Out of the Centre - CFAT Scholarship Screening

Join me and the rest of the CFAT Media Arts Scholarship gang at the screening of our works on Thursday 9 February 2017. The evening commences at 7pm.

I was awarded the scholarship in August of last year and have been participating in a series of workshops where we have been taught digital editing. As part of the mentorship, each of the scholars is paired with a mentor. I have been very lucky to be working with Susan Tooke, a prominent painter and media artist (and all round lovely person). 

The digital work I have been creating is a continuation of my MFA thesis work, where I was exploring the physical relationship between stone and human memory. In the CFAT scholarship I continue this in a metaphysical realm where the objects, when devoid of their physical presence, become weightless and float in space.

Detached objects is a philosophical investigation about stone and its human-lithic relationship with the development of the human mind. Heavy physical ceramic objects that resemble stones or asteroids have been animated, distorting our perceptions on their size, scale, and weight. The title is a play upon the meaning that is associated with comets that inhabit the distant region of the Solar System, and it is theorised by scientists that the impact upon the Earth of one or more of these objects may have been the catalyst for life as we know it.

Design and Print Your Own Tea Towel weekend workshop

I will be teaching a number of textile workshops at the NSCCD (Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design) during the winter semester 2017. 

Orange Fox by Willa

The second workshop I will be teaching is Design and Print Your Own Tea Towel. During this short weekend course we learn how to design and create simple stencils and explore shapes, colours, and layering working with opaque and transparent print paste. 

Experiments with overlaying coloured printing inks

We practice on cotton fabric and course participants will be provided with cotton and linen tea towels to print their final design.

It is fabulous to watch simple designs transform and become beautiful patterns on fabric.

Fun things happen when blending ink in a single stencil

The fabulous thing about this course is that all the techniques you learn during the two days are easily transferable and you can take this knowledge home and start printing on your kitchen table (if you so desire!)

COURSE DATE(S) 

Jan 28, 2017 to Jan 29, 2017

Saturday & Sunday, 1:00 - 4:00 pm

6 hours/2 days

Class size: 6 (no experience necessary)

REGISTRATION CLOSES 

Jan 23, 2017

COSTS 

$60 + materials fee $50 payable to the instructor on first day of class

Call Alexis, the NSCCD Studio Coordinator, at 902-492-2524. If you're leaving a message, please make sure to - Leave your Name, Number, and the Class you want to sign up for. If you're in a hurry, you can also call Becky, the NSCCD Administrative Coordinator at 902-492-2522.

Simply Irresistible Dye Techniques at NSCCD

I will be teaching a number of textile workshops at the NSCCD (Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design) during the winter semester 2017. 

The first workshop I will be teaching is Simply Irresistible Dye Techniques. During the course we explore a variety of resist dye techniques. Methods include the Japanese art of shibori (stitching, wrapping and knotting fabric) using indigo. 

Shibori with indigo

We also create a book of samples (cotton, silk and wool) experimenting with natural dyes such as madder (beautiful turkish reds), cochineal (red from a beetle), log wood (purple), yellow from turmeric and weld. We over dye the fabrics to achieve further colours (greens, browns, orange) and also add different mordants to achieve different colours (beautiful greys).

Different colours of madder in the dye pot
(cotton, silk and wool)

We also play with alternative dye methods such as rust to create fascinating patterns.

Fascinating patterns dying with iron (rust)

And we create three dimensional fabrics using thermoplastic techniques which utilise heat to alter the fabric, and melt-off which removes metal from metal fabric coated materials. 

Sea Rhapsody
Three dimensional fabrics using melt-off and thermoplastic
techniques

Other resist techniques explored in the class include painting directly onto the fabric to create hand drawn designs. 

Hand drawn resist onto cotton dyed with indigo.

This class is simply irresistible with all techniques that are demonstrated and lots of fun. The great thing about the course is that all these techniques can be easily done at home and along with learning new techniques and you can also put your new knowledge towards creating a final project within the class.

Apron made with shibori indigo techniques

Registration closes January 16. 

Call Alexis, the NSCCD Studio Coordinator, at 902-492-2524. If you're leaving a message, please make sure to - Leave your Name, Number, and the Class you want to sign up for. If you're in a hurry, you can also call Becky, the NSCCD Administrative Coordinator at 902-492-2522.

Simply Irresistible Dye Techniques

Mondays, January 23 – February 27 

6:30-9:30 (18 hours/6 weeks)

$185 + materials fee $50 payable to the instructor on first day of class

Class Size: 6 (no experience necessary)