From Wax to Watercolor

I love new batiks. I love the clean saturated color, the feel of the fabric and even the smell. These beauties are from Robert Kaufman. There's a good slideshow on the process of creating batiks here:  http://www.robertkaufman.com/fabrics/artisan_batiks/?show_all

Garthwaite - Victoria & Albert Museum for Rowan Westminster - that's a mouthful, but such a treat for the eyes and hands (terrific hand feel). This particular line, while historically-based, looks like it could be from a contemporary designer. I did a little digging at V&A online and found the artist was Anna Maria Garthwaite (1690-1763) - http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O91145/design/ , who created designs for the silk textile industry. What appeals to me, aside from the colors and depiction of nature, is the watercolor look of the design... and what do you know, the original was a watercolor (I had no idea about that or the vintage of the design until I looked it up). Mixed in with Garthwaite are a few bolts from another Rowan designer, Martha Negley: Farmington, which includes Feathers, Crabapple Path and Guinea Hen.

--Carol