Good morning everyone. I made it through the weekend. The old farmhouse was clean and shiny and my guests arrived on Saturday morning bright and early. The first 2015 "Getting Stitched On The Farm" Creative Retreat was a huge success. Funny thing was --- it wasn't exactly about stitching - it was all about fabric and color and design. But you know what you can do with fabric, right? Stitch it.
I had a full class of 6 women who came as far as Minnesota, Chicago, and many from the Boston area. Two of my students were "repeat offenders" - how incredible that they would come back and travel so far. I was honored by all their presences. My friend Cynthia (as in Roslindale Library Event Organizer) came early and we cooked and baked up a storm on Friday evening. She did the lunches while I taught. Thank you a million Cynthia!
In the morning after a quick tour of the handmade decoration in our farmhouse, I introduced the printing concept, some basic fabric design, the paints and materials. We got right down to work. Here are the girls cutting shapes and building their own individual printing stamps.
It is a messy process and maybe a bit intimidating if you haven't designed much before. They got through it though - with flying colors.
We had a delicious and colorful lunch - with Julia keeping us informed of Royal Baby #2 with live-streaming updates.
After lunch, we went back to the studio to start the fabric printing. This is when the inner artist/colorist in each person came out. I love to see what each student comes up with. Each design was so different from her neighbors.
As the students worked, I could see the wheels in their heads turning. Some abandoned their original ideas and moved onto new ideas. Some carried through with their original ideas.
Change and decision making is part of the design and art process and one that I find so important for learning.
Tomorrow I will share the finished work that the students made.
This class was such a success - filling up in rapid time. I'm going to offer it again this summer. Maybe you might like to come to the farm and learn how to print fabric. Watch this space. Better yet - sign up for my newsletter on the upper right side of my sidebar. I announce new classes first on my newsletter.
1 comment:
I am so in love with that Teal/Blue/Green design. Fabulous colors and great design. She should be a fabric designer.
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