Last week I was fortunate enough to conduct both a 5-day and a 2-day workshop on my unique melting technique while at QSDS (Quilt and Surface Design Symposium) in Columbus, Ohio. It was a wonderful experience, especially since the everyone has 24/7 access to the classrooms on the Columbus College of Art and Design campus. As a result, I got plenty of new work constructed, stitched and melted. Since coming home, I finished framing them.
Before each session at QSDS, there's an evening for instructors to share their work or inspiration with through a Power Point presentation. Both times I talked about Friedensreich Hundertwasser, his concepts of individuality, and the fact that my work is meant as an aerial view to an imaginary Hundertwasser city. I shared images from my October 2009 trip to Vienna and the Hundertwasserhaus. Everyone loved the story. This wasn't my first trip to see Hundertwasser's building, but it was the trip for which I had images! At the time, I was already creating my In Box series. The trip just reinforced my love of architecture even though I had no idea that I'd still be making pieces nine years later. Thank goodness, I still love making them! Three more were created while in Columbus.
When conducting one of my HOT workshops, I never start out with the In Box series. To make one of these pieces, participants must have at least some ability to free-motion stitch. So instead, I start out making these "relics". People can stitch by hand, machine, both, or neither. The process is fool-proof and I make it a point to finish each and every demonstration. While creating these pieces, I cut, fuse, melt grooves in the polyester velvet with a soldering iron, stitch by hand, stitch by machine, and add beads. These little gems allow me to show various ideas without touching a participant's work. They also help me explain that my workshop isn't suppose to add to anyone's pil of UFOs. (Unfinished objects). By framing and selling them, I'm trying to impress people that my workshop is about making ART, not making samples or just trying out potential ideas. I think it is important to "work like an artist" while teaching.
Even though I generally come away from every workshop with at least one or two "Relics", it was wonderful to return from Ohio with five pieces, including two Lancet Windows! I had plenty of custom-picture framing to do when I got home, but at least some of it was my own!
This week has been busy. It is always busy after I'm away for a week, but this week is also hectic because I'm preparing to leave again. On Sunday afternoon I'll be pulling into the driveway at the Rensing Center just outside Pickens, South Carolina. This art residency program is a two-and-a-half hour drive into the rural, rolling hills near Clemson University. I'll be there for five weeks working on a major installation, The Cocoon. I got a South Carolina Arts Commission grant to assist with some of the costs involved and plan to blog at least once a week on the progress of this project. I've been so excited about it ... but as Sunday approaches, I'm getting a little nervous. This project is going to be super large and not like anything I've ever done before!
I am linking this post to Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Fridays", a site for sharing fiber artworks.
3 comments:
Your work is fabulous! Looking forwards to seeing the “Cacoon”!
Congrats on the residency. I am just finishing up my first artist in residence and plan to look for more to do!
Oh Susan! I am in awe of your plans to use all of those vintage linens and buttons - I consider myself a saver of hand stitched linens and think about the stories that go along with them. I have to find out how far away your residency is from Beaufort - maybe a visit in the future; I would LOVE to see your creativity up close and personal!!! Thank you for sharing!
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