Hi all! I am finally getting around to some oh so much needed blog organizing and updating and wanted to give everyone a heads up that I’ve updated my “Memory Keeping” section to include my “Week in the Life” pages from 2012 and 2013. 2013 was probably my most favorite year so far. Hop over HERE and take a look at 2013 and HERE for 2012!
I’ve been really fascinated with image transfer for several years now and I’ve played around just a little bit with different ways to transfer an image from a piece of paper to another medium (mostly, of course, fabric). I had also played with beeswax just a little bit a few years ago at the Your Story retreat and it kind of cool. When I was deciding what my second workshop would be at Squam, I had a hard time choosing because none of the offerings were really anything that I knew much about….yep, getting out of that comfort zone. I chose a day of image transfer and beeswax … a little taste of something I knew a little about but still stretching.
Yes, another great great class! In the morning portion of the session, Courtney led us through demonstrations of image transfer techniques and then turned us loose. I was determined to get as many images ready to work on after lunch asap so they could have time to dry. I was really happy that I managed to complete two projects that day and come home with five more chunks of fabric with images ready to be revealed (yup, hoping to get to those sometime really soon!) It really is kind of addictive. We learned packing tape transfers (super quick and immediate and soo much fun!), using blendy markers and acetone and then using gel medium and paint applied to fabric or wood (or probably pretty much anything you could put paint on and then wash off)….Did I mention it’s kind of addictive?! Add to that the charm of drying our projects in front of a roaring fire in a stone fireplace…hello? Heaven?
Packing Tape Transfers
After lunch, Courtney gave a demonstration on how to work with beeswax which was so cool (and went far beyond anything I’d known previously) and then it was time to get down to the serious business of making. Oh. My. Gosh. so much fun!!
Versailles
Image transfer: paint on wood, over painting, collage with paper, photos and fabric trim, edging of washi tape all coated with varying amounts of beeswax.
Palais Royal
Image transfer: gel medium on linen, embroidery with crewel yarn and floss, lace trim, vintage buttons. Then a great big deep breath and dipping the whole thing in beeswax. Top photo before dipping, next photo dipped and stitched onto it’s hanger… photo below, in it’s new home in the front hall
Leap. Of. Faith. and I love it
It was really cool to experiment with different media, different fabrics and colors and different embellishments.
I also came home with a number of images ready to be worked on at home (evidently, you can keep the paper stuck to the fabric for quite a long time and it still will “work” (note Studio Assistant Fred providing quality control)
Courtney was an awesome teacher, great at demonstrating and answering everyone’s questions…lovely lovely gal….She had sold our her book at the ArtFair so I ordered it on Amazon when I got home, and have been having a great time reading through it and thinking up projects! Thanks so much Courtney!!!
{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.
I really can’t tell you when I first learned of Nicola’s ethereal images, but they captured my imagination from the first time I saw them. I had decided to go to the fall Squam Art Workshop partly for scheduling and partly because the workshop offerings were not really fiber-based (the June Squam offerings skew much more toward the fiber arts in general) but collage, and mixed media and jewelry making and photography. Things that were not in my comfort zone. At. All. Time to experience something new.
I was soooo excited to see that she was coming all the way over from North Yorkshire in England to teach at Squam and I was fortunate enough to take a workshop with her. “Finding your Inner Muse”. Que the hand clapping and jumping up and down. If that wasn’t enough, there were two of us in the Thursday class so we got to spend loads of time on our projects.
First up… Finding our muse. We had brought/collected items that had some meaning for us, that we were drawn to….of course we had each brought many things, so we had to whittle them down to 6 (ok, 7 snuck one in ) write about each of them, create kind of a collage and then form a statement to guide our work. (It was really much more in-depth and thoughtful, trust me this is the cliff-notes version)
After lunch it was time to take the photos that evoked our muse. Let me just say at the outset that I love to take pictures but I am in no way a professional photographer. I couldn’t get my (just purchased and taken out of the package) remote shutter release to work, my camera was a little wonky on the tripod (which I had used several times before ) and my long lens decided to stop working… oh and did I mention that it started to rain…and Nicola had to tutor me on the proper way to fling fabric to make it look effortless
…in the rain, when you’re on the dock in your bare feet and a nightgown and a prom dress rolled up underneath for a petticoat…It was fun anyway and Nicola and our helper and my classmate were lovely and encouraging and so so patient with everything…and I’m very happy with my images… just a little bit of magic and a whole lot of learning.
When we were done with my photos, we worked on several photos of my classmate who was expecting her first baby and wasn’t sure she would ever have a photo of herself expecting. We made the most beautiful photos for her and then we all had a good little weep.
Sublime. Divine. Nicola’s magic on the moors transferred to a lake in northern New Hampshire. Thank you Nicola for your grace and generosity in sharing your work and yourself, it was a day I won’t soon forget xo
I have been delaying writing this post because, really, I am having a wee bit of difficulty putting my weekend at Squam Art Workshops into words. To be honest, last year I attended the Ravelry weekend at Squam Art Workshops and I felt a little lost as it seemed like everyone there already knew 100 other people, and their knitting was a.maze.ing. I knew no one and I was swatching an afghan. Then I met my cabin mates for the night and got in to the swing of things, and shopped at the ArtFair, and I felt a little better. Still not super-thrilled …. but, I decided I really wanted to give it another shot. I had heard about SAW since it’s inception and I wanted to go and have the entire Squam experience. I’m so glad that I listened to that little voice inside that said … go…give it another go…you will get so much out of it…this was the year.
I packed up the big grey bus and headed north to Squam Lake, to a big cabin called El Dorado and a big gang of fabulous, crazy women and a chance to make art for the weekend. And it was sublime and relaxing and oh so much fun.
The best parts?? here ya go…
*magical woodland-where fairie houses appear in the night and wood sprites leave wreaths to mark the trails (sorry so blurry!)
*magnificent northern lake-complete with haunting calls of an elusive loon
*kindred spirits ready with a smile, a hug, a glass of wine and hours to sit on a dock or in front of the fire and talk about life, art, and the essence of being alive
*phenomenal teachers to guide you on your artistic explorations with kindness and generosity
*a glimpse of the universe in the milky way and the northern lights against a background of infinite stars
*time to make art, to laugh, to walk, to swim, to chat by the fire, or just to be quiet and listen (photo by cjweinstein)
The gathering of like minded giving souls is magic. The setting is sublime. The lake will be calling us back again, I know. It was lovely and restorative and far far too short. Thank you Squam…see you next year! xo.
triggsey 