Inventive Sketchbooks at Cloud 9

Set up ready for the workshop

If you've read this blog before you'll know that I love running workshops, I love that each time I run a workshop it's different and I learn something new, even when I've run the session many times before. Yesterday I ran my 'Inventive Books' workshop at the lovely Cloud 9 Studio Gallery in the centre of Dumfries. I had three great participants and we all had a productive, creative and enjoyable time. The gallery is a lovely place to visit, there are lots of lovely things to look at (and buy!) and Julie, the owner is really friendly.

Making pages for our folded books

Making pages for our folded books

Making pages for our folded books

It's unusual for me to have such a small group, hosting workshops can be expensive so generally places need a higher number of participants to make it work financially. It's a very different dynamic working with a small group and it was a nice change. The participants were all very creative people as well so that also changed the dynamic, throughout the day I had to remind myself that I was working as it was such a relaxed atmosphere it was more like a creative conversation than teaching.

Folding our books

Folding our books

Folding our books

I shared my processes for making my favourite folded sketchbook and envelope sketchbook and everyone had a chance to make one of each using a selection of papers that they felt inspired by or drawn to. One of the reasons I love making my own sketchbooks is that I can select the papers I use and make it personal to me. I like to draw on a range of different papers so making my own books means that I can pick out the papers I like and use them to create a sketchbook I know I'll want to work in.

Making covers

Making covers

Beautifully finished folding book

We also discussed ways of working in sketchbooks. Like many things, I think that for most people getting started is often the hardest part. As a starting exercise I gave everyone a word or phrase to get them going, I kept these deliberately vague so that lots of different ideas could be generated, it doesn't matter if these ideas don't lead to a final piece the important thing is to get going and start the creative process both in terms of thinking and making. Over the years I've backed myself into a corner (creatively speaking) so many times by getting overly focused on finding the 'right' idea to work on. Over time I've learnt that it's better just to do something, anything as the thoughts and ideas will flow much more easily.

Starting to work in our sketchbooks

Starting to work in our sketchbooks

Starting to work in our sketchbooks

Sketchbooks are very personal things and I love that each one made on this workshop is so different and reflects the personality of its maker. I finished the workshop feeling inspired by the conversations we'd had and happy that I was able to share some of my favourite techniques and hopefully inspire my participants to carry on their creative journey.

Finished books

Finished book

Finished book

Pictures with Fabric and Thread at The Eden Workshop

Building up an image of wildflowers using fabrics, lace and stitch

Recently I ran a new workshop at The Eden Workshop called 'Pictures with Fabric and Threads.' I had five lovely participants on my course, several of whom had been on workshops with me before. It's always nice when people come back for more, it's a good confidence boost! I'm always pleased to be asked to run courses at The Eden Workshop, it's a lovely friendly and relaxed venue and my participants and I are always well looked after and fed. There is also a great supply of materials and bits and pieces to satisfy my inner magpie.

My sample: layered fabrics, trims, beads and hand stitch

My sample: Lace, fabrics and machine and hand embroidery

Creating texture with layers of fabric and 'stitch and slash' techniques

Stitch and slash sample

The session came about as I'd already run several workshops here and Jane and I were thinking of new ideas. I really love playing with fabrics and textures so that was the starting point; a workshop that would give people an opportunity to experiment with different fabrics and threads to create a unique piece of textile art. When I'm teaching my main aim is to help people discover their own creativity and style, I hope I can give people the confidence to try something and follow their own ideas as well as teaching them specific skills.

Creating a plan to work from

Creating a plan and selecting materials

This workshop was a good chance for me to experiment and test a few techniques out too. Much of my work, particularly the bird portraits, focuses on one element (usually a bird) and rarely features backgrounds so for this workshop I looked at creating work that covered the whole of my base fabric. I take a lot of photographs, often of landscapes, as colour references and I decided to use some of these as inspiration. It was good working in a slightly different way as it allowed me to take processes I'm familiar with, such as layering sheer fabrics, and use them to create different effects. I was also very proud of myself for managing to create some smaller scale work!

Building up texture with different fabrics and layers

Building up texture with different fabrics and layers

Building up texture with different fabrics and layers

I also used this session as a chance to experiment a bit more with the sewing machine, looking at creating different 'stitch and slash' textures with layers of fabrics and trying out some of the more decorative stitches that I rarely use but which I thought would be good to incorporate into our designs. I thought this would give participants a chance to get to know their machines better and make use of more of the stitches available.

