Workshops / Hand stitching / ‘In Maharani’s Garden’ with Paula Watkins -Handstitch and Mixed Media *New 2022
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‘In Maharani’s Garden’ with Paula Watkins -Handstitch and Mixed Media *New 2022

£110

Description

This is a workshop inspired by the Indian Maharani’s sumpteous private gardens. Theswe gardens were the spaces where they were hidden away in all their finery like jewels in a box. They were surrounded by beautiful trees and flowering plants . Peacocks roamed and exotic birds perched, they watched the world through intricately carved stone windows and strolled through arches which led to cooling fountains and ponds.

This workshop captures the beauty of those scenes, using block printing, faux batik and mixed media on fabric.  We will be adding beautiful silk and indian embellishments with embroidery to make your work a truly beautiful piece of art.

Day One : Embroidered and Embellished Peacock

Day Two: Choice of Kantha Stitched Elephant or Block printed and embroidered bird.

Paula will bring a kit for £10 on the day and look to requirements list for what you need to bring. She will also have handmade rag paper books available to buy for £15 should you wish to mount your artwork.

Additional information

Dates:

22nd and 23rd Sept 2022
Times:

10-4pm

Requirements:

Gloves and a pinny
Newspaper
1.5 metres of medium weight Calico
A couple of A4 sheets of craft felt in a neutral colour such as cream.

Scruffy paintbrushes

Baby wipes

Black and white A4 card

Acrylic paints in colours of your choice including black, white and gold

Pritt Stick
Container such as an ice cream tub
1 metre Bondaweb

Sewing kit with fine and thicker needles
Thread, stranded cotton, gold thread. Think of the colours of peacocks, saris, jewels.

Scissors for detail cutting of fabric and for paper
Black permanent pen, white gel pen, gold gel pen
Beads, sequins, embellishments, braids of your choice if you have them

Extra Info:

This looks like a big list but I am hoping that you may already have most of these things in your stash. I am bringing stencils and blocks for us to use at the workshop. Think about the colours of India when you are choosing paint colours. You can choose vibrant colours or perhaps a softer faded colour scheme.

Don’t worry if you haven’t got beads, sequins and braid, don’t buy any unless you want to. I will be making up goody bags for £10 with all kinds of things that I have found on my trips. I will also have some things for sale.

You will need a variety of needles; ones that will thread through sequins and beads and more sturdy ones for stitching through paper and painted fabric.

All the techniques that we will be playing with are easy and fun and you can choose to try all of them or maybe just one or two. You can be as busy or as relaxed as you each want to be. You can just sit and stitch if you like or try lots of mixed media.

I’m looking forward to spending some lovely arty time with you all. Inspired by the breathtaking colours, textiles and pattern of India!

Artist Bio:

Paula Watkins Mixed Media and Textiles Paula is an author, artist, illustrator and teacher who specialises in Mixed Media and Textiles. She has taught and exhibited her artwork around the UK and abroad. She loves richly textured surfaces and uses embroidery and experimental elements to add dimension, detail and interest to her work. The use of beautiful embellishments adds to the joy of making handmade books, embroidered works and mixed media pieces. It is a great excuse to collect rare and beautiful things for her own use and to share with her students. Much of Paula’s teaching work has been centred around promoting and nurturing positive mental wellbeing. She has experienced, over many years of developing art courses, the transformative effects that Art can have on our physical and mental health and the way that making Art a daily activity can change lives.

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