Batik
32" h x 26" w x 1" d

2015

$900

Artist Statement

Batik is one of the oldest art forms. It is a tedious process and many people in Southeast Asia have mastered it for clothing designs. It's demand for precision and attention to intricate detail can discourage most artists and craftspeople.

My paintings of are created with this ancient process, but the tools and techniques are contemporary. As in the traditional manner, I use cotton material - available by the yard in the fabric store.
 

The cotton is my canvas on which I draw in pencil. I then use fine brushes to apply the wax, leaving other areas untouched.
 

I submerge the entire fabric into the lightest dye bath followed by drying, waxing and dyeing in alternating sequences to the darkest dye bath. I remove the wax by ironing. Visualization of the outcome is necessary since there is no erasing in batik.

I describe my style as representational; festivals, celebrations, reenactments, historic sites, and ordinary daily life are my inspiration.