All tied up, and then some

Hickory

In a post the other day, I wrote about taking apart a few collages to salvage backgrounds created at a workshop a few years ago. Well, in the quest for more intriguing backgrounds, I spent last weekend at a workshop on using natural materials - plants, fruits, nuts, rusted nails, tea leaves and more - to dye paper and fabric. 

Of course, my focus was on paper. The classes were led by fiber artist Judy Dominic at her home in the Ohio countryside. Perfect setting. Perfect weather. Perfect teacher. Here's a peek at what we did ...

Almost everything was tied into bundles
with the paper/cloth wound around sticks
or folded between boards, with plant materials
inside. Some pieces were "tied" in spots with
rubber bands. Results are erratic, which is
party of the beauty of this method.

One of my bundles, and the resulting paper. The dark
areas were where nails were placed. It was also
dipped into a vat of walnut ink, and cooked in a pot
of rusty water.

Another bundle, and the result - showing both
sides of the paper. This was a large piece,
so it was turned around in the pot a few times.
The pot contained copper, which added
brightness to the paper.