Valerie Doran Bashaw « Jan Jensen Artists

I am way excited for you to meet Valerie Doran Bashaw! Her body of work is luxurious, beautiful, and expressive. Her work has inspired our first virtual show. Be sure to get in touch with me if you would like to see these pieces up close and personal! To purchase please visit our FB page or Shopify store.
Enjoy,
Jan, May 2020

Valerie Doran Bashaw, of Kansas City, Missouri, is a fiber/mixed media artist and fine arts educator. With a BA from Kansas City Art Institute and Master’s Degree from the University of Michigan, she teaches studio art courses (Fiber, Design and Art History and Art Survey) at the college level and works with senior citizens and special populations, in addition to summer classes at the Ghost Ranch. A teacher for over thirty years, she is a curator and artist at Leedy Voulkos Art Center with a solo exhibition in March 2020. “I absolutely love to teach, to connect and inspire my students makes me so happy!” Her artwork in Mixed Media Textile Design including silk scarves and wall hangings with a meditative Japanese aesthetic using techniques like shibori, tie-dye, batik, Japanese paste resists and more. New work is rust printed, and embroidered with fine and metallic threads. Inspired by geology, geography and the weather, these pieces often are like regional landscapes. A large commissioned work was installed at the University of Kansas Hospital in 2011 and works are in public and private collections. “My work is quiet, often meditative, my intention is for you to sit with it, be quiet, and come into balance.” Find her at www.wovenwind.net

Blue Skies Smilin’ At MeThe magic of Valerie Doran Bashaw. . . .Vintage cotton, metallic thread, and rust printing became this whimsical piece!
10 x 16″ $600

Syncopation Shibori dyed fabric, silk brocade, hand stitchingReminding us of the syncopation of jazz.20 x 14″ $1000What is Shibori Dye? Shibori dye is an ancient Japanese method with many variations. Valerie accordion folds fine fabrics, wraps them around bamboo, cooks them in the dye, or paints dye on directly. Patterns are reminiscent of shadow on the water, wood grain, striations in rocks, and weather patterns.

Open the Window!
printing, applique, metallic stitching on eco-dyed fabric
creating one of Valerie’s favorite pieces!
30 x 14″ $1000
Eco-dye is a wonderful process that can be done in many ways. Valerie wraps the fabric around a bamboo core along with flowers, seeds, and stems that have the ability to transfer color as they are gently cooked for an hour.

Free Tibet
Shibori dyed silk, stitching
19 x 12″ $800
“This piece really moves me. I see tall mountains, and perhaps water or snow coming down them. I hand-stitched on the sides to emphasize what I was seeing, and carefully placed the fabric on saffron yellow silk and shimmering green sari fabric. This piece honors the struggles of the Tibetan people and my reverence for the Dalai Llama.” Valerie

Sound Waves
image transfer, resist-dyed fabric, printing
12 x 12″ $500
Valerie transferred an image of a boy playing an instrument and then collaged with silk fabric that she had dyed and rust printed. Stitching accents the image.

Fireworks
resist-dyed silk, stitching
14 x 16″ $600
“As I bound, wrapped, and dyed beautiful medium-weight silk fabric, I saw reflections in the water. I stitched on the fabric to show the fireworks and their reflections on the water. . .with playful patterns and colors.” Valerie

Autumn Equinox
eco-dyed silk, printed, applique, stitching
20 x 22″ $1000
The fabric is a fine quality linen table cloth that Valerie first rust printed using saw blades. “I love circles and all that they can symbolize. I printed the patterns of leaves, added applique, and metallic threads. The imagery is reminiscent of full moons and changing light as the sun sets and the winds blow.” Valerie