – Disperse Dye and Transfer Printing
Fiber Arts Australia (Sydney, NSW, Australia) 26^th September to 1^st October 2011.

One Day Workshop – Improvisational Screen Printing
Newcastle Printmakers Workshop Inc. (Newcastle, NSW, Australia) 5^th November 2011.

One Day Workshops – Low Relief Screen Printing
Various classes within Australia.

Two Day Workshop – Disperse Dye and Transfer Printing
ATASDA (Sydney, NSW, Australia) 23^rd to 24^th June 2012.

MSDS Demonstration at Zijdelings
(Tilburg, The Netherlands) October, 2012.

Five Day Workshop - Disperse Dye and Transfer Printing
Fibre Arts@Ballarat (Ballarat, Victoria, Australia) 6^th to 12^th April 2013.

Two Day Workshop - Disperse Dye and Transfer Printing
EFTAG (Tuross Head, NSW, Australia) 13^th to 14^th April 2013.

Two Day Workshop - Disperse Dye and Transfer Printing
Zijdelings Studio (Tilburg, The Netherlands) 9^th to 10^th October 2014.

PCA - Celebrating 50 Years in 2016
Art Quill Studio 2016 Workshop Program (Newcastle, Australia).

Image Dreamings: Basic Silk Screen Printing Workshop - Part I
2016 Art Quill Studio Workshop Program (Newcastle, Australia).

Image Dreamings: Basic Silk Screen Printing Workshop - Part II
2016 Art Quill Studio Workshop Program (Newcastle, Australia).

In Pursuit of: Improvisational Screen Printing Workshop
2016 Art Quill Studio Workshop Program (Newcastle, Australia).

In Pursuit of: Low Relief Screen Printing (LRSP) Workshop 2016
2016 Art Quill Studio Workshop Program (Newcastle, Australia).

Art Quill Studio 2017 Workshop Program
2017 Art Quill Studio Workshop Program (Newcastle, Australia).

In Pursuit of: Low Relief Screen Printing (LRSP)
2017 Art Quill Studio Workshop Program (Newcastle, Australia).

In Pursuit of Complex Cloth: Layered Printing Approaches
2017 Art Quill Studio Workshop Program (Newcastle, Australia).

In Pursuit of ArtCloth: Disperse Dye and Transfer Printing Workshop
2022 Two Day Workshop (ATASDA, Sydney, NSW, Australia).

Introduction To “Complex Cloth” Dyeing Information
The first step in creating the deep and luscious surfaces that pre-empts the “complex cloth” surface design techniques of discharge (color removal), printing, painting and foiling, and retains the integrity of the “hand” of the fabric, is the initial phase of dyeing the cloth. Rich layers of multiple dyed color and patterning contribute to the underlying depth, richness and background design features of the finished piece.

This results in each piece being a unique and a one-of-a-kind dyed cloth, which can be further enhanced using “complex cloth” printing techniques or can be used in felted, quilted, painted or stitched works.

One Day Workshop Synopsis
The workshop was organized by workshop coordinator Narelle Higgins from the Victorian Feltmakers Inc. It was held at the Hartwell Church Hall, Hartwell on the 14^th May 2011 in Melbourne, Australia. Workshop attendees were: Bronwyn Bell, Heather Hillman, Marg Hogan, Judith Latham, June Paterson, Gabrielle Pellissier and Christine Smith.

This one day “complex cloth” dyeing workshop was dedicated to exploring and mastering low water immersion dyeing, tray dyeing and special effects dyeing using fiber reactive MX dyes. Using a variety of techniques, which included unbound and bound fabrics, participants were introduced to the underlying principles of MX fiber reactive dye chemistry, color theory and color mixing. Participants worked on samples using a variety of fibers so that dye color comparisons using the different fibers could be made.

Future Workshops:  Surface Design Association's Confluence Conference, Minneapolis, USA, June 2011; Cloth Arts @ St. Joseph’s, Hunters Hill, Sydney, Sept-Oct 2011.

