Register Here
Jun 9, 2023 - June 11, 2023
Mixed Media Embroidery: Paint and Fiber
TAUGHT BY: Sarah K. Benning
Workshop Fee: $330.00
In this workshop participants will take inspiration from the flora around Sanborn Mills to create botanical drawings that will become painted and embroidered artworks. Through guided drawing exercises, we will explore observational and imaginary drawing strategies and create a composition for the final project. Once compositions have been completed, I will demonstrate how to transfer the drawings onto hooped fabric for the final piece. Next, we will explore acrylic paint, adding color to the drawings. I will demonstrate some painting basics, covering things like ideal paint consistency for fabric and as a base for stitching and some basic color theory while encouraging students to experiment and develop personal preferences within the materials. Lastly, I will demonstrate a series of embroidery stitches that can be used to create surface patterns and textures to enhance the paintings. Embroidery is an ancient craft with roots in nearly every culture across the globe. In Western/American culture it is often relegated to ‘women’s work’ and characterized as old fashioned, but embroidery is so much more expansive than that. It is a universal human pursuit with a powerful ability to connect. It is a wonderfully meditative craft that can be practiced in solitude as a centering exercise, yet the experience is only enhanced by stitching in community. During the course of this workshop, I hope we can challenge the preconceived notions of what embroidery is, while respecting the multifaceted history and cultural significance of the craft. I aim to facilitate creative exploration and skill development and spark a lasting curiosity and enthusiasm for making. Absolutely all skill levels in drawing, painting, and stitching are welcome.
Materials Fee: $35 Paid at time of workshop. This covers 7-inch wooden embroidery hoop, second-hand cotton fabric, embroidery floss, assortment of other second-hand fibers, thread scissors, acrylic paint, brushes.