Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Spring time!


There's a well known saying in Hebrew: a man makes plans and god laughs. I'm not sure I can speak for the rest but my guess is it means all for the best, as we say here.
Indeed, although I had other plans for this dress, the wild spring finally arrived for me, and it shines better upon my best ideas and creations, as it should. It gives me great pleasure, then, to present this exclusive video, which took a while to cut and edit.
In this video I am proud to reveal the making of a magnificent gown, sharing my own secrets step by step, and lead you through the corridors of my creativity. It took me quite a while to ripe and unfold, very much like my own felting and printing techniques, but it was worth the waiting, don't you agree?
Creativity comes and shows itself in many ways, artists like us already know that for sure. I have discovered through my many years in designing, printing, dying and felting that it surfaces in the most unexpected places. Places we explore and make them our generous atelier.
I am lucky and greatful to be an artist who opens up towards new possibilities and find the most exiting secret places unfolding in front of me, allowing me the use of all the inspirational materials my creativity needs.

Also I am happy to use this opportunity to invite you again to mother nature atelier, this year, here in Israel, for an autumn workshop for creativity secrets. The surprising location is known only to a few, promising an experience not to be forgotten for a long time.
These days are dedicated to working the last details of the autumn workshop, so I could notify you soon and open it for registration. I'm looking forward to it. Welcome to my heaven! and in the meantime you can enjoy pictures of the place here:
I treasure this unusual and uncanny place, which is close to all the important and renown touring sites of the Israel you all heard about, but at the same time remote and hidden so we could create and unravel our possibilities and knowledge. We will be surrounded by serenity, flooded by the clarity of the mediterranean sun, and inspired by the grandeur of the earth and placidity and elevation of all of us, dear friends.

Before I forget :) The video. Step by step of how I made the Casuarina dress.
Put on full screen and Enjoy!
Filmed and edited by Idan Levy

The song tells a wonderful story about a tree of stars in grandpa's yard. It grows only illuminating stars, which no one wants to buy because nobody understands they are the real treasure that cannot be estimated and determined by currency. Isn't it much like our creativity and art, which only us can appreciate?

35 comments:

  1. Now of course I'm curious to know what was in the various baths you used to dip the dress! The location for your workshop looks fantastic (as does the dress, which I had already seen and loved)...

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    1. first it was an iron bath and in the end tannin bath and it was cooked with cochineal

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    2. I love your work Irit, wish I could come to your workshop :)

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  2. Irit that is so BEAUTIFUL! What a wonderful visual story of your process.

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    1. If only we could do something like that for our show...

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    2. I am thinking the video would be a wonderful thing to show (on a loop) in the video room of the gallery for all to enjoy. We'll talk! Or message!

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    3. Could be but also possible to prepare something especially for the exhibition which include all of us. Need to think how this can be possible to make... Will talk :)

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  3. Thanks for sharing these corridors of your creativity, dear Irit. It's very nice to see you in your "everyday" places and in the solitude of your work. And the post ... a lesson or creativity and search. Andrea

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    1. Thank you dear Andrea. You write beautifully. Kisses

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  4. Grazie Irit, to be so generous! I'm dreaming to came to Israel, maybe this year ... could be my best present for my 60 anniversary. All the best to you, dear. Ciao Carissima, bella creatura. Big hug

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    1. Susanna, your good spirit it is just what every group in every workshop need. I will be honored to host you in my country.

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  5. This dress is a dream.
    Irit i already said it on FB, you're so generous.........
    and now you are teasing me with the workshop in the oasis.......

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    1. And you my dear are teasing me not to let you not come :) you will love it. Trust me :) but first we are going to meet in your country.

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  6. Thank you so much Irit, beautiful video that must have taken a lot of your precious time to make. Your studio looks amazing and to see the process priceless, in all the dye baths you first put Iron granules? Then Tannin etc can you buy these dry pieces or did you make them? Best wishes, marilyn

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    1. Thank you Marilyn. I buying gallnuts grounded and ready to use

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  7. What a film!!!! What a production!!! What a cool piece of wearable!!!! What a great artist you are!!! WOW!!!!! OMG!!!! Congratulation and thanks for sharing

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  8. This reminds me my great days in your spacious studio and your generous guidance. Your corridor of creativity is amazing. I see Oyla at the back. She's gorgeous. The video is wonderful and shows the goodness. No wonder it's from the TV director and you, a brilliant star. The melody of the song is so happy though I can't understand the lylic. Do wish I have an excuse to join your autumn workshop in your holy land.

