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 to hang.