New Year's Eve with Batiks at the DMA

New Year's Eve is upon us thus Mister and I are off to enjoy a wonderful day together.  The Dallas Museum of Art opens at 11 a.m. and since that's our first destination, I guess I should get dressed and ready to go.

The reason for the trip is that there are two exhibits ending this week and we have not yet been able to immerse ourselves in them.  The first is "Divine Felines:  Cats of Ancient Egypt" and the second is "Art and Nature in the Middle Ages."  Both are absolutely wonderful and as we slowly work our way through them, find numerous items to peak our curiosity as well as get me questioning.  Yep, that's me -- always wondering.

After those two exhibits, Mister tells me that he learned about a batik exhibit here.  What?  Oh goodness, lead the way up to the third floor.  From the moment the exhibit is spotted, I am in heaven.  It's glorious and goes into depth on the process used in Java, Indonesia.  I am enthralled with the ability to touch and feel each step of the process and see the intricacies used in creating elaborate and beautiful wrap skirts.  Feel free to click on these photos so that they enlarge and you can read all the great information.

These are a couple of the tools used to create these masterpieces - either stamps or hand-drawn, which remind me a bit of calligraphy pen.  These are both conveyors of the wax which is required in this technique.

There is a display of a partially done batik -- with wax still to be added to a portion of it before dying along with the tools used.

I am in total awe of the time required to make these masterpieces.

While I LOVE the process of the batiks we can buy today in most stores, they do not even begin to compare with these amazing works of art.

Mesmerized is the word that comes for mind for what Mister and I are.

Here is a close up of the one above.  Look at the detail and the number of times it has been waxed and dyed, keeping in mind that any neutral area must be waxed each and every time.  Crazy cool, huh?  To the right is a close up of another one that shows you the intricate lines created with each time it enters the dye and then has the wax washed out.  Here is the entire product.  Again, enlarge the photo to see how amazing those lines are.  This one is a direct result of a pattern such as the one in the initial "touch" exhibit above.  Wow.

The next one I have a hard time photographing as there is a window that just feels it must emit light onto the case around this one.  But, oh my goodness, check out the incredible detail.  The first thing I thought of was a Dear Jane pieced top.  Only this is hand stamped or drawn multiple times.  Honestly, bowing all the way down to these Indonesian artists.

After that incredible exhibit, we are back downstairs and stop in the gift shop to see a Pantone exhibit featuring this year's Color of the Year:  Greenery.  It's so superior to last years baby pinks and blues that I want to do a dance.

A couple more shares for ya'll only I'll direct this one to Stephanie and Stephannie ---- What do you think?

Can anyone else see a quilt in this box?  I sure can.  Oh the fun places I could go with this.  Mister's eagle eye pointed it out to me and within seconds my camera was out and clicking away.

Well, that's it.  I hope you have a Happy New Year and fill it with joy, friends, and family.  I know I'm gonna try to.  Oh, and one more thing:  YOU --- fill it with a little bit of something for you.  YOU are an important person too.  Hugs, Deb