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Elizabeth has a BA in Fine Arts from St.
Lawrence University. For her, batik has been a process of
experimentation and fascination that seems to just keep growing.
"Each piece is a suspense. I'm always on the brink of controlling
the process and of the process controlling me." This struggle in
process captures the quiet moments in nature, which are her main focus in
subject matter, and breathes a unique life into each piece. Elizabeth
demonstrates a command of this difficult process that is particularly
evident in the amount of detail found in each of her batiks. Her work
has not only won many awards, but has been published in Fiber Arts
Design Book Two, a book devoted to excellence in fiber design.
Elizabeth teaches drawing through
Northwestern Michigan Extended Education program along with private
sessions and workshops. Drawing can be taught as it is a process
of learning to see in the way that the artist sees. For class
information contact her at the listed phone or e-mail.
Elizabeth's work can be found at the Bier Gallery in Charlevoix, Michigan and in numerous art shows
throughout the Midwest, including the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair.
ABOUT BATIK:
Batik, meaning "wax writing", originated in Indonesia
approximately 1200 years ago. The process begins by applying melted wax
to selected areas of fabric. The cloth is then dipped into a dye bath.
The wax acts as a resist and prevents the dye from penetrating. After
the cloth has been dyed, wax is then painted in the areas that are to
remain that color, and the fabric is then dipped in a dye bath of a
different color. Thus every color or shade in a completed batik
represents an application of wax and an emersion in a dye bath.
When the wax and dye
process is completed, the wax is removed by first ironing the cloth
between papers and finally dry cleaning, which removes all the wax
residue. Most characteristics of batik are the tiny "crackle"
lines that run throughout the piece. These lines occur when the wax
resist becomes somewhat brittle and cracks, allowing the dye to seep in.
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