teaching

___________________________________

 

 

Open your creative possibilities with these encouraging lectures, workshops and classes. 
Please email me with questions, availabilities and price quotes. melmusa@yahoo.com

 

I. art exploration workshops

Explore your artistic interests and discover your unique talents in these multi-media art exploration workshops. Participants will experiment widely and practice creating with various media to create an abstract or realistic mixed media piece. The elements of art and principles of design will be taught along with the creative techniques. Open-ended assignments will nuture creativity, experimentation and self-exploration. Participants will follow their interests and inner directions as they evolve through media explorations.  

 

art exploration session 1 (five weeks)

Cost is 250.00 per session for each student and includes materials.  Sessions are each two hours in length (total of 10 hours of instruction).

 

art exploration session 2 (five weeks)

Cost is 250.00 per session for each student and includes materials.  Sessions are each two hours in length (total of 10 hours of instruction).

 

 

II. fiber art workshops

Please email me for price quotes and availability:  melmusa@yahoo.com

 

1.   creative “sun printing” on fabric
(Need at least a 3-hour time slot---can be extended)

 Participants use light-sensitive fabric paints to “sun paint” cloth samples to create colorful, creative original fabric.  Sun painting or heliographic art is a process whereby certain fabric paints are applied to fabric and while still wet, objects like stencils, leafs, feathers and so on are placed onto the wet fabric. It is then placed in the sun. The outlines of the objects are transferred to the fabric, like a silhouette.  Students will make several small samples.  Small supply fee for paints and fabric, other tools and supplies are provided.

 

2.   creative fabric painting sampler
(Need at least a 3-hour time slot---can be extended)

Participants use fabric paints to create original, one-of-a-kind cloth.  Students will explore techniques such as sponging, stamping, masking, brushing, and blending. Fabric paints apply great color, leave a soft feel on the fabric and are practical and less complicated to use than dye.

 

3.   creative printing on cloth sampler
(Need at least a 3-hour time slot---can be extended)

 Students will explore some of the many ways to print on fabric. We will learn about using stamping, stenciling, mono-prints, texture rubbings, silk screening and gelatin prints.  We will experiment and create samples with several techniques depending on the length of the workshop.

 

4.  a quilter’s guide to beginning dyeing – “dyeing in a baggie”
(Need at least a 4-hour time slot---can be extended)

 Learn basic methods for hand-dyeing cotton. Method taught will be low water immersion dyeing.  Participants will learn to use fabric dyes to create unique patterned cloth. We will discuss & apply color theory (color wheel) and color mixing. 

 

5.  beginner’s creative shibori sampler
(Need at least a 4-hour time slot---recommended that be extended)

 Shibori or Japanese traditional “resist dyeing” is used to create unique patterned fabric.  Participants will experiment with several methods of tying, binding, clamping and folding fabric before dyeing.  Each method provides a different pattern on the cloth. Basic dyeing instruction will be included.

 

6.  demonstration or workshop: over-dyeing commercial fabrics
(Need at least a 2 ½ hour time slot---time can be extended to create a workshop)

 Create interesting color ways and effects by over dyeing store-bought cotton fabric prints and solids.  We will learn how to mix and use cold-water dyes to change up ordinary fabric into extraordinary fabric. Tea dyeing is an example of over dyeing. 

 

 7. discharging (color removal) patterning
(Need at least a 4 hour time slot; can be extended)

 Use bleach, thickened bleach and other products with stamps and stencils to create patterned areas on solid colored cloth. We will also explore discharging (or removing) color from commercial fabrics to create tints and exciting color changes.  We will make various samples and see how professional artists apply the techniques. 

 

 

III. lectures

Please email me for price quotes, availability and time lengths: melmusa@yahoo.com

 

1. making time for art

You know that creativity is a significant part of being a healthy-minded highly functioning person. Organizing your life to meet your creative needs can be difficult and often overwhelming.  Self-defeating attitudes and habits will be examined and alternate solutions discussed.  For example, a common block is caused by perfectionism and “all or nothing” thinking.  Learn ways to improve your productivity avoid blocks, improve organization and work around problem issues.   

 

2.  a creative art quilting journey

A motivating trunk show and slide lecture of Mary’s art quilts and fiber art, showing how her work has evolved.  This is an illustrated presentation of the inspirations, materials and techniques, themes and incorporation of meaning or purpose into the work. 

 

 

©2009 Mary Elmusa
All images on this site are protected by copyright law and no image may be reproduced
in whole or in part without the express written permission of the artist and/or web designer.