The 25th Wanaka Autumn Art School - April 28 - May 2, Part the second.

A gorgeous sample that has plenty of foil and gilding flake - scrummy.

Well I'm home . . . and just about awake. I feel as though I have been away for 3 years, it was a fantastic break, but now there is a lot to catch up on. nid-noi.com has been busy while I was away with sales of the new KK glue going well. 


Some of the colour washed papers drying on the floor.

So . . . . . 
Back to Wanaka. I had the most fantastic week with this group, they worked really hard and played very nicely together, sharing materials and tools. This always helps a group to 'gel' faster. 

 As the group produced so much brilliant work I have had to split what they got up to into 3 posts.
This post is about the tearing and layering of paper with painted Bondaweb. We were using old books as well as newspaper. There was a bit of resistance to tearing up books by a couple of students - but once they saw we were using old books and atlases that were falling apart, they felt a lot better about it and went hurtling off to the local recycling centre and came back with armfuls of 'treasure'.

Some of the colourwashed book pages.


We started with small samples of around 5" square. I introduced the group to my 'backgrounds and prettys' technique. It is basically tearing and layering several times to build up gorgeous layered surfaces. By using transfer foils, gilding flake and mica flake as they layered, the students created some fabulous pieces.




Starting to work on the small samples.

Here are some of the layered samples . . .

















 
We even had time to get on with some stitch - 

Machine stitch . . .


 


  . . . and hand stitch . .





 
 
And even some French knots to decorate some of the distressed newspaper ironed onto colour washed iron interfacing. In this case, Decovil 1.

Very sensitively stitched . . . .


And even some couching . . .



I hope you will agree the group did very well.

I was very well looked after on this workshop and it was good to work with tutors of other disciplines, from fly fishing and photography to printmaking, textiles and all manner of art skills. There was a fabulous atmosphere, if any of you live in New Zealand and fancy attending this Autumn Art School, I highly recommend it. This is the link from this year. www.autumnartschool.net.nz
 You can see just how much was on offer. I made two very good friends during this week and we are all planning how I can get back to New Zealand more often. I do so love it there.
*

  I will be stewarding at The Pink Bird House on Southdown Avenue 11am - 6pm tomorrow and Sunday. It's number 28 on the Independent Art Trail. My jewellery is on sale in this very exciting and oh so colourful house. If you are in Brighton, do come and say hello.

After that I will be preparing for the Malvern Quilt Show next week where I will be reunited with the lovely Laura Strutt who will be womaning the Vilene stand with me.

 I will post the last part of this workshop before I leave for Malvern.
Have a great weekend.

x x x


Hello ladies - you know who you are!!

x

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