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This group of three paintings was inspired by a group of Berber textiles from the high Atlas mountains of eastern Morocco, which were included in a wonderful exhibition of Moroccan textiles organized by the IMA, and illustrated in the catalog.
The traditional weavings - primarily womens' shawls and head scarves - were of homespun wool and some other fibers, such as linen and even silk, dyed with natural colors including henna.
The paintings employ simple forms, as displayed by the original weavings, focusing on the subtle shades of a narrow range of earth colors, tones and textures. In addition to a variety of synthetic earth colors, I have incorporated natural fibers such as powdered henna, fern down and even corn silk.
In some cases I have also added painted medallions, based on unrelated found objects, which resemble the stamped or embroidered devices found on some traditional textiles - originally signifying some religious or ethnic association.
