Last fall I had the honor of illustrating good friend and science writer Madeline McCurry-Schmidt’s article “How Pandemics End” in the La Jolla Institute for Immunology’s publication Immune Matters. It was a fascinating project requiring lots of reading and research into several pandemics in human history. For an interview on LJI’s website explaining in detail how these illustrations were created, click here.
Omni Open Studios - November 28th
So excited to be participating in Omni Open Studios this November! The event will take place on Zoom, where you can see the personal process of six artists (across the globe!), ask questions and chat about the creative process. Work will also be available for purchase. More information about the event HERE.
In the Studio: Cochineal Harvesting and Dyeing
Collecting the cochineal wasn't incredibly difficult, but it did take a long time and I didn't escape completely devoid of spines. In retrospect, wearing some gloves probably would have been a good idea!
Once I had collected about 3/4 of a cup from several different cactus plants, I walked home and got out the materials needed to start dyeing. I used:
Aluminum sulfate powder
white wool yarn
Two large stainless steel pots
baking soda
dish soap
cream of tartar
about a 3/4 cup of cochineal bugs
I was first introduced to the cochineal bug in Old Town San Diego as a kid on a class field trip. I remember our docent walked us over to a large Opuntia (paddle cactus), crushed one of the puffy white blobs stuck on a paddle, and said "This is what dyed the redcoats red." I was shocked to see that the fuzzy white blob had burst open, releasing a blood-like crimson ooze. Being a kid, I remember having lots of fun poking them with sticks after that, whenever I saw them.
Recently I've been trying to learn more about the historical uses of Californian flora & fauna. The story of how an insect from the Americas colored the coats of British soldiers is sadly a long story of colonialism, exploitation and trade, but the history of cochineal goes back much farther. Skilled Mayan and Aztec dyers used cochineal to create vibrant red textiles as early as the second century BC in what is present day Mexico.
I remembered about the cochineal bug while hiking at a nature preserve in El Cajon when I saw a cluster of them living on a Coastal Prickly Pear. I thought, why not try dyeing with those strange, fuzzy, white insects?
You should wear gloves if you do this, unlike me.
To start the dyeing process:
After harvesting about a half a mayonnaise jar full of cochineal, I took them home and started preparing them to use as dye. I got out a large stockpot and crushed the cochineal directly into the bottom. There is probably a more efficient way to do this. I know that commercially, cochineal bugs are dried out, then ground into a fine powder for dye. Since mine were fresh, I just improvised and used them as they were. After crushing them, adding water, and straining out all the white blob residue, I started preparing some yarn to dye.
I washed a small skein of white wool yarn with dish soap to remove any waxes or coatings put on it during manufacturing. Then I soaked the yarn in a separate pot with aluminum sulfate (alum) and hot water. This mordants the yarn and allows it to better absorb the dye it will come in contact with later. After that, I rinsed the yarn and put it in the dye pot! I also added about a teaspoon of cream of tartar to the dye to help brighten the color.
Crushing cochineal in the dye pot.
Wool yarn soaking in cochineal dye.
Taking yarn out of the dye bath after an hour of soaking.
After letting the yarn soak for about an hour, I took it out, wrung out the excess dye, and laid it in the sun to dry. The wool took the color really nicely! Next time I may experiment with some citric acid or lime to see if I can make different shades of red. Apparently certain additives react with the carminic acid in the dye, and can shift the color to have either more purple or more orange undertones. Overall though, this was a successful and fun experiment!
In the Studio: Clasped Weft Weaving
Trying out the clasped weft technique for the first time on a loom made from a repurposed picture frame. The clasped weft technique is the "clasping" or interlocking of two pieces of weft (horizontal pieces or yarn or string) in the warp (vertical string). The jagged horizontal patterns created by this way of working remind me of the patterns made by sound waves, and instruments like seismographs and EKG machines. Really looking forward to exploring this further and perhaps incorporating actual data into some weavings. Is it a coincidence that waves, the reason we are able to see light, hear sound, measure our heartbeats and the pulses of the earth, are pleasing to the eye as well? Looks like I've got lot to ponder here while working at the loom.
