Lesley Richmond: From conception to creation

Lesley Richmond was born in Cornwall, England and now lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She received her art teachers training in London and her MEd in the USA.
She taught in the textile arts program at Capilano University, Vancouver from 1973 to 2003 while continuing her practice as a studio artist. Lesley now works full time in her studio.
Her work is in collections in the USA, Japan, Poland, Korea and Canada. Recent exhibitions include SOFA Chicago, 2007 to 2017 with Jane Sauer Gallery and Tansey Contemporary Gallery, Santa Fe, USA.
Lesley is inspired by the architectural elegance of trees; tranquil and timeless. She says;
Trees are an important symbol in many cultures. They are used in myths and legends and are generally a revered image. Their long lives allow them to watch over many changes in history. There is a change in atmosphere as one enters a forest, which could give a feeling of a sanctuary or convey a sense of unease. Forests have been used as a setting for countless magical stories.
Lesley photographs trees, focusing on the intricacy of their branching structures and then prints these images on cloth, using a medium that creates a dimensional surface. She then eliminates selected background areas, leaving the structural images of trees as the dominant feature. The images are then painted with metal patinas and pigments.
You can read Lesley’s interview with TextileArtist.org here.
In this article, which is part of our From conception to creation series, Lesley’s gives an in-depth account of how she created her magnificent forest study, Woodland. We learn what instigated the piece and how using Kozo Bark Fibre was central to its growth.

Lesley Richmond, Woodland, 2017
Name of piece: Woodland
Year of piece: 2017
Size of piece: 7 feet horizontal by 4 feet vertical (213cm x 122cm)
Materials used: Silk blend fabrics, silk organza, dimensional ink, iron patina, acrylic paints, pigment/dye mixtures, transparent oxides, kozo fibre
Techniques used: Silk screen printing, collage, painting, perforation
Celebrating the seasons

Tree on the North Yorkshire Moors
TextileArtist.org: How did the idea for the piece come about? What was your inspiration?
Lesley Richmond: I had a request from the Tower Hill Botanic Centre near Boston, USA for a piece to be part of an exhibition to fill a 7 ft by 8 ft space. I decided to do one large piece for maximum impact.
The show would be celebrating the seasons and, as it was scheduled for August/September, I decided to use rich Autumnal colours using iron rust and metallic paints.

Woodland rust detail
I wanted to use some dramatic tree forms that would work well in a large scale piece. I chose images from a photograph of a stand of trees, taken on winter’s day on the North Yorkshire Moors, near my sister-in-law’s house.
The trees were old and weathered and had a strong timeless quality. There was a pleasing similarity of branch and trunk shapes, but with a variation in size, which made it an interesting grouping.
Was there any other preparatory work?
I adjusted the contrast and brightness of the tree photos, using Photoshop and then printed the images on paper. I separated the trees and changed the scale. I then had photo positives made and the images were transferred to several silk-screens.

Print from Photoshop
I chose a coroplast board, 5 feet by 7 feet, on which I could experiment with different compositions.
I decided what ‘mood’ the piece would have i.e. dramatic and timeless. Then I chose different size trees to create dramatic groupings and a feeling of distance and space.
What materials and equipment were used in the creation of the piece?

Thermofax Screens developed in a Thermofax imager

Silk Screen, Stanley’s Sign and Screen Supply, Richmond, Vancouver, BC

Silkscreen, Storage

Stainless Steel Pot and Hot Plate for cooking kozo fibre

Wood Burning Tool for perforating selected areas

Acrylic, custom made tray to fit over sink, allowing large screens to be washed. Notice heavy use of black gesso!

Powerful Extractor Fan and Iron, for setting inks
The main material is Kozo Bark Fibre, used in Asian paper making. It had to be cooked, separated and teased whilst moist until it dry and ready for use.

Kozo Bark

Cooked Kozo

Separating moist Kozo

Teasing moist Kozo

Finished Dry Kozo
From rough to refined
Take us through the creation of the piece stage by stage.
I printed several images from each screen, processed and stiffened the separate images of the trees, so I could arrange them on a 7 ft x 5 ft board and change the composition until I got something I liked. I printed extra images so I could cut these up and add parts to existing trees to change the composition.

Silkscreen

Stiffened trees
I start with a few strong images, then the piece evolves as I add elements to integrate the trees into the finished landscape. Many changes take place on its journey to completion.

