Anne Dimit-Buckley is an Indianapolis fiber-artist. Many of her pieces are batiks, some of which are quilted. Batik is an ancient process that usually starts with a light colored fabric. Hot wax is applied to the fabric with brushes, and other tools to create a design or image. The fabric is then dyed and allowed to dry. Additional areas are covered with hot wax and the fabric is dyed a second color. This process is continued until the desired image is achieved. Where the wax is on the fabric the dyes won’t penetrate and each color created is represented where it was covered with wax. In addition, each dye color added to the piece blends with the colors that were previously added. The wax will sometimes crack, allowing the dye to penetrate where it couldn’t before. The end result is almost never exactly what was planned by the artist. This is part of the fun. When the piece is completed the wax is removed and the image remains. Batik can also be done by discharging (removing) color from a dark fabric. Some of Anne’s pieces have been dyed and waxed as many as 50 times to complete a picture.


Photo by Don Distel