Welcome!

This body of work began sometime in the mid 1990's, as an experiment, seeing if I could adhere a dress to a canvas and create a painting over all the textures. "Dress painting" is a term I came up with to explain these when I simply couldn't think of anything better. Over the years they have evolved, with new elements of collage being added. Dress patterns, photographs, and embroidery all appear from time to time, as well as lino block prints, rubber stamps and gold leaf. I will use this space to explore the beginnings of this series, as well as showing my latest work. If the piece is available for sale you'll find the price at the bottom. Free shipping in the U.S. Contact me at kallencole@aol.com to purchase.

Would you like to see my full website? Head over to KathrineAllenColeman.com

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Little black dress


A quick word on artistic influences and my latest piece "Little Black Dress." 15-18 years ago I visited the Vancouver Art Gallery, to see the works of an icon. Andy Warhol. I could write for days about the things I find interesting about his work, but the one piece that wedged itself deep in my brain was his silkscreen of the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz. It was black, on a silvery black that sparkled. I bought the full color catalogue, and this piece was in it, sort of, a black block with teeth was about all you can see.

As a color junkie, I was enchanted by the sheer guts it took to do that piece, not to mention the many other black on black pieces I have seen since. Toss aside the color wheel, all you really have to work with is value. Then forget about all those lighter values, all you need is everything between black, and almost black. This is what I came up with...

Just for the record, the pattern in the background is a repeated linoleum block print, and is much darker in real life than it appears here. The dress is covered in paint, charcoal, and acrylic transfers. It is layered, and wiped, scratched, and scribbled on. Here is a close up...


Now, to finish packing the van. You'll find me (and this brand spanking new painting) at Coconut Grove this weekend Booth #352

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