ReEntry!

Sweet Revenge, © BVF Betker 2014, mixed media collage on canvas, 24” x 18”

Time to savor the pleasures of the studio!  Swimming upstream all the way, this collage is composed of woven acrylic skins, acrylic and oil paints on paper, molded acrylic forms, wood, and hand-painted silk threads and shreds.  What is not to love?  We work hard, we play for keeps.

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new old fiber arts

Mustang Kimono with Fish (detail), woven acrylic skins on plexiglas, copyright 2010


This summer I've been reclaiming some notes from my past, sometimes in 3 dimensions, mixing various media as fiber. Here are some parts of the process, combining layering, collage, mosaic and weaving of skins made of acrylic paint that also incorporate painted paper and hand-dyed silk threads.




'

Reweaving II, woven and collaged acrylic skins
with painted paper on stretched gessoed canvas,
36" x 36", copyright 2010

Updrafts, 20" x 20", copyright 2010
collage mosaic on painted canvas comprised on acrylic skins, painted paper, hand-dyed silk

avenging the leopard

Here is a piece that began as an experiment in layers of acrylic paint and mediums, collaging in separately created acrylic skins and painted paper. It developed organically -- a means I enjoy and will have to keep learning from; right now I think it worked well! 36" x 36" acrylic/collage on canvas.
(The leopard in question was my painted silk kimono-style fiber sculpture, stolen from Seattle Center in the early nineties. It walked off its display as I sat 20 feet away, attending to something I guess... I have mourned long enough.)

welcome to the neighborhood!

Friend Frances and I conspired and found studio space in Wallingford, and moved in this week. She has since decided to resume looking further south, thereby avoiding a long, toxic commute, but I hope we will continue to collaborate materially and in spirit despite this distance -- as we have so far!
For me, this is the part of town that has everything -- industry, waterscape, neighborhood! I will try to make the most of it.
This is my first painting done in the new space. Acrylic on canvas, 8 x 8, from a photo taken at fishermen's terminal.

Also spent a little time at Gas Works Park ruminating. Here is yesterday's 4x6 lunchtime sketch of a tiny part of the view across Lake Union, in white ink and gouache:

the resurgence of jazz

we are going out on a limb here. tulips traditionally, of course, must be watched over if not redistributed by an animal companion; but we are just getting back into the swing of things. here are a few new little sketches in mixed media, somewhat reminiscent of a style that used to be mine.