Painting With Sheers, With Kate Bridger

Type: Workshop

Level: All levels, but must be comfortable using a sewing machine.

Description: Painting With Sheers is a workshop designed to teach enthusiastic fabric manipulators how to use sheer fabrics in their work to create light and shade, how to layer fabrics as a way of 'mixing' colours, and how to create texture in art pieces by scraping, shredding, fraying and otherwise abusing sheer fabrics. Outcomes and resulting projects will be up to each participant. Kate does not teach how to recreate her work or anyone else's. She encourages experimentation, not necessarily 'pretty pictures' at the end of the day. The ‘magic’ of art is in the conversion of a two-dimensional blank canvas into a vibrant image that convinces our willing eyes to see something that isn’t really there. The skilled ‘technician’ can reproduce an image accurately and persuasively mimicking all the elements of light and dark necessary to be credible. An artist, on the other hand, will take that same image and communicate not only its physical form, but also its essence. The process required to take apart an image, identify its components and reassemble it in a refreshing and innovative way is mastered with practice and discipline. For some it is almost intuitive; for most of us, it is achieved by persistent observation, diligence and repeated trial and error. Kate's workshops are not designed to get you to your destination by the end of our sessions. Her intention is to get you started and to encourage you to think, see and interpret in new ways. The rest of the journey and your arrival are up to you. Please note - This is NOT a sewing workshop; it is an ART workshop that happens to use sewing machines!

Instructor: Kate has been a practising Fabric Artist for over 35 years, has participated in many exhibitions, and has led numerous workshops across the country. She has lived in BC for 30 years, four in Comox. Previously, Kate lived in Nelson BC, where she owned an art and framing gallery for ten years, where she organised art groups for youth as well as Fabric Art classes for adults.

Materials required by participants:

• A portable sewing machine. Please come to the workshop comfortable and familiar with the workings of your machine, particularly the free motion/darning capabilities. Only straight stitch and zig zag stitching are required
• An iron and towels or portable ironing surface
• One metre of 'heat and bond lite iron on adhesive'
• A selection of regular sewing threads in a variety of colours – nothing fancy, just your regular poly-cottons
• Ordinary glue stick
• Tracing paper, either a roll or 11" x 14" sheets (available at art stores)
• Paper and fabric scissors
• A ruler, pencils, crayons and regular markers
• A cutting edge, cutting board and cutting blade (preferably a #11 scalpel)
• An old bedsheet or a couple of metres of broadcloth (neutral colour) to use as backing for projects
• Fabric scraps - a good variety of sheers and organzas
• A plastic or paper bag to tape to your work table to catch scraps and bits of thread (it makes clean-up easier at the end)
• Most important of all ... bring a sense of humour and be prepared to have fun!

Fee: Members $125, Non-Members $155, Fee is for both sessions

Registration: In person at Pearl Ellis Gallery. Register Online Now