Mertel The Turtle Fabric Arts

About Us - Miriam Jacobs
Resident Artist of Mertel the Turtle Fabric Arts

Many years ago, my cousin Nancy asked me to paint a yarmulke for her son’s upcoming Bar Mitzvah. Paint a yarmulke? I hadn’t done any art for years at that point, let alone paint on a yarmulke! Nonetheless, a few weeks later, I did indeed present a painted yarmulke to Nancy - in the spirit of her son’s interests, I painted dolphins jumping up out of the ocean on one side, and his Hebrew name rising up out of the ocean on the other side.

Thus began Mertel the Turtle Fabric Arts.

It has been a circuitous route. Many experiments were done to see how many ways I could decorate the humble yarmulke. One of my favorites was one that looked like watercolors (many thought it was tie dye), but because of technical problems with the fabric, I had to discontinue that style. Readers may remember these yarmulkes from when I called my work the StampHappy Company.

Other methods were developed, and these are the ones you see on this web site: hand-carved stamps, embroidery - even a do-it-yourself yarmulke stamping kit!

Along with the yarmulkes, I developed an interest in creating my own tallitot. I started by stamping them with my hand-carved stamps but later used other methods, including batik and a form of appliqué. Most tallitot are made from wool or silk, and while I originally intended to work on silk, I learned that silkworms are killed in the manufacturing process. As an alternative, and to keep the tallitot essentially kosher, I looked for a synthetic fabric. I found one that imitates the look and feel of silk - my clients often insist that it must be silk.

Indeed, many people do prefer silk, and I have finally found a silk that is made without the killing of the silkworms! However, it’s still a relatively new kind of fabric and I have not yet begun to experiment with it. I will, in the near future, learn how to print on this kind of silk.

In looking for a synthetic fabric for the tallitot, I learned about an exciting printing method designed specifically for synthetic fabrics. It’s called sublimation dye transfer and I learned it from textile artist Kerr Grabowski, and, later another textile artist, Lisa Grey. I loved it, and though I began by making monoprints, I eventually used the method on neckties. One of these days soon, I will use these sublimation dyes on tallitot as well.

Meanwhile, I was also experimenting with batik, an ancient art form using melted wax and dyes. A colleague who was moving back to India asked me to batik traditional Indian designs on lunch bags for her four-year-old students. I did weeks of research, finding inspiring graphic designs not only from India, but also Japan, Mexico, Africa and the Australian Aboriginal people. The lunch bags inspired the creation of a few batik wall hangings as well.

Over the years, I have carved stamps for others to use, on either paper or fabric or both. Sometimes, I have created stamped boxes to go along with the stamps.

What is not seen on this site is my figure drawing. As with some other above mentioned projects, they will one day have a web site of their own - although I do toy with figuring out a way to merge my textile work with the drawing. So far, I haven’t found a satisfactory combination but I am sure that experimentation will continue in one form or another. Until then, working on fabric allows me a freedom to experiment with color and texture in a way that is very different from using pastels in figure drawing. Carving and pattern-making come from a different place inside me than the drawing - more playful, less intense. But all of it is part of who I am, and I am pleased to share it with you.

Miriam

To view my CV click here.