Upcoming workshops

I love what i do and I enjoy my own company, but sometimes its quite isolated working on your own, especially in the winer time.I was once part of a big communal artists studio where we drank endless cups of tea and had great chats and i miss that. I’m glad now to be seeing the back of those dark wintery, rainy days and i’m looking forward to the workshops that i have planned for April and May; I’m going to enjoy the interaction, the mutual appreciation for all things creative, expressive and messy, the friendly chats and the busy silences when you know people have lost themselves in their work.

Years ago i used to teach in various education settings, but specialised in adult education. I loved it and the best part was getting to know my students, the friendships we developed,  seeing their confidence grow and the enjoyment they experienced through creativity,which initially they had very little faith in.

My workshops are all about mixed media and manipulating a variety of materials; fabric, acrylic paint, papers and thread. We use simple and effective techniques; mono printing on fabric and paper making using old photographs, maps, wall papers,tissue paper, etc., which create interesting surfaces on which to stitch.

Below are images from my last workshop and show the results of our mono printing. Random mark making and prints from found objects such as clothes pegs, ends of thread spools,etc. created interesting patterns. Applying our own hand made papers, hand stitching and free machining (a function on specific sewing machines which allow you to draw with stitch) added extra texture and line to the fabric pieces. We used some fabric pieces to cover journals, which were completed on the day and brought home.

After creating our paper pieces we look at how we might create an art piece, either by bringing out background images and textures on paper or by applying patterns or line drawings to surface of paper. This is done with hand or machine stitching or appliquéd fabrics or paper,which i demonstrate. I also show how a drawing can be translated to a stitching drawing on a paper background. These are some sample images from talented past students who completed a 2 day workshop. You can see interesting uses of paper backgrounds; magazine images, text and an old clothes pattern in there too!

If you would like more information regarding workshop please get in touch!