Group photograph at the Hartwell Church Hall, Hartwell.
From left to right: June Paterson, Judith Latham, Marg Hogan, Heather Hillman, Bronwyn Bell, Christine Smith and Gabrielle Pellissier.

Tray dyed fabrics sitting in soda ash solution.

Heather Hillman (a). Various low water immersion and tray dyed silks.

Heather Hillman (b). Various low water immersion, special effects and tray dyed silks.

Heather Hillman (c). Various low water immersion, special effects and tray dyed silks.

June Paterson (a). Various special effects dyed silks.

June Paterson (b). Special effects dyed silk.

June Paterson (c). Various special effects and tray dyed silks.

Judith Latham (a). Various low water immersion, special effects and tray dyed silks and cottons.

Judith Latham (b). Various special effects dyed silks.

Judith Latham (c). Various special effects and tray dyed silks.

Marg Hogan (a). Various special effects and tray dyed silks.

Marg Hogan (b). Detail of various special effects dyed silks.

Marg Hogan (c). Various low water immersion, special effects and tray dyed silks and cottons.

Gabrielle Pellissier (a). Special effects dyed silk.

Gabrielle Pellissier (b). Tray dyed cotton.

Gabrielle Pellissier (c). Special effects dyed silk.

Christine Smith (a). Various low water immersion, special effects and tray dyed silks and cottons.

Christine Smith (b). Various low water immersion, special effects and tray dyed silks and cottons.

Christine Smith (c). Low water immersion and special effects dyed silk and cotton.

Unleashed: The Rise of Australian Street ArtArt ExhibitionRedcliffe City Art Gallery, QueenslandMarie-Therese Wisniowski

Preamble
My artwork has appeared in a number of exhibitions which has been featured on this blog spot. For your convenience I have listed these posts below.
ArtCloth: Engaging New Visions (Marie-Therese Wisniowski - Curator's Talk)
Sequestration of CO₂ (Engaging New Visions) M-T. Wisniowski
Codes – Lost Voices (ArtCloth Installation) M-T. Wisniowski
Unleashed: The Rise of Australian Street Art (Art Exhibition) Various Artists
Merge and Flow (SDA Members Exhibition) M-T. Wisniowski
The Journey (Megalo Studio) M-T. Wisniowski
Another Brick (Post Graffiti ArtCloth Installation) M-T. Wisniowski
ArtCloth Swap & Exhibition
My Fifteen Year Contribution to the '9 x 5' Exhibition
When Rainforests Ruled (Purple Noon Art & Sculpture Gallery) M-T. Wisniowski
When Rainforests Glowed (Eden Gardens Gallery) M-T. Wisniowski
My Southern Land (Galerie 't Haentje te Paart, Netherlands) M-T. Wisniowski
The Last Exhibition @ Galerie ’t Haentje the Paart
Mark Making on Urban Walls @ Palm House (Post Graffiti Art Work)
Fleeting - My ArtCloth Work Exhibited @ Art Systems Wickham Art Gallery
Timelines: An Environmental Journey
My Contribution to Lake Macquarie's Water Exhibition
The Effects of Global Warming - ArtCloth Exhibition@Rathmines Heritage Centre’s Boiler Room
ATASDA's ‘A Touch of Gold’ 50th Anniversary Exhibition - Part I
ATASDA’s ‘A Touch of Gold’ 50th Anniversary Exhibition - Part II
ATASDA's 'A Touch of Gold’ 50th Anniversary Exhibition - Part III

Introduction
Wikipedia defines street art as: “…any art developed in public spaces - that is in the ‘streets’ –though the term usually refers to unsanctioned art as opposed to government sponsored initiatives. The term can include traditional graffiti artwork, stencil graffiti, sticker art, wheat pasting and street poster art, video projection, art intervention, guerrilla art, flash mobbing and street installations.” It can also include  “hero/heroine” art but it definitely does not include territorial graffiti, vandalism or corporate art. Street art is embraced by both men and women (see below). It is not gender based.

