Tuesday, 12 June 2024
I was a textile artist before I became a visual artist. Batik was my very first love. It totally became a consuming passion for me from the moment I learned this technique in 1970 and I ended up practicing it for about forty years. I still have all my Naphtol and Drimarene dyes, waxes, tjantings, small Indonesian woks, kersosene burners, scales, and all the paraphernalia associated with batik. Can't quite bring myself to give it all away as yet.
Even though I do not do batik anymore I always try to kind of apply the technique of masking first and then revealing in my acrylic paintings. I love the surprises that can come up! My best work is when I take my hand off it, so to speak, and things happen that I cannot control.
This was my very first batik - 'Hand Holding Flower', 1970 and next to it is a more recent rendering of it on canvas with acrylic and collage, also 'Hand Holding Flower', 2023. This one is for sale and you can view it at the Cooroy Butter Factory until Sunday June 16. It's such a happy painting I had it professionally scanned so fine art reproduction prints of it on paper, canvas or fabric can be ordered.
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