This experimental workshop will focus on exploring relationships through the medium of portraiture by looking at family dynamics, friendships, or even the relationship between unknown people in a photo picked up in a thrift store.
The aim of the workshop is to encourage you to use exploration and experimentation to question what we really mean by portrait. We usually think of a portrait as an artistic representation which captures the likeness of a person but even more important is to capture their personality and their mood or in the case of a portrait of more than one person to capture the interaction or lack of interaction between them.
A portrait often shows a person looking directly at the artist in order to most successfully engage the subject with the viewer but a portrait can convey so much more than a likeness!
The workshop will start with a short digital presentation which will look at relationships between groups of people and why portrait doesn’t always mean capturing a likeness. The presentation will also cover, how colour can be used to convey personality and how it can change the mood of a portrait and why inanimate objects can represent the subject’s identity instead of including an image of the subject itself.
Over the period of 5 days you will use simple hand stitch techniques and appliqué to explore design and composition, learn the importance of sampling and how to add visual value to your piece by creating richly patterned or textural surfaces.
By the end of the workshop you will have the necessary skills to help develop your own narrative work further.
This is primarily a hand stitch workshop but you will have the option to focus entirely on hand stitch, or add machine stitch, combine both techniques or add appliqué and mixed media.
The techniques used in this workshop are simple and straightforward and are suitable for all abilities.
You are asked to bring a selection of drawings or photographs, text or anecdotes you wish to include or use as personal inspiration for your work. A full guide to choosing suitable images to work from will be sent out in advance of the workshop.
About Sue Stone
Sue Stone is a British artist and is best known for figurative, textural, stitched compositions that often have a partial narrative. Her ideas are drawn from anywhere and everywhere; the seen, the heard, the experienced, and her life observations.
In Sue’s work past and present combine to create the allusion of a journey through life. Quirky compositions about imagined journeys and unknown people, sit alongside self portraits and work about more serious issues. The techniques she uses are simple and straightforward; a deliberately limited vocabulary of hand embroidery stitches often combined with machine stitch, appliqué, and acrylic paint.
Sue’s teaching style is one of individual, personal tuition. She has taught workshops throughout the UK, in France, USA and Canada and regularly teaches online for textileartist.org Sue has exhibited her work worldwide and is an exhibiting member of the world renowned 62 Group of Textile Artists, an elected Fellow of the Uk Society of Designer Craftsmen and a member of the European Textile Network.
Rates & Enrollment
Day Student Tuition: $880.00
Full 5-Day Package*: $2,483.80-$2,697.64
*5-Day Workshop Package includes: Tuition for 5 full class days, 6 nights of dinner, lodging, breakfast, daily cookie and fruit breaks, unlimited coffee and tea, and welcoming wine and cheese reception. Your choice between a room to yourself (single occupancy) or bring a friend and split a room (double occupancy).
Get more information about your options to enroll here.