~Selected Works - Figurative Batiks~
I consider batik to be a symbolic process. Each piece is created through layers, reminiscent to how people are created through impressions and experiences, and when you melt away all the wax you are left with every drip, spill, crackle and color. Every color and drip becomes a part of the piece. There is no erasing in batik. I always anticipate revealing the image beneath the layers of wax. You never know exactly how a piece will turn out until you melt off the wax and the layers of color and crackle are revealed.
The following is a collection of some of my earlier figurative batiks from when I first began creating art in this exciting medium.
For more figurative batiks, be sure to check out the Inside Us All series and Figures in Motion series in the batik gallery as well.
For more figurative batiks, be sure to check out the Inside Us All series and Figures in Motion series in the batik gallery as well.
Portrait of a Native American Girl
Portrait of a Native American Girl was created through successive layers of molten bees wax and procion dyes.
This repetition of waxing, dying, waxing, dying, waxing, dying, (and so on) and then boiling to remove the wax was repeated multiple times throughout the creation of this piece. The wax was applied using a tjanting tool as well as a brush. The dye was applied with a combination of submersion and direct dying techniques. The batik was repeatedly boiled in a large pot to remove the layers of wax. Emptying a giant pot of hot wax water (over and over again) in the middle of winter was a feat in itself (^_^). The batik in whole was a labor of love. |
Portrait of a Native American Girl
Batik (100% Cotton, Procion Dye, Beeswax) 51.5'' h x 47'' w Fall 2009 |
Nude Color Study
I created Nude Color Study with a different process than many of my batiks before it. Although I may not have realized it at the time of creation, Nude Color Study was an exploratory piece and I feel it expanded my views of creating art in this fascinating medium. I sketched the figure on the cotton with black ink before laying down any wax or color. The wax was applied using a tjanting tool. I direct dyed procion dyes using a brush. Creating this piece was especially exciting. I included a few process pictures I managed to take below to show the procion dyes beading up on the wax and seeping through the exposed fabric.
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Nude Color Study
Batik (100% Cotton, Procion Dye, Wax, Ink) 21'' h x 23'' w Fall 2008 |
My Broken
My Broken
Batik (100% Cotton, Procion Dyes, Beeswax)
16.5'' h x 14.5'' w
Batik (100% Cotton, Procion Dyes, Beeswax)
16.5'' h x 14.5'' w
Duende
Duende
Batik (100% Cotton, Procion Dye, Wax)
20'' h x 22.5'' w
Spring 2009
Batik (100% Cotton, Procion Dye, Wax)
20'' h x 22.5'' w
Spring 2009
Under a Waning Moon in the Field of Fallen Dreams
Under a Waning Moon in the Field of Fallen Dreams
Batik (Fabric, Dye, Wax)
26.5'' h x 27'' w
Fall 2008
Batik (Fabric, Dye, Wax)
26.5'' h x 27'' w
Fall 2008
Batik (Fabric, Dye, Wax)
Fall 2008
Fall 2008
Batik (Fabric, Dye, Wax)
Fall 2008 |
Although this piece was created after my Inside Us All series, I was still exploring the themes of stress, depression, and mental exertion in my batik art.
As with that series, I considered the batik medium to be very symbolic. In the batik process an image is created through multiple dye baths and wax layers. The batik process involves using wax as a protective shield to block out unwanted color. The staining that occurs with the dye used in the process can symbolize the experiences that are encountered in life and the wax as our resistance to these things. The crackling that occurs in the wax can symbolize how our defenses may not always be effective in protecting our mind and body. The accidental marks that occur through dripping are almost like emotional scarring and how we are imprinted by the situations that occur in our lives. In addition to this, the process of layering both color and wax and then stripping them away to reveal a finished product can reflect the way in which we, as individuals, are shaped by the stressful situations we encounter. I wanted to utilize the accidental marks that occur through drips and crackling. Using the effects that are produced to represent the emotional scarring that can occur with stress. The wax I used for this piece is more brittle compared to other wax types. This allowed more crackling to occur. |
Batik (Fabric, Dye, Wax)
Fall 2008
Fall 2008