Studio sull'alba 3

Studio sull'alba 3 (Dawn Study 3) 2013

unframed price

cotton fibre, pigment dyes, felt

H 22 x W 31 cm

Suggested framed dimensions:
H 42 x W 51 cm (min)

Special price for #artistsupportpledge initiative.

I often observe the changing light first thing, from the beginnings of faint white and pink to the appearance of lines, then strong red followed by moving shadows in the landscape.

Studio sull’alba 3, one of a series, consists of layers created by ripping and repositioning elements, wet on wet. It describes a moment of clarity in the transition from dark to light.

Note on the technique:

The cotton fibre pulp works are built up using layers of dyed pulp in a wet-on-wet or wet-on-dry, hand mould and deckle process. There is no glue in the mixture as the 'paper' holds together through the natural interweaving of the fibres themselves.

The pulp is made predominantly from cotton linters which is repeatedly mashed with water before different natural or synthetic, fibre-reactive pigment dyes are added to create the basic palette. In some cases, organic material is mixed with or embedded in the pulps, with the possibility of larger elements being stripped away when wet or dry leaving a 3D graffito-style impression in the revealed layers. An important feature is the uneven edges (deckle edges) that the process produces.

The natural light plays a big part in the drying process which can take 3 to 4 weeks. Natural sunlight and the right temperature help the chemical reaction between pigment and fibre resulting in stronger, high-density colours.