Panel #50
Silk 35” x 10”
$725
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #12
Silk 53” x 9”
$1085
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #31
Linen 37” x 10”
SOLD
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #48
Linen/poly 53” x 11”
$1060
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #41
Cotton-Poly Muslin 35” x 10”
$725
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #17
Silk + Muslin 44” x10”
$1130
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #32
Silk 51” x9”
$1045
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #52
Cotton/poly Muslin 57” x 10”
$1140
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #60
Silk 43” x 13”
$885
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #18
Silk 33” x11”
$685
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #33
Silk 46” x10”
$945
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #52
Cotton/poly Muslin 57” x 10”
$1140
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Visitors walk through the panels of A Prairie Stroll during the Opening Reception
Panel #56
Silk 43” x 12”
$885
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #23
Silk 43” x14”
$885
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #34
Cotton Muslin 47” x10”
$940
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #4
Cotton Muslin 42” x 13”
$884
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #25
Organza 58” x11”
$1160
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #36
Silk 46” x9”
$945
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #6
Silk 47” x 10”
$965
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #27
Linen/Poly 40” x10”
$800
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #37
Organza 45” x10”
$900
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #14
Silk 41” x 10”
$845
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #29
Silk 51” x10”
$1045
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #39
Cotton/poly Muslin 45” x 9”
$900
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #11
Silk 59” x 11”
$1200
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #30
Silk 58” x12”
$1185
Photo Credit: Al Porter
Panel #40
Silk 44” x 9”
$905
Photo Credit: Al Porter
A Prairie Stroll
A Prairie Stroll is an immersive installation which features more than 70 hand-dyed panels of silk, linen, muslin, & organza - each individually hand-printed with dozens of locally harvested grasses.
Suspended from the gallery ceiling, the panels beckon visitors to walk among them. Movements create subtle currents, causing the lightweight fabrics to sway - simulating the experience of walking through a tall grass prairie.
Grasses are central to my work due to their striking variations in height, blade structure, and seed tassels. Printed grasses are used to recreate the very grasslands from which they were harvested. As in a living prairie, species mature at different times of the growing season and determine which species were used throughout the project.
The left photo shows assorted dye pots and how the dyes initially look on a fabric stack of muslin, silk, and organza during the dyeing process.
Panels were laid on the gallery floor to determine the order in which they would be hung.
The center photo below shows inky grasses and folded back blotter during the printing process.
Center pathway between panels lead to the back wall with large scale pieces.
The right photo dyed and printed panels readyfor the photo shoot.
#62 Linen 40” x 10” $800
#70 Cotton Rag 40” x 16 $1495 aka Indigo Fields
#68 Mulberry Paper 42” x 17” $1495 aka On the Horizon
#67 Raw Silk 44” x 16” $1795
The Prairie Stroll Process
This is the most complex project I have ever taken on! I have invested this summer to make it happen. In June, my focus was on dyeing dozens of fabric panels. All of July and early August kept me at a frenzied studio pace as I hand-printed the panels. The remaining summer weeks will be spent on administrative tasks to prepare for the installation.
Panel Dyeing: An absorbent fabric is laid down first, then a more delicate material is laid on top of the first fabric. The final layer is organza (bridal veil material), which absorbs the dye in an unpredictable manner - without an organza layer, the materials would draw in the dye as a paper towel absorbs liquid.
The left photo shows assorted dye pots and how the dyes initially look on a fabric stack of muslin, silk, and organza during the dyeing process.
Panel Printing: A water based ink and acrylic mixture is painted on both sides of individual grasses; the inky grasses are then arranged onto a dyed panel. A second fabric panel, used as a blotter for the printing, is laid on top. Hand-pressure transfers the pigment from the grasses onto the fabrics. Each panel has up to a hundred grass prints which range in height from a few inches at the foreground to tall grasses rising skyward.
The center photo below shows inky grasses and folded back blotter during the printing process.
Prepping for Installation: With the printing completed, the panels were sent to a professional seamstress for binding and top casing. The photo at the top of this announcement shows a sample of completed panels awaiting the finishing sewing.
The right photo dyed and printed panels ready for the photo shoot.
The Installation Process: Panels were laid on the gallery floor and arranged by length. The longest panels 50+ inches formed the front pathway as visitors entered the room. Smaller panels were arranged in four rows which created two additional paths that lead to the back wall which held work on materials that did not sway.