Batik is the process of patterning fabric with dye, using wax as a resist. It has been used for centuries in Africa and Asia, and batik fabric is commonly seen in clothing and tapestries.
I begin with white cotton or silk, and a skillet of melted wax. Using natural-bristle brushes, I paint wax where I want to keep the fabric white. I then dye the fabric with the lightest color I plan on using. Then, I paint melted wax every area that needs to stay that color, and dye the fabric the next darker color. Layer by layer, color by color, the image develops from white until the very darkest color of the painting. Normally, the entire fabric gets each dye color, but if I need a startling contrast in colors, I’ll apply the dye to a limited area with a paintbrush.
There is no retouching; once wax is placed on the fabric, it will not dye further. Once dye is on the fabric, it won’t lighten. As more and more wax builds up on the fabric, it breaks slightly, which allows darker dye to come through in lightning streaks, known as “crackling.” When the darkest dye has been applied, the image is done, but it is obscured by layers of wax. To reveal the image, I heat the fabric to remove the wax, leaving just a patina to protect the painting.
Because the process must be fully planned before I begin and executed in precise steps, I work from photographs that I’ve taken of my explorations. The nature of the medium lends luminosity to the subject, and so I use batik to create landscapes and portraits that emphasize the play between light and shadow.