Building up backgrounds

Building up backgrounds

Building up backgrounds

During the workshop I encouraged my participants to pick an image and look at slightly abstracting or simplifying it by creating very rough sketches. Once we'd done this I then encouraged them to get stuck into the fabrics and materials and to pick a selection that appealed to them and suggested the textures they wanted to create; such as layers of fabric and lace for water or tweeds for fells. We then worked up our pictures in layers and added details with yarns, trims, beads and other embellishments.

Adding detail with yarn and beads

Adding detail with yarn and beads

It was a really enjoyable session to run. Everyone had different ideas and it was great seeing the pieces come together over the course of the day. Everyone had a go at the stitch and slash technique but because of the different materials they'd chosen and designs they'd created we got really varied effects. I always find this the most exciting thing about workshops; how people can take the same materials and techniques but use them so differently. I find this very inspiring and always go away from workshops full of ideas and eager to try new things!

Building detail with different textured fabrics

Adding detail with trims and beads

Textile Wall Hangings Inspired by Nature: RSPB Geltsdale

Getting set up for the workshop

Poster for the Workshop

Last year I ran two textile workshops (Bird Portraits) at RSPB Geltsdale, following on from my 'As the Crow Flies' exhibition. I really enjoyed the sessions, it's a lovely environment and I had a great group of participants on both workshops. I was asked to run another session this year to run alongside my 'Wingspan' exhibition. I didn't want to run the same workshop again so we decided on my Mini Textile Banners workshop, but with a new title as they thought 'banners' might put people off!

Ready for everyone to arrive

Getting stuck in

Playing with layers

This time my exhibition was still up when I ran the workshop (last time the workshops took place after the exhibition) which I really liked as I was able to refer to my work throughout the session and I thought it helped 'set the scene' a bit more. It's really good working in the gallery space as you have the work all around you to refer to and, hopefully, to inspire people.

Finished piece from last years workshop

Experimenting with layout

Experimenting with layout

Once again I had a really good group of participants, including quite a few who'd been on the previous workshops or attended some of my other workshops. It's always a good confidence boost when people come back! One of the participants from the last workshop brought her finished piece, it was a beautiful piece of work and I was so pleased she'd been inspired to carry on and finish it after the workshop. It was a very relaxed session and what I was really pleased with was that people really made it their own, everybody's banner was different and I was impressed and inspired by how willing everyone was to get stuck in, try things and experiment.

Adding stitch

Adding stitch

Adding stitch

When I'm running a workshop I'm not interested in everyone doing exactly the same thing and going home with a carbon copy of something I've done, I want to inspire people to be creative in their own way. I aim to encourage people to try something different and to have confidence in their own ideas. I love being able to show someone how to master a particular skill or technique but what I really love is when they then take that skill and do their own thing with it.

Pieces growing and developing

Pieces growing and developing

Pieces growing and developing

During the workshop I showed people how I create my textile banners, using naturally dyed fabrics, natural objects, stitch and other embellishments. I demonstrated different techniques and stitches but my focus was on encouraging people to create something unique to them, exploring their interests and ideas. It was great seeing everyone get stuck into the materials and start selecting bits and pieces and I loved seeing how the work changed and evolved over the course of the day. My pieces change and evolve as I'm working on them so I was keen for people to enjoy the process rather than worrying about doing things in a particular, set way.

At the end of the session 

At the end of the session 

At the end of the session 

I usually find that when I'm running a workshop I learn new things too and I find that some of my most exciting and enjoyable workshops are the ones where there is plenty of collaboration between myself and my participants. Sometimes it's discovering an artist to research, sometimes it's learning a different way to work a stitch and sometimes it's firing ideas around and finding something that really gets the creative juices flowing. Running workshops also gives me a good chance and a good reason to experiment, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut when working all alone but sharing my practice with other people opens up more opportunities for experimentation and new ideas.

At the end of the session 

At the end of the session 

At the end of the session 

During this workshop I had a chance to try out something I've been meaning to do for ages; incorporating limpet rings (limpet shells that have had their tops worn away, leaving a ring) into my work. Whilst we were away on Westray last year I collected lots of limpet rings and started experimenting but hadn't done anything with it since then. Seeing everyone working away with all the materials I'd brought got me all inspired to have a go and I'm really pleased with the results. I was so pleased that the next day I carried on working with the shells and made a small piece of work about tide and memory, which has been selected for Cumbria's Museum of Military Life Remembrance 100 exhibition, but more about that in another post.

At the end of the session 

At the end of the session 

At the end of the session 

Detail