B is for Blue

If flowers are my current focus, the color blue has been a constant inspiration throughout my work throughout this year.

This summer I taught a workshop for young teens on the Art of Fashion, this time teamed up with another instructor whose focus is natural dyes. She grows indigo and madder in her garden, and uses her plants to teach about dying and printing on fabric. Our collaboration resulted in a fascination with indigo – and the resulting blues it can create.

To prepare to teach my section of the workshop –which includes illustrating clothing designs and creating fabric designs and patterns, I spent time learning about not only indigo but many other blue pigments – and experimenting them in my work.

I’ve always been curious about the sources of pigments used by artists f the past - those who could not just hop to the art store for supplies. What I learned through Google searches and books, was a great enhancement to my understanding, my classes, and my respect for the incredible amount of work needed to create colors for paints and dyes.

Today's painting combines blue and florals - and is part of the series I am developing. The fashion figure is the work of a student who painted a pattern on paper and turned it into the fabric for her dress design. Good work.