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TEACHING PHILOSOPHY My philosophy of teaching is that we all have the ability and desire to create with our hands and our hearts. There are no mistakes, only design elements. The teaching environment I create will be supportive and invigorating, and students are encouraged to assist each other with techniques and ideas. Experimentation is applauded and students in my classes often come up with great techniques, tools or ideas. Classes can be designed to fit within the needs of a specific person, organization or time frame. Class fees vary based on length of time and number of students enrolled. Please feel free to contact me if you have an idea for a workshop that is not listed balow. YOUTH AND TEEN CLASSES:
STUDENT WORK
PRINTED AND DYED FABRICS
Students will manipulate fabric in a variety of ways, while creating a stash of fabrics to be used in future projects. Techniques may include but are not limited to: · Wax batik · Crayon painting · Silkscreen · Shibori (tie-dye in various forms) · Direct painting on fabric · Stamping on fabric · Discharge printing on fabric (bleaching) FABRIC QUILTS FROM DYED
AND PRINTED FABRICS Follow-up workshop to Printed and Dyed Fabrics. Needs at least one week between to prep fabrics. Students will work in teams to create abstract wall pieces from fabrics that were printed and dyed in a previous workshop. Areas that will be emphasized include elements of design, fine motor skills, teamwork and consensus building. Students will use sewing machines to create the quilts.
DUCT TAPE: NOT JUST FOR
WALLETS ANYMORE! Students will learn how to work with duct tape to make wallets, flip-flops, hats and garments. Using some of the crazy new colors, we can create a walking talking fashion show, suitable for any date or prom!
ADULT CLASSES:
FABRIC CLASSES: ARTFUL SCREEN PRINTING
This class will focus on various silkscreen and thermo-fax printing techniques on fabric. Some special dye and pigment techniques will be taught, however, the main focus of the class will be learning the intricacies of silkscreen printing from start to finish. We will work on using the tools of silkscreen to create art pieces, whether as garments or wall pieces. Students must have taken at least one fabric dyeing class prior to enrollment. COMPOSING CLOTH: DESIGN
STRATEGIES FOR THE FABRIC ARTIST Designing and creating a finished work requires more than using the techniques and patterns learned over time. This class will reinforce the basic elements and principles of design. Students will hone their sense of design while talking, creating, critiquing, and sharing. Each student will learn how to de-code their work and decipher the uniqueness of their vision. FABRIC DESIGN WITH
DYES This class will cover the basics of applying dyes to fabric using a variety of techniques. Basic techniques will be covered first, and then students will work on their own projects and designs. The environment will be supportive and invigorating, and students are encouraged to assist each other with techniques and ideas. Experimentation is applauded and students in my classes often come up with great techniques, tools or ideas. Designed for the person who wants to work on their own without a huge monetary investment, we will work with many tools you will have access to at the local hardware store, copy center and office supply store. COMPOSING CLOTH II
Cloth is so amazing- it can change shape, texture, space just by the way it is manipulated and handled. And then there is the whole aspect of taking something which is essentially two-dimensional and transforming it into three-dimensions. In this class, students will transform their sketches and thought into sculptural objects, from un-wearable clothing to installation works of repetitious elements. Students will assist each other in the creation of several works that go beyond cloth as we know and recognize it. Students must have some knowledge of basic carpentry/construction tools, such as hammers, drills, etc. You just never know what we'll come up with in this class! Stephanie Lewis Robertson
CREATIVITY, DESIGN and DRAWING CLASSES: CREATIVE PLAY
So often we forget to play. We forget that playfulness can create joy. Look at kids as they are playing a game- I have watched children create the rules as they go along- one instance included a girl in a wheelchair, and the other girls she was playing with decided to be fish and mermaids. And they made her the castle, until she was tired, and then she became the queen mermaid. And then someone else wanted to be plant life and so it went- the imagination went wild. I know it is silly. And irreverent. And seemingly irrelevant. Except who said we have to be serious all the time? The art/quilt/fiber police. Oh PLEASE we all need levity and humor in our lives. So what are the ways that you play? How many of you try out new materials all the time? How many of you have tried old materials? Or kids materials? What about play dough? Do you all remember play dough? Does anyone remember those shrink things you would cook that made crawling bugs- were those creepy crawlers? What about easy bake ovens? What about dolls? What about paper dolls? This workshop is intended to help us out of our rut and into the realm of the imagination, where old toys become new tools for our work and experimentation. DELVING INTO SELF As our experience with materials broaden, our desire to use the tools for expression becomes even greater. Works that are solely about technique or materials no longer hold the sense of magic and wonder that we originally found. There is a yearning to dig deeper into what makes us complete, and to understand why we are attracted to certain colors, designs, patterns, etc. Students in this class will develop a series of designs based on their own sense of self. Starting with a vocabulary of art terms, each student will explore their singular vision as the foundation of a body of work. Specific exercises will be given to the students that may be translated into fabric pieces during the class. Students must have some prior knowledge of adding color to cloth through dyes or pigments. DESIGN CHALLENGE
COURSE Stuck in a rut for design ideas? Wanting to challenge yourself with assignments, vocabulary and new color schemes? You know what you like. You know what appeals to you. You recognize certain lines or shapes or colors that just make your heart go pitter-patter. BUT…. You don't know why they resonate with you, or how to incorporate them into your own work. Students in this class will learn how to use the Elements and Principles of Design to enhance their work. This class is designed for any artist working in a craft medium. Assignments will be given to reinforce the "vocabulary" being taught, and students will be encouraged to translate that language into their own pieces. This class is designed to push the envelope with projects based on the elements and principles of design and is open to artists working in any medium. DESIGN ON THE ISLAND
As we all know, Washington Island is a treasure-trove of pattern and design inspiration. In this class we will explore Washington Island. Mornings will be spent visiting the beaches, parks and sites to gather and draw what is around us. Afternoons will be spent working on designs using those gleanings. Assignments will be given to reinforce the "vocabulary" of the elements and principles of design, and students will be encouraged to translate that language into their own pieces. DRAWING WORKSHOP FOR
FABRIC ARTISTS If you are afraid of drawing, or want to brush up on your skills, this is the class for you. By looking at the world around you and learning basic drawing techniques, you will feel more comfortable expressing yourself with pen, pencil, ink and/or charcoal. You will reinforce the visual skills you already incorporate into your fabric art!
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