May Works in Progress

My normal (kind of) work schedule has been disrupted this past month.

The first of three green pieces.
Yasmin Sabur, 2011, all rights reserved

The little house, which flooded several times this year, and has mold issues, is getting a repair and, if the cash holds out, a remodel. This is good news. In order for the work to proceed, I have to move out. The little house provides shelter for Bella, the dog, me and is my studio. Moving out, even if for a short period of time, is an undertaking.

This is one of the first three stencil pieces. The work got more complex as it went along
Yasmin Sabur, 2011, all rights reserved

My work schedule is to spend one week a month working on artifacts for the Etsy store and museum and art center gift shops – scarves, small collages, digitally printed yardage, lino cut cards, etc.
I try to work in processes that are relevant to the larger and more significant work I’ll do in the remaining three weeks. (Larger always, though maybe only more significant to me. Who knows?)

One of three pieces worked in greens. All of the work except for the last two shown are approximately 18 X 18 inches. Yasmin Sabur, 2011, all rights reserved

Now with the move, when I won’t have access to a wet area, need to have inventory completed, photographed, descriptions written, and ready to send off. I’ve been working double time to get two months worth of work completed in one.
I need to have something to do while I’m on hiatus, so I’ve also been working on some fine craft pieces that I can do hand and finishing work on.

A second green piece. Yasmin Sabur, 2011, all rights reserved

The pieces illustrating this post are work I will complete in June. (I have a bunch of other stuff in the “to do” closet that I’ll work on too.)
This work is stenciled. Stenciling is the simplest of the resist processes. I’m having a ball working in this process. It reminds me of back in the day when I spent all of my time working in hot wax batik. More good news, no hot wax, no tjanting tools, no fine lines and tiny dots. Best news, no removing the wax in hot soapy boiling water.

This is the first stencil piece. Yasmin Sabur, 2011, all rights reserved

Very brief story – When I first got married, we lived in an attic apartment in East Orange, NJ. You guessed it – I had a major exhibition and the wax melted on the incomplete work faster than I could get it on and off the fabric. It wasn’t interesting. I think we finally got the money together to buy an air conditioner when my mother (who was probably menopausal at that point in her life) came for a visit and spent most of her time in her air conditioned rental car.

This is truly a work in progress. You can see the lay out lines. They will disappear when the fabric is steamed and washed. There are other steps and processes before this piece is completed. It is 52 X 52 inches.
Yasmin Sabur, 2011, all rights reserved

Several posts to follow this one on stenciling, procion mx dye, and basic dye color theory.

A long banner. After the work is steam set and washed, it will get discharged and then dyed some more.
Whoa you say. Yep.
Yasmin Sabur, 2011, all rights reserved