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?

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

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

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!

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!

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.