January 2006

Letting Loose
with a little help from my friends

Batiks by Diane Rutherford
Beading by Anne Radecki and Chris Friedlieb

BATIK

WAX AND DYE,

IMAGES FUSE AND LAYER

COLOR FLOWS ONE TO ANOTHER.

I became intrigued with the "crackle" of African batik while at school in Paris during the seventies.  Thirty-something years later I'm still playing, making marks on cloth with wax and dye.  I roll, stamp stencil, and throw hot wax on cotton.

Penetration of the cotton by the wax and dye allows for the images, as well as the color, to be layered into the fiber.  My imagery is a juxtaposition of dreams, organic textures, and experiences enjoyed living in the north woods.  I like to fuse light and images - savoring the last light of the day...the moment when the colors of nature soften and blend together.

Dye color is applied wet and encouraged to flow and mix until a new color emerges.  Multiple applications intensify color and depth.  Waxed areas resist the dye.

My work with batik is about the rhythm of the wax and dye and the dance that ensues.