Welcome!

This body of work began sometime in the mid 1990's, as an experiment, seeing if I could adhere a dress to a canvas and create a painting over all the textures. "Dress painting" is a term I came up with to explain these when I simply couldn't think of anything better. Over the years they have evolved, with new elements of collage being added. Dress patterns, photographs, and embroidery all appear from time to time, as well as lino block prints, rubber stamps and gold leaf. I will use this space to explore the beginnings of this series, as well as showing my latest work. If the piece is available for sale you'll find the price at the bottom. Free shipping in the U.S. Contact me at kallencole@aol.com to purchase.

Would you like to see my full website? Head over to KathrineAllenColeman.com

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Ideas


I'm often asked is, "where do you get your ideas?"  And although I couldn't pinpoint where they come from, they often happen in a similar way.  Usually I am just working through a mundane part of the process on a current piece, my brain wanders off...and pop pop pop they just start coming.

I'd like to do this, I could do it like this, on this, the title could be this, or this, or this...and the whole piece just erupts.  I scramble for paper, or in the case of a few minutes ago, rush back to the studio to write notes.  Because they often start to vanish as quickly as they come.  Ideas that have been sparked by interstate driving are pretty much lost, until they are triggered again.  If they are triggered again.

The piece above, didn't come quite that quickly.  It made me work for it a bit.  The title is "The Initiation"
The dress has a repeat pattern of mouse traps, directions are stitched on the waterfall photo.  Oh, and the not so subtle ring of fire. This piece will be shown for the first time at the Des Moines Art Festival.  You can see my summer show schedule here!

Thanks for checking in.