Marbeling class at J C Campbell Folkschool

 Play with colors in January. A cure for the winter blues.

Why not go somewhere in the mountains of North Carolina in January to learn something new? The weather was actually not too bad, and the scenery around J C Campbell Folkschool is quite beautiful especially on my morning walks around campus. This is from the garden where a few green things are to be found and harvested. Some of which was found in our food during the week.

Marbeling is a very facinating art, and one I am learning about from Pat Thomas. She is a very knowledgeable instructor at the Folkschool as well as at Arrowmont (Gatlingburg TN). Spending a week with her and seven other women was a treat. Pat knows her stuff, and here she is demonstrating how to use the tools and create a traditional pattern with the paints. 

The finished paper after it has been places on top of the paints in the tray. It looks very easy, but it takes quite a bit of practice to be successful every time. Pat has been a marbeler for over 20 years, and it shows.

 These are some of my papers. I guess you can say that I don't do traditional patters. I basically like to play with the colors and the tools. My favorite part is the unexpected result. Since I am not really a paper person, I will no have to come up with what to do with the papers. Ended up with a stack of about 25 large and small papers.

These are some of the fabrics I worked on during the week.  Fabrics are my favorite, so I tried all sorts of fabrics, from broadcloth, to canvas and polyester. Some worked great some not so much. The ones I am showing here I am pretty happy with.

I was determined to master the "Spanish wave" technique, and practiced a few days with getting the right motion going. You are rocking back and forth as you are laying the paper or fabric onto the paint in the tray. I just love the look of this, and did a lot, getting better at it.
This one is marbeled twice, which I think you have to do to get a saturated fabric.

A traditional patter with swirls.

 Marbeled twice with "rocks" for the second pattern.

Another "Spanish wave, also marbeled twice. One of my favorite pieces.

Here is a quick sequence of what I did. Started with a fabric I had already marbeled, but the colors are just

too soft, and too much white of the fabric is showing.

Here the paint is in the sizing, with a few swirls.

The fabric has been placed in the paint "Spanish wave" style.

Ready to be rinsed. Like it much better now.

Maybe I have to do some more of this, because it is a lot of fun. You are making one of a kind fabrics (and papers) and I would just hate to cut these up. When spring gets here maybe I will have a marbeling day out on the porch, I have all this paint and tools now...