Holiday Open Studio: Mary McFarland

I first encountered Mary McFarland and her work at the previous "Open Studio." I was impressed with both her work and her studio. I knew then I was dealing with a real artist.

Now I have this blog devoted to the arts and letters in Farmington, and this was just too good an opportunity to pass up: this year's Holiday Open Studio. It took place on December 3rd, Chester Greenwood Day. Mary McFarland was kind enough to talk with me briefly and answer my questions. In this first part we talk about her art and materials.

DaM: So I notice there's kind of like a division: we have sort of organic here, and very much organic there, (although that tends to be more scenes), but we've got a very strong geometric component here.

Mary McFarland: Well, this I would call the Full Spectrum series--except for that sunburst up there; that was definitely geometric. But most of the things you're going to find [here] at least have organic elements in them. Like even that [Full Spectrum] has dragon-flies. I tend to do more organic shapes than geometric--but every once in a while a pair of geometrics is fun.

DaM: When you start out, do you start with something like a sketch, or is it just something in your head?

MM: Usually, if I'm going to do something big, I have a sketch. If I'm going to do something like this [points to a smaller work], I just go for it--these little guys are just, you know, pick your color and do some threadwork on them. These over here--a little bit organic--those are sun-prints, made with the actual plants.

DaM: So you do some sort of photographic process where they're exposed to light?

MM: It's a light-sensitive paint. I paint the fabric, put the ferns on, put them out in the sun, and then you get the image.

DaM: How long is the exposure?

MM: 'Till the fabric dries. It's a Summer-time project. Maybe early Fall.

DaM: So it tends to create a reverse color...?

MM: A reverse shillouette. Bascially where the light does not hit the fabric--in other words, what's blocking it--the color doesn't take. And how much color it doesn't take depends on how quickly it dries.

DaM: [indicates a beautfiul spiral peice] Now this is stitching, right? Embrodery work?

MM: Yes, but it's free-form. There's no attachment. I'm the attachment. This one is pieced and quilted, that one is pieced--most of these have sun-prints. For this one I did a paper cut-out and used that to make the sun-print.

In part two we'll visit Ms. McFarland's studio and talk about process and techniques.