| Patricia Elmes Farley
Ms. Farley has been happily making art wear in her studio in the
Strip District of Pittsburgh for twenty years. She grew up in
Michigan, and graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore studying
English and Art History. She worked in publishing, retailing, and
social work before following her passion for textiles. In 1994,
Patricia made the transition from weaving to surface design. Her
work with color and pattern became more spontaneous and direct. Her
garment designs became more personal, she designed the shirt she
always wanted to wear, and the FARLEYFARLEY label was born.
Batik is the favorite technique used by Patricia to
achieve the pattern and color of her fabrics. "I have always
been fascinated by the intersection and layering of colors. When I
moved from weaving to surface design I translated the warp and weft
into the batiked layers of color and line." The wax flows from a traditional tjanting tool, brush
or stamp as if it were flowing directly through her fingers. She
works quickly, the wax working as both a containment line for the
painted dye and as a design element. Patricia mixes her own colors
of dye, four or five in each layer and applies them with a brush.
Once she starts to paint the fabric the process must continue till
it is complete. Sometimes the dyes stop at the
line of wax, sometimes they softly bleed into the next color. There
are always surprises. The batik process is repeated with another
layer of wax and dye. The painting is done. After washing, dry
cleaning and ironing, the fabric is ready to be cut and sewn into a
finished garment. |
