preparations all done!

I've finally finished framing the batiks I want to for the exhibition in march.  The posters and invitations are ready... all that's left is to ask someone to post them on the 'correct' date.  The rest will happen when I get back.

Now, I can go on holiday peacefully! :)

And also move on to doing more batiks.  It's very relieving.

'sunshine' in a bottle

on cotton
36 x 55cm
_________________
When we were kids, my mother (or my parents) used to make us home-made lime cordial.  We called it 'Sunshine'.
Basically lemon juice and sugar, left to 'cook' in the sun over several days.  One of the niches in verandha wall was reserved for Sunshine.
____________________
On a technical note : while looking through the galleries of other batik artists on the Batik Guild site, I noticed that someone had used bleach in her list of processes.  So I experimented with using that here : I bleached the inside of the niche after the green of the leaves before doing the sequence of niche beige and shadows.
Honestly, I feel like I cheated!  I know that it is a process like any other - but still...

coral 2

on cotton
63 x 42cm
_____________
Another exploration of the texture of coral.
I think it lacks a focal point.  Horizontally it reminds me a bit of a field of lily buds..

V pointed out that vertically it looks like pages of a book that got wet, then dried!

coral texture

on cotton
58 x 41cm

reptile

on cotton-silk
62 x 44cm
______________

I am still in the 'eye fascination' - not entirely sure about whether this is what I had imagned; nor the colours.
The only element drawn out was the circle of the eye, the scales just slowly took shape with each layer.  It's kind of difficult to get the notion of depth and skin folds when the entire surface is textured.
_______________

My first batik of this year! I think I still have a lot to learn and many more experiments to do : not really a new year's resolution - more like an excitement about the unknown!