Two Prints making one image

Images arranged on board with fabric ground added
When I thought the composition worked, I glued the trees together. I then glued two layers of fabric together for strength and texture for the ground.
For delicate compositions, I could use silk organza and sometimes canvas for more dramatic pieces. The fabric creases and distorts and I used this as part of the surface texture. I pinned the fabric on the coroplast sheet and placed the trees on top, making sure the piece hung straight.
Sometimes I had to cut and re-glue sections, making tucks and darts, so it hung properly. I then glued the trees onto the fabric and painted the fabric with the ground colour. I added ground textures i.e. grasses, leaves etc., which I cut up and glued on where needed.

Grasses added to ground
When I was satisfied with the composition, I painted the images with black gesso, to seal them and create a dramatic contrast to the background. I glued kozo fibre to the ground fabric, to suggest grasses and ground texture. I used Jacquard’s Dye-Na-Flow, a mixture of dye and pigment to paint the ground fabric and sky.

Painting with Black Gesso

Background details added

Kozo texture added
Several layers of iron patina are used on the trees and ground texture and left to develop and rust for several days. I applied transparent oxides over the rusted iron to add subtle colour changes.

Rust Patina added
The piece looks rather rough at this stage and will need to be refined by adding highlights, shadows and definition, with acrylic paint, which shows up the surface texture and metallic paints which give rich highlights.

Painting Red Acrylic

Painting Black Shadows
I spend a lot of time integrating the different elements i.e. making the trees look as though they are ‘grounded’, by placing undergrowth textures around the trunks. I also suggest hills and valleys by painting different tones of colour on the ground area.

Dimension added with Fibre Paste
As I am painting on the black surface, I need to apply several layers of colour, so I work from dark to light, finishing with metallic highlights.

Painting Blue Shadows
I may add focal points, which help to direct the eye.
I can change the piece at any time if I think something isn’t right, pulling out selected areas and replacing them with something, hopefully, more suitable.

Painting Orange Highlights

Woodland paint detail
Hangers are made with layers of cork board attached to metal off-sets and glued on the back of the piece, so it hangs away from the wall, giving a transparent feeling as light passes through the kozo fibres.

Woodland detail
These pieces will roll up because of the flexibility of the kozo backing, making shipping and installation easier.

Rolling up the piece to put in tube for mailing
What journey has the piece been on since its creation?
This piece will go to the Tower Hill Botanic Gardens, near Boston, MA, USA for an exhibition, called ‘Strand and Stem’ in August/September 2017.
If it is still available after the exhibition, it will travel to SOFA Chicago (Sculpture Objects and Functional Art) Fair, in 2017, or ‘Collect’ at the Saatchi Galleries, in London, UK, 2018, with Tansey Contemporary Gallery, Santa Fe and Denver, USA.

Lesley Richmond at work

Lesley’s Studio
For more information visit: www.lesleyrichmond.com
Got something to say about the techniques, materials and processes used by this artist? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
What an amazing process! I love the look and feel – it carries a lot if emotion. The living dimensions of the trees really come through.
Extraordinary work, techniques and processes. I was wondering what material/product is used to create the metal (iron) patinas?
I use a product called ‘Sophisticated Finishes’ by Triangle Crafts or Modern Options.
They do many different kinds of metal patinas, which can be bought in small containers in art supply stores.
Lesley
I am in awe after watching this review. I would love to learn these processes. You work is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
What amazing work! – so beautiful. Will we get the opportunity to see any of your work at the Saachi Gallery this year Lesley – do hope so ? Must try playing with Kozo fibres – Do you give lectures or workshops where you live in the States – pity you’re not in the UK.
Thank you so enjoyed looking at your work and the process.
very beautiful.
Amazing piece and work, love it!
Thank you for all the in-process photos and explanations. Knowing the myriad of steps and thought processes helps one to appreciate it even more. Fabulous piece!
Great article. I have always loved Lesleys’ work and seeing the process has inspired me.
Totally stunning and fabulous. So well thought out and unique. I appreciate the sharing process. Hope you could show this work in California
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful work and intricate process! I was curious how you “cut out” your trees after they were silk screened? Did you use devore?
Do you have any workshops scheduled for an exploration with you of this process ?
I would be intrigued to be part of such an exposure .
You mentioned where this piec is , but is there an exact schedule available for us who
wish to see it ?
Thank you
Enjoyed seeing your process. I live in Vancouver area. I any of your work in galleries here?
Wow what a big work is this!
Very beautiful!
Stunning piece of work and really creates the feeling of being in ancient woodland in autumn.
Simply beautiful. I love trees and you have captured them with all their beauty. Thanks so much for sharing your techniques. Art is as far as the imagination takes us. I am simply amazed at what we, human, create.