Canvas Bag

Almost everyday for well over five years, I brought this red canvas bag with me to my day job at a nearby city because it was the perfect size to carry my lunch bag and any other stuff I was bringing in that day. It used to have the logo of an organization that worked with cities and towns in Massachusetts. They gave it out one year at the annual conference they have in January. I attended their conference every year for 12 years, including when I had my previous job I had a a nearby school district. I don't remember which year I got it, but I really like it because it's similar to an LL Bean bag but the handles are long enough to carry it on my shoulder. Since the day I got it, I wanted to paint over the logo (no offense to the agency), but I never had the time. I do now, and I did. I traced a construction fence pattern and had fun painting with no plan except to cover the logo and have fun.

More New Work in Progress

 

Today I’m hoping to finish painting green fabric paint in all of the squares on the dark side of this monoprinted gridded construction fence and embroidered fabric so the fabric paint soaks through the fabric to the light side. Shown are the light and dark sides.

New Work in Progress

 

Yesterday I monoprinted a gridded construction fence on the front side of an embroidery not knowing how the fabric paint would soak through the fabric. Shown are the front and back. I’m thinking of having the back for the front but will decide after I stitch it.

More New Work in Progress

Two possible ways to view this sloppily hung monoprinted construction fence pattern on the linen tablecloth with red cross stitch embroidery. It’s bigger than this wall in my small and messy studio but I needed to see it up before I take the next steps.

More Work in Progress

 

Starting the night before having 5 days off from work by finishing the painting in the intersections of the stitching of the monoprinted red “holes” of the construction fence pattern on the linen tablecloth with red cross stitch embroidery. A few weeks ago I painted the half of the squares at the intersecting lines of the grid. I’m working on a a huge piece of fabric for me in my small studio. I’m still thinking of how to give this piece some oomph and I’m narrowing down my ideas.

More Work in Progress

 

I finished the stitching of the monoprinted red “holes” and grid of the construction fence pattern on the linen tablecloth with red cross stitch embroidery, and I painted the half of the squares at the intersecting lines of the grid while still dealing with how slippery the fabric is. I need to do the other side of the fabric’s squares next. I’m thinking of cutting the fabric in parts and reassembling it. It’s a huge piece of fabric for me and my small studio plus it needs some oomph.

More Work in Progress

Making time this weekend to hopefully finish the stitching of the monoprinted red “holes” and grid of the construction fence pattern on part of the linen tablecloth with red cross stitch embroidery while dealing with how slippery it is to sew.

More Work in Progress

I’ve been going back and forth today between outside time and inside time. Outside some gardening and walking on this beautiful day and inside some stitching of the monoprinted red “holes” and grid of the construction fence pattern on part of the linen tablecloth with red cross stitch embroidery trying to deal with how slippery it is to sew.

More New Work in Progress

I had an incredibly lazy (rainy) day yesterday. No walk, and a long nap, but I did force myself to do some stitching of the monoprinted red “holes” and grid of the construction fence pattern on part of the linen tablecloth with red cross stitch embroidery. It’s very slippery to sew.

Even More New Work in Progress

 

I monoprinted red “holes” and the grid of the construction fence pattern on each half of my vintage white tablecloth with red cross stitch embroidery. This is a picture of it half on my work table and the other half draped over the side. I will next stitch the grid of the fence on the whole piece of fabric and then decide if I want or need to cut the tablecloth in half. The main reason for cutting is it's 46” x 64”, which is really large and I have a small art studio, which shouldn't be the reason to cut it but it might be.

More New Work in Progress

The red monoprinted “holes” of a construction fence pattern on my vintage white 46” x 64” tablecloth with red cross stitch embroidery are dry. Next I’ll turn it around and print the grid of the fence on the other half. Then I’ll decide if I want or need to cut the tablecloth in half. 

New Work in Progress

I grabbed a few minutes to monoprint the “holes” of a construction fence pattern on my new vintage white tablecloth with red cross stitch embroidery. It’s a HUGE 46" x 64" which does not fit on my work table so I printed half of it. When it’s dry I’ll turn it around and print the grid of the fence on the other half. I may or may not cut the tablecloth in half afterwards. 

