Sea & Surf ©

Technique: Silk and Metallic Thread Embroidery, Contemporary, Experimental
Length of Class: 2-3 days
Proficiency Level: Basic Intermediate to Intermediate
 
Class Description: A cool walk on the beach or the thunder of a wild day of surf, which would you pick? Bring your memoirs, photos, and join us as we enjoy the delights of the seashore. We will begin by playing with a variety of contemporary materials and ways of using them to create new surfaces. Our focus will be on ways of celebrating and interpreting sea and surf with silk and metallic embroidery threads. We will develop the background through voided areas and contemporary combinations of composed of interpretative stitches on Congress cloth.

The students will develop their own designs from the research of sea and surf patterns. There will be discussion of the types f design implications, and uses of the many materials provided including sea glass. The students will be encouraged to experiment with new ideas in working. Students will have a chance to create dimensional fabrics using sheers. Stitch techniques include surface embroidery over and in conjunction with canvas stitches.
 
Unusual materials will be explored: Sea glass, cellophane, and Angelina.

The students will be encouraged to investigate their own ideas. Many choices are available to the student:
·       Design development
·       Working samples and evaluating them as they will be applied in the finished piece
·       Working their own original design on white congress cloth

The students are encouraged to bring pertinent materials from home. They should also bring a sense of play and humor as we use some of the oldest and newest materials available today to create exciting new interpretations.
 
Note for the 2-day class: there will be more presentation and less time for the students to experiment and design their own piece. The emphasis will be more on techniques presented.