Art leads me on creative journeys of exploration and self-discovery as it frees my mind to unleash new ideas. Creating art lets me capture the moment with fabrics, paints, printing, multi-media, and surface design techniques.
FABRIC ART
“Fractals in Fabric“
Fractals capture my imagination as I create designs that explode into the infinite universe and implode to microscopic size. By investigating how nature reveals itself in fractal structures, I see the importance of scale. An atom’s design looks similar to a galaxy’s design. I create fractals on my computer; then I re-create them on fabric or paper and use embroidery and beading to enhance the designs. See my web gallery of “Fractals in Fabric“.
“Variations in the Dance of Life“
Nature inspires my fabric art as I manipulate hand-dyed and hand-painted fabrics and embellish them with free-motion embroidery, surface design techniques, and beads. I revel in the tactile pleasures of transforming fabrics and using varied types of stitch, dye, and paint to reveal light, movement, and color. Some of my designs explore nature’s colors, spirals, and textures. My designs encircle, spiral, branch, and wander as they simulate the universe at a microscopic level. DNA strands unfurl as organic growth and cellular images spiral upwards. Underwater creatures writhe and struggle while my invented biological microcosm zooms in on life and its turbulent, irregular, twisting flow patterns. There is no limit to nature’s inspiration in its amazing layered networks. See my web gallery of “Variations in the Dance of Life“.
“Landscapes, Seascapes, and Florals“
Land and sea inspire many of my designs. Often, I transfer my designs to fabrics or canvas and create mixed media art. Next I print, dye or paint the fabrics. Then the fun begins! I add sparkle, color, movement and light by using beads, ribbons threads, yarns, and numerous surface design techniques. See my web gallery of “Landscapes, Seascapes, and Florals“.
“Spirals“
I love creating eccentric shimmering spirals that careen, twist, and wander. My imagination transports me through spirals at microscopic levels of plant and animal life. Then, my imagination carries me through whirlpooling ocean currents and spiral galaxies. I experiment with mixed media to combine textures and colors of hand-dyed fabrics, painted papers, beads, and found objects. See my web gallery of “Spirals“.
“Biomorphs“
Art stimulates me to unleash new wild and fantastic visual ideas. I love to capture the moment, whether I am using fabrics, paints, printing, multi-media, or surface design techniques. Many of my organic designs reflect an invented biological microcosm. I call my new designs “Biomorphs” as I blend plants and animals through printing and creating collages. See my web gallery of “Biomorphs“.
— Donna Lee Dowdney, Bainbridge Island, Washington
donnaleedowdney@gmail.com
http://www.donnaleedowdney.com
Donna Lee Dowdney 