Upcoming: Subdivision, Opening March 24th at Merchants of Reality
With embroidery, ink paintings, and mixed media works, Patricia Pauchnick presents us with images of the suburban sprawl from a decidedly contemporary vantage point: the sky. Satellite technology, a cornerstone of our digital epoch, often creates distant, abstracted imagery of the planet, and offers a distinctly digital-age perspective of our familiar California landscapes. The rich data mine of historical satellite imagery available via internet (most notably Google Earth), also allows us to see the progression of construction in California through the last thirty years. Viewing human activity at this perspective can lead one to contemplate our effects on the land, natural resources, and perhaps consider the nature of these large-scale, automobile dependent, corporately developed housing communities.
When Nature Calls, Fleet Wood SF
Two embroidered ink paintings were on display at Fleet Wood SF for the month of July in When Nature Calls, a group show featuring: Kendall Berardino, Shannon Bodrogi, Ai Buenafe, Charlotte Drury, Jessy Gaumann, Sarah Hobin, Patricia Pauchnick, Rebecca Redman, Craig Stucky and a live plant installation by Organic Mechanics. Special thanks to Maritime Collective and Fleet Wood for co-organizing the show!
Embroidered ink paintings at Fleet Wood SF.
Weaving by Kendall Berardino.
Weavings by Ai Buenafe.
Sculpture by Jessy Gaumann.
Glass sculptures (left) by Rebecca Redman and hair sculpture (right) by Shannon Bodrogi.
Monster Drawing Rally 2016
Was glad to break out the ink and live draw again this year in support Southern Exposure at the Monster Drawing Rally. The event was at a new venue this time around, The Minnesota Street Project, an art space in the Dogpatch district of San Francisco that offers sustainable spaces to art galleries, artists and related nonprofits. Learn more about the Monster Drawing Rally and check out photos of the event here.
Photo by Southern Exposure
Artwork from the MDR: NSA Utah Data Center, Ink on Paper
The Left Coast: September 17 - October 24, 2015
From: Thursday, September 17, 2015 - 12:00pm to 4:00pm
To: Saturday, October 24, 2015 - 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Subdivisons, on view at the Marin Society of Artists Gallery in San Anselmo. The exhibition, The Left Coast, features work by Pacific coast artists about the definitive social, environmental and political aspects of their home states. Located at 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, next door to the picturesque Marin Art and Garden Center, and many beautiful hiking trails.
Subatomic Matters: At Merchants of Reality from August 28th-September 18th
Panorama of the exhibition.
Golems and journals.
Journals and golems.
Subatomic Matters:
Every single entity is inherently composed of smaller elements. From afar, we view objects in their entirety, often overlooking the intricacies that constitute them. Is the sum of the whole more valuable than its components? These building blocks are utilized to express larger, more complex ideas, but this does not negate the importance of the blocks themselves.
Merchants of Reality presents: Subatomic Matters; an investigation of the value that each line, stroke, and stitch intrinsically holds, and how intentional application of a chosen method allows the viewer to derive meaning from calculated abstractions.
Featuring:
Bonnie Cunningham
Mariela Montero
Patricia Pauchnick
Maren Salomon
Shane York
And also an installation by the curators,
Kendall Berardino and Jessy Gaumann
Source: www.merchantsofreality.org
Monster Drawing Rally 2015
It was amazing to see so many artists creating en masse at the Verdi Club this year! It was also nothing short of an honor to be a part of the occasion. There was a lot of great work being made all to support Southern Exposure's annual programs. Check out more photos of the event at Southern Exposure's Flickr page, here.
Documentation of all individual artworks made at the MDR viewable here.
Upcoming: Monster Drawing Rally 2015
Can't wait to be back participating in the Monster Drawing Rally this year! Come by the Verdi Club (2424 Mariposa St, San Francisco) on July 10th from 6:00-11:00 pm to observe over 120 artists engaged in the creative process. Complete works are immediately available for purchase and all proceeds go to support Southern Exposure's yearly programs.
More information and photos of previous events at Southern Exposure's website.
