Barbara Sferra - Waiting for Rain

I had some very old fiber reactive dyes sitting around and did not want to throw them away. So I decided to experiment with it. Using some white cotton sheeting, I created several abstract-sized quilted pieces, leaving the top open. In addition, I created a few fringed pieces, leaving a pocket at the top.

I attached these pieces to some vines from my yard and hung them in a tree on Sep 17. I then proceeded to place the dye powder in the “fabric pockets” in the top of each piece to see how rain would interact with the dye. A week passed and no rain.

However, the evening temperatures began to drop creating some condensation which activated a little of the dye powder. Still no rain in the forecast. On Sep 28 a light rain arrived activating more dye powder, producing a bit more color down the pieces. On Sep 29 a heavy thunderstorm drenched the pieces, releasing more dye.

I am anxious to see how nature changes these pieces over time.