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    1. I wish you will find an excuse :))) promise we will not miss the Dead Sea this time.

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  9. Thank you for sharing your techniques.
    Do you have dates for your workshop yet--I hope to be in Israel this fall to visit family and this would be a wonderful opportunity.

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    1. I will announce dates and program in the coming days. Please stay around :)

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  10. Dear Irit, sweet generous Irit. Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful and creative video. You are a true artist with beautiful heart, thanks again. I would love to be part of your workshop, please keep me on your list? Hugs Nat

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    1. My pleasure Nat. It will be wonderful to have you with us. All details will come on the next days.

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  11. that was wonderful thanks so much for sharing Irit, Loved that you just picked the needles of a local tree. It is slightly different to the one I found, d and gathered from, it had small round seed pods and perhaps finer needles. What is the fabric of the dress please? I sure hope I will be able to attend the workshop.

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  12. Thanks Bernice. You will love this part of Israel. It is really something special. Will let you know all details ASAP

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  13. Amazingly beautiful dress! Thank you so much for making and sharing this video. It was lovely to see you work in the studio. I loved the part, where you are gathering the 'leaves', while people are sitting on the bench. It seemed like they're used to you picking and gathering around town:)

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  14. I'm an urban girl Mona :) most of my daily picking is around town.

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  15. Irit, as always, your insight and deep attachment to the elements of your creativity shines through. To be able to use the elements available is one thing. To have a true connection to the art piece and its essence is a gift. You have that gift, and are a gift to us all! The only part I don't understand is the dipping in tannin water after printing. What does that do, or rather what is the purpose? I am guessing as an after mordant to increase or alter the color of the cochineal. I have a little happy occasion to share. I was searching the roads of San Diego scanning for casuarina. By providence yesterday, I walked to the wrong parking lot of a local park in search of my van. Realizing I had gone to the lot that I normally park in, and not the one where I parked my car that day, I quelled my frustration and decided to go look at a nearby tree that I thought might be a red cup euca. It wasn't. I also realized I was wearing wedge sandals, and really needed to be careful not to slip down the canyon by mistake! Carefully turning back, bent over and slowly edging around the "non-euca", I came face to face with several young pine trees that I had not noticed ever. I couldn't believe it...I was standing 7 or 8 feet away from the casuarina! I have walked by those trees for years, and never noticed them, or recognized what they were. As we say, all good things come in time. I had not needed them until now, but something guided my feet right back to them. If I hadn't been watching where I placed my feet on that canyon slope, I might have missed them again. It was the small seed pods that I recognized almost immediately. HALLELUJAH! I am happy as a clam, and going to start my experiments this week. Thank you for your great research and this inspiring video on how to print with casuarina! :)

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  16. Congratulations Cassandra for the found. I'm happy for you as I know how much effort you spend to find the red cup and it must have been with a lot of frustration but as you can see what need to be found it is just in front of your eyes. I start to experiment with this plants about 6 months ago but I needed to stop than and go to Argentina.I was really in the middle but needed to stop. When I arrived to the place I noticed there are Casuarina trees there/ In the first moment I did not know what to do. To keep silence and not introduce the potential to the students at least for the time being until I will get to know it better and how it is react in printing or to give us all the opportunity to experiment together. In the end that I choose and I'm happy for that because this kind of thing stimulate your curiosity during the workshop much more than teaching the same program again and again and again/ in this approach you become also one of the students and you learn a lot from what they are doing :) so in a way I'm very thankful to my students in Argentina who thought me a lot of Casuarina :)

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  17. I am new to your beautiful work. Took a class with the lovely Eva Camacho Sanchez this weekend in Vermont who turned us on to you and this video. This dress is stunning. Is it made of silk habotai and is the design an original one? The shape is so flattering!

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    1. Thank you Karen. The dress make from knitted silk. I just use T-shirt for the basic pattern and made some creative changes. Actually it is very simple pattern.

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