Unleashed the exhibition involved the work of street artists currently moving from the street into gallery environment (Anthony Lister, Ash Keating, Ben Frost, Brent Wilson, Gabriella Szabriella, Jonathan McBurnie, Miso, Shaun Gladwell, Ghostpatrol, Shaun O’Connor, and Vexta) alongside the work of other artists producing work in response to this movement (Marie-Therese Wisniowski).

The exhibition included a variety of art forms including installation, sculpture, video, textiles and two-dimensional works. It was curated by Maree Nipperess and was exhibited at Redcliffe City Art Gallery (QLD, Australia) from 16-03-2011 to 16-04-2011.

I was invited to give a talk by Karen Tyler to the friends, and guests of the Gallery and to the public at large on my Post Graffiti ArtCloth work that was on display in 'Unleashed' at the Gallery. I have pioneered Post Graffiti artworks on ArtCloth.

Most artists did not wish to make an artist’s statement. Some of the artist’s artwork is not displayed on this blog due to technical problems associated with the photographed images. Apologies to those artists - whose work was brilliant - but could not be displayed here.

I hope you enjoy this vignette of the exhibition "Unleashed: The Rise Of Australian Street Art".

Some of the Artworks Exhibited

Vexta: She was a wild warrior (2010). Mixed media on canvas (courtesy of the artist and Edwina Corlette Gallery).

Ben Frost: High - Score Pop Ruin. Acrylic and aerosol on board (courtesy of the artist and Boutwell Draper Gallery).

Miso: Untitled. Pencil on paper (courtesy of the artist).

Brent Wilson and Gabriella Szablewska: Pimple my Hide. Mixed media (courtesy of a private lender).

Brent Wilson and Gabriella Szablewska. It's the Thought That Counts. Mixed media (courtesy of the artists).

Brent Wilson: Ankledent. Mixed media (courtesy of the artist).

Post Graffiti ArtCloths by Marie-Therese Wisniowski that were featured in the exhibition.
From left to right: Urban Mark Making, Neu Kunst - Mona, Casula Walls . . . Textures & Surfaces, Neue Kunst - Marilyn and Urban Blues.

Marie-Therese Wisniowski's Post-Graffiti ArtCloth: Neue Kunst - Marilyn.
Techniques: Numerous silk screen methods, discharge, mono-prints, lino-blocked, stamped, stenciled, hand painted and digitally collaged images employing pigments, dyes, discharge agents, pastels, crayons, charcoal, metallic paints and heat reactive pigment on cotton.
Appropriated images have been documented (and will be detailed in a later blog after the completion of the tryptich).
Size: 125 cm (length) x 75 cm (width).

Marie-Therese Wisniowski's Post Graffiti ArtCloth: Neu Kunst: Mona.
Techniques: Numerous silk screen methods, discharge, mono-prints, lino-blocked, stamped, stenciled, hand painted and digitally collaged images employing pigments, dyes, discharge agents, pastels, crayons, charcoal, metallic paints and heat reactive pigment on cotton. Appropriated images have been documented (and will be detailed in a later blog after the completion of the tryptich).
Size: 125 cm (length) x 75 cm (width).

Marie-Therese Wisniowski's Post Graffiti ArtCloth: Casula Wall . . . Textures & Surfaces.
Techniques: Dyed, discharged, carbon release, digital transfers, marker pens, hand painting and acrylic washes on cotton.
Size: 320 cm (length) x 87 cm (width).

Marie-Therese Wisniowski's Post Graffiti ArtCloth: Urban Blues.
Techniques: Dyed, over-dyed, texture prints, silk-screened, aerosol sprayed, hand painting, hand drawing and coal smudging on cotton.
Size: 355 cm (length) x 115 cm (width).

Marie-Therese Wisniowski's Post Graffiti ArtCloth: Urban Mark Making.
Techniques: Resist, sprayed, over sprayed, silk-screened employing the artist’s signature matrix formatting technique on cotton.
Size: 343 cm (length) x 110 cm (width).

