For years the idea of playing with mole technique had been lurking around in my brain. While student where looking for theme and reaon in their work, I scoured books to learn as many techniques in as many mediums as I could find. Mole, if I remember the name of the technique correctly requires several layers of fabric. two or three is usually perfect. You sew you ouline through all layers at once, then cut away excess fabric to reveal the design. I beleive the problem I was having then wawsw the examples I was looking at. They were not inspiring and lent themsleves to symmetry and or simple second grade drawing that outlines birds or trees. I had no inclination to repeat the work that is usually on a felted vest of your first grade homeroom teacher. This time I found my source and my mind exploded with connections, matches, follow throughs, extension and perpetual glee.
Since I restarted this journey in the garden, I returned to it and of course the transplanted pepper plant and the rest. I took digitals of the garden and concetrated on outlines and negative space. Translating the photos into templates was tedious on the eye and repetitive motion, but I am thankful for Adobe Photoshopevery day. I may argue the purest route and feel less than discipline or professional because I did not render the template by hand. But believe me, I will get over that eventually.. The templates double for design on paper to use for collage as well. I am making my own collage papers for a change instead of feeling restricted to most of the commercial kitch out there. I had spent over 10 years collecting and no longer have that stash. It is a step forward in my artistic developement to realize this. Maybe, if I develop that strain more. I could produce a line of hand made collage papers and put that into specialty production. I'm holding on to that thought, it may produce more fruit that I can possibly conceive. Scrapbooker would probably down my product like chocolate on the night you were jilted.
The fabric moles are drying now, I put a solution of heavy matte gel medium on them so I wouldn't have to worry about fly away edges. It will also encase it so I can treat it like paper. Possible paint it. I want to leave it as is and pair it with paper. Moving back into collage and thereby assemblage. I am excited. My processes are becomeing longer and more involved. I believe in my investment again. I never seem to give much credence to work that takes a few minutes or seconds to complete. I keep thinking back to Rembrandt large painting, the night watchmen I think or the one with the infanta in the foreground. Masters take time on work, finish, polish. This time my edge wont be sacrificed to clean polished finishes. I might be able to integrate "the raw".