“Life is a travelling to the edge of knowledge, then a leap taken.”
D.H. Lawrence
Cutting edge, water’s edge, gilt edged, edge of darkness, edgy, jagged edge are just some of the common phrases regularly used in conversation and yet the ‘edge’ is an underused area when creating. We usually work within the plane or surface of the paper or canvas, centred maybe, with little consideration given to the edge, however it offers us a rich area to explore. This workshop will compel students to consider how the edge has its part to play within the development of any design. It will particularly suit people interested in textiles, though would also appeal to those who work in mixed media or in other craft areas. It will be fast and furious, will provide a real creative workout and will refresh your thinking!
Students will explore the properties of the edges by working in the first in the first instance with different types of paper. Through a sequence of exercises in folding, cutting, combining, construction and destruction, students will explore a multitude of ingenious techniques and will generate a bank of samples and ideas ready to be taken to a next stage.
The next part of the workshop will be to translate/develop these into designs using drawing, fabric and other materials. Students will leave this workshop well prepared to inject new creative thinking into their own work.
Sheila Mortlock studied printed textiles and embroidery at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee and for many years has taught City & Guilds Stitched Textile courses. She is a past Chairman of Edge – Textile Artists Scotland, since 2013 a member of Textile Study Group and regularly runs workshops for textile groups. In 2014 she was invited to teach at the Association of New Zealand Embroiderers’ Guild Biennial Conference in New Plymouth.
Cost £80, plus small charge for specialist materials
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