Ashes and Dust

One day, when the station was a sleep, Idan and I sneaked in.

And if you're going ... Where are you going?

Eternity is only ashes and dust

Euca

It's no secret that I have deep sympathy to Eucalyptus trees. The Eucalyptus is much more than a dye plant for me. It's true that it is one of the most powerful plants if you want to get clear and sharp prints and it give beautiful result but for me it only the tip of the iceberg.

Although I do not an Australian, I know eucalyptus since I know myself.  They fill our country from north to south. In wild nature and in the cities.

Part of the curriculum for Israeli children in the lower grades is to study our history related to this new land and we learn at school about Eucalyptus and how they got here.

The trees brought here at the beginning of the last century with the first settlers in Israel. Israel back than still called Palestine.
The Arab local population in those days called the Eucalyptus "The Jews tree" because Eucalyptus and Jewish settlers came in at the same time.

They brought Eucalyptus because they thought they would help draining the swamps which occupied much of the area and caused diseases. 

Eucalyptus symbolized healing and a new beginning for those people and over time it became a symbol. The Tree of Life.

A tree that emigrated to the land of immigrants. Acclimatized and merged, planted roots in a new land. Just like us.

Today the trees fill the whole country. They are under severe weather conditions without much water and they survive. Like us. 

When I first started natural dyeing I used Madde, weld, cochoneal, etc... I got beautiful results but... there was no deep connection between me and the plants I use. When I discovered that I can use Eucalyptus for dyeing, I was so happy. It was just perfect for me because Eucalyptus is a part of my life in deep layers. 

If I need to translate the word 'Nickname' from Hebrew to English, the translation will be 'Affection name' and yes... it deserve a nickname. Euca.

Natural Handwriting

When I started printing leaves I wasn't sure whether it is possible to create something personal with this technique. Time passed and the answer came. 

I see the works of other artists and each has its own special something. 

what is interesting me now the most is the combination of felted pieces with different fibers printing with leaves so not only the prints and dyeing is hand made but also the materials which be printed is a creation for itself. The different fibers take the dye differently and the results are interesting and surprising.

I decided to felt a book. It is one piece seamless felt book and on each page I created different texture with different fibers.

I already felted and printed 3 books but I'm not pleased from the result yet and

I continue to work on it. 

Here's just a glimpse of the process and idea. Hope very soon I will have the final 

work to show.

And sorry about the pictures. They was taking not in best condition.

If you interested in creating such a book, I will teach it next spring in the Netherlands

FELTFULL

Beautiful Italy

This year I happened to be twice in Italy.

 I love Italy. It is so beautiful in every way.

The places, the food but mostly the people.

I just love them. They make me feel happy and relax.

My trip this time began In Pisa

 And from Pisa we drove south towards Grosseto
 in the heart of Tuscany

On the way we went to visit Willam. 

He grows many eucalyptus varieties for flower shops.

Then we arrived to "La Capitana" - An old farmhouse typical to Tuscany

The workshop took place there annd everything was just perfect

 We worked and laughed and energies were just great. 

Lots of pictures already post to Facebook so I just choose some close ups and I wish I knew how to attach Italian music to this post to complete the atmosphere.

Intimate Secrets

More than a year ago a friend gave me a pile of old vintage bed sheets and tablecloths. They are exactly in the style I remember from my grandmother home when I was a child.
Oh yes, My grandmother and grandfather house. What a sweet memory :)
I was their only grandchild and I was their princess. They lived in a beautiful Bauhaus building in Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv. I remember hours on hours between those sheets with my grandmother telling me stories about her childhood in Poland. I loved that moment with her and loved her stories, I loved those sheets and the smell of the laundry they had but I don't know where those sheets gone. Disappeared...

So my friend gave me this pile and the pieces even had the marks of the laundry.  Back than everybody sent their clothes and bed sheets to the laundry. It was exactly between the time people stop to make all their laundry by hand but didn't had a washing machine in the house so all the laundry should be mark. By name or by number.

Last year in Rosh Hashana (our new year) I went to the dead sea. I took all the sheet pile with me to sock them in the magic salty water. It was quite surreal. My children and I floating in the water with all kinds of fabrics and than  hung them up to dry on beach umbrellas. People came and ask what I'm doing. I tried to explain but no one understand so for the fourth man woman who asked I said I'm doing my laundry :)

Since than I'm using the fabrics in pieces. small pieces. The results are wonderful mostly when I use iron. Probably generated reaction from Dead Sea minerals and iron and I'm getting wonderful shades of blues and purples.
I called this group of prints "Intimate Secrets"

and you can see them all here: Intimate Secrets

What next?

Just today I opened the studio doors for the first time since I went to Cyprus. 

I was not surprised to see the mess I left smiling at me.

Every time before traveling I tell myself it's better to clean up before I go, come into a clean studio after days of absence but it never fails me. 

The excitement and preparations before the trip did not leave me too much for arrange and cleanliness.

Maybe it does not really matter ... There is something about cleaning that allows 
a new beginning.

And after such a unique experience in Cyprus, what I need is a new beginning.

So I just cleaned all day :)

At first there was so much mess.

Who works with Eco dyeing knows very well how much mess it can makes

After an hour I sat and stared at this smiling mess I started to clean up smiling I decided it is necessary to start.

Cleaned all my pots and took them out to dry in the sun.

Cleaned all my metals

Slowly, things have found their place

Then I could open and enjoy all the treasures I had received in Cyprus.

Amazing silk gauze and silk paj from Vilte, Muga silk fibers also from Vilte, some raw locks from Shelly...

 And small aromatic lavender bag (made the cleaning much more yummy) from Gabi 

and Tatiana.

So what next?... I have three weeks to myself and in the end of August I go again. This time to Italy to teach 3 days workshop in a very beautiful place in Tuscany by the Sea.