now & ZEN

New England Felting Supply is now offering Nancy Dorian Silks in their felting kits!

These are great kits to have on hand … everything you need to felt your own nuno scarf. The kits include directions, bubble wrap, wool roving and one of my hand-painted Dorian silk scarves. Beginner and experienced felters will love the grab-and-go packs. Stop by and see them at New England Felting Supply … they make great holiday gifts for the felter in your life!

my laugh-in scarves will be selling in the berkshires this summer!!

I taught a great nuno ribbon felt scarf workshop at the hotchkiss school in lakeville ct last saturday. there was a grandmother/ mother/ daughter/ niece, a mother/daughter and an aunt/neice in the mix which made it really nice. As usual … ALL the scarves were beautiful. I haven’t seen any that weren’t beautiful yet. on the way home I decided to stop in great Barrington mass to see if I could find any new wholesale accounts. and there was EVERGREEN. Barbara, the owner happened to be there and loved my ponchos, so I’m sewing some up for the 4th of july weekend. then i figured i was on a roll, so i stopped in at the purple plume in lenox mass. the owner, judie, gave me a very cheery welcome and ended up wanting to carry my laugh-in scarves! I’ve been in the back yard painting up a storm on these gorgeous summer days. It doesn’t get much better than this!!

wow … more media attention! nice mention in the times union in albany NY

Anyone who has a fiber addiction will be in good company here.

http://blog.timesunion.com/fiberarts/

My friend Harriet Levy, an avid knitter and spinner, wrote a fun piece about the dangers of knitting. Pick up those needles at your own risk!

I must confess … after learning to knit at the tender age of six,

I went on to crocheting, then sewing, needlepoint, pottery,

dabbled in weaving,

stained glass, jewelry, driftwood, shells and feathers, beads.

then, knitting over-sized garments and bags to then shrink down to felt

… onto silk painting and hand-dyeing silk yardage

which naturally progressed to nuno felting and dyeing my own roving

and, oh ya, did I mention I just bought a spinning wheel?

Artist Nancy Dorian helps Holyoke seniors unleash their creativity by painting silk scarves

This was my 4th mention in the press this fall!

There were a few misquotes, but I am just thrilled with the write up!  I’ve been so busy I don’t have time to drive the bus anymore. Supporting myself as an full-time artist is a dream come true!

I’m now offering silk painting workshops in my studio with all materials included for $35.  Why not give wonderful hand-painted silk scarves for holiday gifts this year? Book your space now by emailing me at nd@nancydorian.com

dorian hand-painted silk scarves and ponchos make the news!

Shopping Basket

By SUZANNE WILSON
Staff Writer

Friday, November 6, 2009

Dorian scarves [now and Zen]

PURPLE PROS … The O-woman says in the November issue of her magazine that purple is a big color this season and I am not about to argue. Besides, what’s not to like about purple – in any season, and in all its many shades?
We’ll start from the ground up. In Northampton, Synergy offers lots of ways to wear purple on your feet, as the photo here shows. Born, a shoe company known for comfort, makes a stylish cowboy-style boot in a grape color for $189. There are ever-popular Classic Tall Uggs in mulberry, for $180, and purple mocs, also by Ugg, for $100. Lined purple rain boots by Kamika, which are $69.99, would brighten up a drab, drizzly day. Continuing the footwear theme, we found Smartwool purple patterned socks for $17.95 at Mountain Goat, also in Northampton.
A little further down Main Street at Country Comfort, we came across purplecorduroy pants from Cut Loose for $78. Nearby, Cathy Cross had a dusky purple Soia & Kyo down parka for $220 (it’s pictured at top left), and a purple leather tote bag from Aoyama, roomy enough to hold just about everything you own, for $262.
For just a touch of purple, check out the work of Nancy Dorian, a local artist whose business is called Now & ZEN; a sampling is shown at left. Dorian says purple is her favorite color and she often uses it in her scarves. We saw one example – a lovely swirled design in subdued shades – at the Nashawannuck Gallery in Easthampton. It was $45. Nashawannuck Gallery also has amethyst jewelry by Suzette Alsop Jones, another Easthampton-based craftsperson; a necklace and earrings are $68 and $25, respectively.
When you’re all done shopping for everything purple, you could go home and curl up with a purple book. You don’t have one? Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” is $14 at Broadside Bookshop in Northampton.
- Suzanne Wilson

look what first time silk painters did in my new class

Just goes to show … we are all artists if we can just step out of the way.

My new class is running Tuesday nights at Holyoke Creative Arts Center this fall. We will be exploring all things fiber, including nuno felting, hand painted silk scarves and custom dyed yarns.  I’m also teaching at WEBS in Northampton, Holyoke Community College and New England Felting Supply. My classes have been filling quickly, so I’ve added other venues.  Get your spot now!

Hand-painted silk yardage anyone?

Love, love, love creating this luscious yardage! When the weather is nice, I’m outside dyeing and felting. So inspiring being out in nature with all the great colors and textures. Can’t help but take my inspiration from it. Many are like Monets on silk! I’ve been offering my silks by the yard at New England Felting Supply and to my students when I teach. This stuff is so wonderful to felt on. I use it for my base in some of my scarves. I’m going to sew up some silk ponchos or wraps with it, too!

if you get into rust dyeing this might happen to you!

That’s right folks .. there I am dumpster diving!!  I have been experimenting with dyeing with rusty objects.  It is sooo cool.  You find a bunch of stuff that will rust and lay it on your silk, add a little vinegar and voila … beautious fabric.  The reaction time is as little as 24 hours.  I didn’t think this up myself.  I had heard of it from reading about nuno felting with Polly Stirling.  This process was used at one of her retreats.  I can really see myself doing workshops on dyeing with found rusty objects.  Stayed tuned for a workshop near you.

So anyway, I did a few tests to find out what I liked and didn’t like and then did a body of work that reflects what I came up with.  Still not sure what these fine silks will become.  Something flowy and layered no doubt.

Doing this has triggered a whole theme of dyeing silk with objects from the Mill River in Haydeville, MA.  A dam broke up stream and washed away a brass foundry in 1874.  I spent the better part of a day last summer collecting items from the river that are obviously from the ruins.  But that’s a whole other blog post!

my work was displayed in preview massachusetts magazine!!

One of the most exciting thing to happen to me this year was having my work featured in Preview Massachusetts, a local magazine put out by the Valley Advocate.  Every month they showcase local retail talent in the “window shopping” section and my work appeared in the October issue.  The hand painted shibori dyed poncho and nuno felted string scarf are but two of the many items that emerged from the now & ZEN studio at eastworks this past year.  It is in part due to the retail exposure there that has really helped my work take off.  AND don’t forget to visit Snow Farm during the next 3 weekends in November to see my fiber art in person!

Nuno string scarves for the fine art sale at SNOW FARM

Been busy this past week getting ready for the sale at SNOW FARM in Williamsburg, MA.  Many fine artist will be offering their wares for 3 weekends in November.  I’m honored to be in the company of such talented people as Josh Simpson and Luann Udell. For more info and directions click here.          

Artists’ Seconds Sale 

Friday, Saturday and Sunday:

 November 14, 15 and 16

November 21, 22 and 23

 November 28, 29 and 30

It’s a great place to get all your handcrafted holiday gifts …. and a beautiful place to visit.  Hope to see you there.