The Time Dimension in ArtArt EssayMarie-Therese Wisniowski

Preamble
One of my passions is to create Post-Graffiti artwork on cloth. A series of posts on this blogspot have addressed issues in Graffiti and Post Graffiti Art as well as presenting images of such art. I have listed some of these below for your enjoyment.
Unleashed: The Rise of Australian Street Art
Act of Engagement
New York Spray-Can Memorials
Another Brick
Cultural Graffiti
Beyond the Fear of Freedom
Oh, Oh Marilyn and Mona@Spoonflower
Neu Kunst: Mona & Marilyn
Paste Modernism 4

Time Dimension In Art
In 1912 Einstein had renounced that our universe was limited to a three-dimensional space, which had been so happily nurtured by Newton and before him by Euclid[1]. The Euclidean three-dimensional space of width, length and height was no longer completely relevant in measurement or in empirical science. Matter had distorted the space phenomenon by the inclusion of time, resulting in our universe being four-dimensional namely: length, width, height (space dimensions) plus time.

Some fifty years later the time dimension was folded into space dimensions of art to forge Kinetic and Op Art. Kinetic means relating to motion and the aspect of that art, which quickly gained attention was the art object that operated on the optical nerves of the retina - labeled as “Op” art. It was generally (but not exclusively) conceived as non-figurative art that exploited the fallibility of the psychology and physiology of the human perceptual system in order to extract illusory effects[2].

The pioneer of Op Art was Victor Vasarely[2] whose most acclaimed work is expressed in geometric terms, but that is balanced and has a counterpoint within it. He does not disturb your equilibrium but rather through an abstracted art form manipulates your optical senses via his architectural design.

Victor Vasarely, Zebras (1939).

Victor Vasarely, Feny (1969).

On the other hand, British artist Bridget Riley purposely disturbs the equilibrium of your

Bridget Riley, Cataract 3 (1967).

Bridget Riley, Descending (1965).

Jesus Rafael Soto was also an Op artist[2]. One of his concerns was the transformation of matter into energy. He created a series of reliefs he called vibrations that addressed this issue. In these works, layers of lines, either static or mobile, produce an optical disturbance. In “Cardinal” he exploits the moire effect: that is, a diagonal line drawn across parallel lines appears to be broken at each intersection point. As you walk in front of the piece the stems move in the slight breeze and the optical effects of the stems against the stripes enhance this movement.

Jesus Rafael Soto, Cardinal (1965).

Op artists such as Peter Sedgley[2] explored relationships between light and sound, with screens on which the noise and movement of a spectator or the motion of air (i.e. wind) were altered the reflected colored light. These artworks were the precursors of the total art environments of the next generation of artists who extended this vein of art.

Peter Sedgley, Wind Tone Tower (1979).

It is generally not appreciated - even in tomes on Graffiti or street art[3] – that Graffiti Art also folds into the space dimension a time dimension - albeit in an unwitting fashion. It is usually engaged on the move (or at a pace) and so necessarily its mark making needs to be large, expressive, comprehensible to the youth and moreover, focused. Unlike much object art in museums and galleries, there is no agreement between the artist and the viewer that the latter has the luxury to loiter. This aspect of the Graffiti Art is further emphasized when Graffiti artworks are painted on moving objects such as buses and trains. The most successful Graffiti artworks in the environment are those that implicitly address the space as well as the time dimension.

Unknown Artist.

Unknown Artist.

On the other hand, Post Graffiti ArtCloth works[4] generally are easily accommodated in static environments and so lend themselves to deconstructed images, nuances and complex interpretations. The only time factor during the act of engagement rests solely with the viewer, and so the time dimension is not an essential element in its art context.

Marie-Therese Wisniowski, Cultural Graffiti (2003) - A Post Graffiti ArtCloth work.

ArtCloth artworks may also include a time dimension in the art context. For example, in the installation “Codes – Lost Voices”[5] (see a previous post) the ArtCloth pieces were hung from the ceiling. They were arranged like trees in a forest, thereby offering glimpses of the surrounding artwork. Fans were purposely positioned, wafting the artworks, thereby giving the installation a kinetic or “breathing” effect. The ArtCloth works in the installation needed to give the appearance of a “living” entity - rather then a muted reflection of a past long gone.

