Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival

I was pleased to realize that the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, aka The Reston Show, was to take place this past weekend while we were visiting my brother. Set in Reston Town Center, this is a jewel of an art show which draws artists from across the US. The public is very art savvy which adds to the show's appeal.

Having participated in art shows as well as going to them to keep abreast of the happenings in that segment of the art/craft world means that I've seen a lot of what is shown. So, when I go to a show I search for art that is new to me. And Saturday's jaunt provided a very unexpected find.

When I turned a corner and saw the work in this booth, I had to get a photo and had to get a closer look.

 

Standing amid John Petrey's mixed media sculptures, I could practically feel myself vibrating with joy at being in the midst of such playful, yet intelligent, creativity and artistry. Here were dresses made of painted bottle caps, colorful plastic utensils, black and white shingles, signs, etc. 

Can you imagine having one of these in your home? I can. What a pleasure it would be to pass by one several times a day...to imagine the stories that dress could tell...to create stories around it. Oh! What pure fun. 

Sadly, the sculptures were outside my price range so none came home with me. But I can look and dream.

Last 3 photos are from John Petrey's web site.

Rust part 2

We've had a lot of snow and wind lately in CT. Unlike where we lived in Virginia, the electrical lines, etc. here are above ground. That usually means that I say a little prayer each time the winds are very strong. Thankfully, we've lost power very few times in the 4 years that we've lived here.

The last round of winds knocked this wire contraption out of the lines above our mailbox. I admit to drooling a bit when I first spied it, then wondering if it had actually served a purpose up there in the wiring. If it did, it's a mystery what it was.

After leaving it out in the elements for the last two weeks so it could continue to rust, I brought it in today and wrapped it in damp white cotton before securing it in a baggie. I've promised myself not to open it until returning from the ACC Baltimore show Sunday night. Should make for some interesting patterns.

Rust

I have a confession to make. I love rust. Yep, rust. That corrosion that most try to avoid, try to keep from infecting their homes and vehicles. Me. I collect it.

To clarify, I collect rusted objects. Mostly in the form of rusted nuts and bolts found on sidewalks and streets. My husband and close friends are accustomed to my sudden rust stops when we're walking. In fact, while strolling through Central Park with my husband last weekend after viewing the exhibit Slash: Paper Under the Knife at the Museum of Art and Design, I found a huge rusted nut...the metal kind, not the food-of-squirrels kind, and was thrilled with my unexpected treasure. My husband joked that that was the highlight of my day. In a way, he was right. See what I mean? I love rust.

In my previous art life as a weaver, rusted elements were sometimes attached to my weavings. Recently, I've been experimenting with dyeing fabric with rust by putting wet fabric in a plastic bag with the rusted elements and leaving them alone for awhile. Once a week or so, I open the bag and rearrange the elements. The result is layers and depth of rust. 

In searching the internet for suggestions as to how to retard the rusting process on the fabric, I found the web site Prairie Fibers which mentioned using vinegar to speed the rusting process. 

While it did quicken the process - rust was visible within 24 hours, it also seemed to quicken the process on the rusted objects. Rust flaked off the metal when the bag was opened. Not sure if that's good or bad, but it was unexpected and had not happened with water soaked fabric.

So it's back to combining tap water, rust and fabric. I found a lively moss colored cotton at The Quilter's Alley and couldn't resist experimenting with it. 

I like the result. Need to find a few more colors to play with. Wonder what will happen if...