RUST IN PIECES: Part 3-Rust As Art/ A Tribute to the Process of Eco Printing

A rust-dyed outfit I made using collected bits I've found in my wanderings. A tribute to my blog series using said materials laid out on a used-up canvas backdrop. A bucket of rust water...

When I was in my 20s, I worked as a figure model at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, LA. The teacher I worked with was kind, nurturing and supportive of my desire to be an artist, despite the fact that I wasn't a student. He always encouraged me to read the books in his office before classes began, to draw as I waited in my silk robe, and even participate in student discussions. He also occasionally would invite me to attend various exhibitions at the student gallery. A working artist himself, I believe he understood the inherent curiosity I had about art, and it is because of him that I had my first encounter with the process of rust dying, or alternatively, eco printing (direct image transfer of plant & mineral compounds onto fabric or paper by way of chemical reaction).

One afternoon, instead of going to group drawing, the class attended a presentation by a former student of SLU, Justin Barfield. To the best of my recollection (this was probably about 15 years ago, give or take) Barfield talked about his family's junkyard, and the memories it held. I don't remember how he described getting the idea to play with rust as a medium, as this was before the Australian dyer and artist India Flint's influence became the topic of discussion in the fabric art world and the object of many a Pinterest board. What I do remember, quite vividly, was the giant textile he unfurled before us- covered in patterns of old engine parts, farm equipment, and the unmistakable color of rust. To me, it was quite magical. It was like a junkyard quilt, a monument to time and memory...degradation and loss were the focus, laid bare for all to see. It has stuck with me all of this time, although for years I didn't think about it much again until India Flint came along and reminded me.

I wasn't able to find a photo of Barfield's rusty canvas, however I found he still uses rust in his work. Here is a piece from 2014 entitled "Scrap Pile" made with Paper, Rust, & Wheat Paste.

Like Barfield and Flint, I've spent a lot of time outside exploring, and collecting. Here &

there I've dabbled in eco printing whenever I came across a plant or rusty bit that spoke to me. However, I do not consider myself a fabric artist- it's just something fun to do, and it requires a little bit of a learning curve, and the space and materials. It is dirty and can be rather noxious, depending on what you're working with.

What I like most about eco printing is the connection to nature that is required, the time spent wandering and gathering, the unpredictable results and the overall messiness of it. If you're seeking perfection-run away- you will not like the results!

Strangely enough, I do tend to be a perfectionist, but perhaps that's why I'm drawn to eco printing and especially rust- it is a teacher. It humbles you. To understand the process is to understand something greater- sometimes you have to let go & let life happen, messy though it be.

Pondering India Flint in front of a backdrop of rust water...I achieved the streaked patterns on the top using pieces of rebar.

Me & hubby with an old rusted jalopy (Ford I think) found in Kaibab National Forest.

I suppose, in one way or another, rust drives us all home in the end...

With that in mind, I'll leave you with one of my favorite albums of all time:

Rust in Peace, Peter Steele, and all of the other souls we've lost who are blowing in the wind...

Copyright Lo Frisby, 2025.