Artists: Kat Allie x Heidi Herrman

Project Statment: Kimono Sleeves I: CALM and Kimono Sleeves II: STORM embody the endless possibilities in encaustic medium from delicate, transparent layers to bold, impasto movements captured in time. The Silk fabric that was used for both inspiration and as part of our finished pieces was once the lining of the sleeve of a kimono. The brightly colored waves represent; resilience, strength and personal growth. The history that encaustic produces through its layering process is reminiscent of the art of garment building with its fabric manipulation, interlining, lining and hand stitching. All are necessary components, and all are added or stitched at different intervals of time working towards completion. In Heidi’s piece she has incorporated not only the printed silk lining but also hand sewn wave patterns on a fabric that was used as an understructure for the front banding of the kimono edge. In Kat’s piece she incorporated impasto encaustic texture along with the silk kimono sleeve fabric, while referencing traditional Japanese woodblock imagery. Her process of scribing into the wax and then applying oil paint in the recessed areas followed by wiping it off, is similar to traditional printmaking techniques. Within this collaborative diptych, the yin/yang harmonies of light and dark capture the dichotomy of human emotions and creative expression.