New Work in Progress

Detail of new work in progress: monoprinted pattern of a rounded construction fence on an embroidery I purchased on eBay and painting in the “holes” of the fence pattern, all on the back side of the fabric so it soaked through to the front. There is stitching following the lines of the fence pattern. I had been contemplating painting the outside edges near the blue stitching but I’m now doubtful. 

New Work: Trying to Stay Safe from Germs

Trying to Stay Safe from Germs I

25” x 26.5”
mixed media on stitched fabric
2020

Monoprinted textures of construction fences are used to represent how we’re trying to stay safe during the pandemic, similar to how construction sites use construction fences as a barrier to keep people out of danger by blocking off the site. A drop cloth, which can be seen behind the stitched grid of the fabric, represents germs we can not see. Cutting the top layer of fabric away to see the drop cloth behind it, is a modified reverse appliqué, for lack of a better description.

Family Fencing

I'm not the only member of my family interested in fencing!

My son, Jonah Ostroff, has completed a PhD in Mathematics at Brandeis University, specializing in combinatorics, and I couldn't be more proud!

His dissertation topic was "Counting Connected Digraphs with Gradings" and his one-sentence abstract: "We'll define two new structures on directed graphs called gradings and fencings, and see how we can use these to count graphs with various connectivity conditions." Above are three visual examples of fencings he discussed at his dissertation defense.

Below are three examples of the fencings that give me inspiration for my (art) work:

Many congratulations Dr. Jonah Ostroff!

20,000

I am 20,000 days old today. I would never have known this but my very own mathematician (doesn't everyone have one?) informed me of this fact. If you try to do the math to see what that translates in to, please don't forget to add extra days due to leap years.

This grid shows what 20,000 looks like in dots. I love how sections of 10 x 10 dots in a 10 x 20 layout makes this grid pattern of 20,000 dots. A very construction fence-like grid!

Inspiration and Planning Ahead

This picture is such an inspiration to me. I LOVE the fallen down stockade fences next to the fallen construction fences.

I have been thinking ahead to the next series to work on after I’m finished working on the series with the "holes" that's halfway complete. Up next is going to be a series that is inspired by the piece below, which is 12 x 12 x 12 May 2011, part of my 2011 monthly series, which is a time for me to try out new ideas.

I really like the contrast of the monoprinted construction fence along with the photos of construction fences in this piece.

Last week I started making "skins" of photos I've taken of bunched up construction fences similar to those in the piece above. As I've been preparing the skins and planning in my head, I didn't know why I was suddenly interested in doing this series sooner than later, but I've figured out why.

The picture is a detail from a picture of work in progress on the website I recently designed for Landscape Visions Corp, and I've been thinking about it for over two months, since I first saw this picture. Funny thing is sometimes I don't see the connections, even if they are right in front of me.

Six 16” square boards are ready and waiting for me to use for this series. Once the skins are finished, the next step is monoprinting fabric. Then the real fun begins.

Holiday Construction Fencing

Decorated orange construction fencing on Tremont Street in Boston, MA. I guess even construction sites need some holiday cheer.

Fencing Production

I want a tour of the factory where construction fences are made. I have no idea how they make them, but I'm fascinated!

Construction & Barrier Fence Heaven!

I was just introduced to utilitysafeguard.com, a website that has dozens and dozens of Construction & Barrier Fences, which my own personal version of being set loose in a candy store!

They have snow fences, construction fences, crowd control fences (what a great term!), deer, barrier, diamond (my least favorite), economy, and square safety fences.

I have at least 17 or more patterns/thicknesses/sizes/colors of fencing that I work with, and thought I had it all, but now I see there’s much, much more available.

Who would have thought that there are snow fences that are “designed to meet the requirements of state and local governments”?

And then there’s a product I’ve never heard of, checkerboard or polka dot “Surveyors Roll Flagging” which gives me a ton of ideas, especially when reading the description, “These resilient patterns add a wide assortment of choices for your non-verbal communication needs.” I have a ton of non-verbal communication needs.

I’m going to spend a few minutes in the next few days and choose a few fences that I don’t already have, and get a few. I just hope I can get the fences I want in 50-foot lengths. Buying 100 feet is expensive and also takes up a lot of valuable studio (or attic) space.