Marie-Therese Wisniowski, Codes – Lost Voices, ArtCloth Installation, Watt Space Gallery (2001). See an earlier post.

The time dimension of ArtCloth has been under utilised mainly because the movement of cloth may be seen as a distraction during the act of engagement. However, as the space dimensions of ArtCloth has already been well developed (see below) perhaps the time dimension should not be so readily dismissed by ArtCloth artists, since unlike like canvass, ArtCloth can be a very delicate, expressive - and if necessary - a kinetic surface.

Marie-Therese Wisniowski's ArtCloth piece, Rain Forest Glow (2003). See an earlier post - selected disperse dye ArtCloth works.

The next two posts will center on my Post Graffiti urbane landscape ArtCloth work.

Batiks billowing in the breeze at Ahalper, Utopia Batik Revival Workshop (2007). Photograph courtesy of Julia Murray.

References:
[1] R. Arnheim, Visual Thinking (University of California Press, Berkley, 1969) P290-293.
[2] D. Piper, The Illustrated History of Art (Bounty Books, London, 2005) P492-493.
[3] N. Ganz, Graffiti World: Street Art from Five Continents (H.N Abrams, New York, 2004).
[4] M-T Wisniowski, Post Graffiti Art (The University of Newcastle Textile Lecture Series, 2008-2010).
[5] M-T Wisniowski, Codes – Lost Voices (Watts Space Gallery, 2001).

Flames Unfurling...Life ReturningDisperse Dye ArtClothMarie-Therese Wisniowski

Preamble
Over the past decade or so, I have created a new signature technique named MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS). This technique employs disperse dyes and involves hand printing multiple resists and multiple overprinted layers, employing numerous color plates and plant materials. The completed works are rich in color, light, shade, contrast, movement, depth, and moreover, yield a three-dimensional quality to the finished printed artworks. For your convenience, I have listed the following posts on this blogspot that also features this technique using cloth as the medium.
When Rainforests Ruled
Wangi’s Djirang
Merge And Flow
Selected Disperse Dye ArtCloths
Sequestration of CO₂

Introduction
The dyptich – Flames Unfurling…Life Returning – will be exhibited at the “Transformation” exhibition at Fairfield City Museum and Gallery, Sydney, Australia between the 20^th May - 3^rd July 2011. It is curated by Helen Lancaster. If you are in the vicinty view the exhibition as it has a lot to offer. It will be featured on this blog site at a later date.

For this exhibition I used my signature technique - MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) – to create a dyptich.

Synopsis of Artwork: Flames Unfurling...Life Returning
The Australian landscape has been and will always be bedevilled by bushfires. To this day, the manner in which Australian biota has tolerated and then exploited bushfires for reproductive advantage is still not understood and so is a topic of debate.

Some argue that the transformative nature of Australian bushfires to effect evolutionary change was due to natural processes such as convection storms and lightening etc. Others argue that - with the introduction of Aboriginals, who colonized a naive continent some 40,000-60,000 years ago - their use of a “fire-stick” management of the Australian landscape triggered the evolutionary and ecological expansion of fire surviving plants.

The “Flames Unfurling . . . Life Returning” dyptich is a metaphor to encapsulate the following: in the wake of adversity (e.g. such as the bush fires that devastated Victoria) life forms adapt to re-emerge - whenever and where ever possible.

Technique: The artist’s signature technique - MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) - employs disperse dyes on satin.
Size: Each Panel is 60 cm (width) x 120 cm (length).

Flames Unfurling – full view.

Flames Unfurling – detail view.

Flames Unfurling – another detail view.

Flames Unfurling – another detail view.

Flames Unfurling – another detail view.

Life Returning – full view.

Life Returning – detail view.

Life Returning – another detail view.

Life Returning – another detail view.