Teaching and Workshops

I love teaching. Being able to connect with people, share my excitement and love of quilting, and encourage quilters to explore who they are as artists, is something that is just so invigorating!

Below, are my lectures and workshops that I offer.

Lectures are available as either live Zoom sessions, or in person sessions, depending on your guild or group’s preference.

If any of these strike your interest, reach out to me here. I’d love to connect with you and discuss possibilities!

Lectures

  • Be Positive About Negative Space!

    Other than being a rather confusing quilt category at QuiltCon, Negative Space is one of the trickier Elements of Art to succinctly define. In this lecture, we’ll dig deeper into how to define and identify Negative Space, as well as understand how it interacts with the other Elements of Art in a design.  We will look at examples of Negative Space in both the design and art world, as well as in the Modern Quilt sphere, to help gain confidence in being able to identify and  articulate its unique properties in influencing design. Understanding what is and what isn’t Negative Space will allow you to gain confidence in using this powerful Element of Art in your own quilt designs. Finally, we’ll explore ways of incorporating this Element into your own quilts, strategies for becoming more comfortable in utilizing Negative Space, and tips for keeping a critical and objective eye as you evaluate your success in using this often misunderstood Element of Art!

  • Pushing Boundaries

    An exploration of influences in quilting that should be welcomed, explored further & incorporated more broadly into the modern quilting movement.  Ideas including incorporating reused materials, non traditional fabrics, narrative quilts, activist quilts, and incorporating different mediums (ie. paint, print making, and other non-traditional quilt materials) will be explored.

    This Discussion is important if Modern Quilting wants to remain relevant as a quilting movement in the quilt world and expand its influence in the art world.

    Discussion explores influences, techniques and quilters who are working in these categories - looking at quilts that challenge what modern quilting is.

    Participants will be encouraged to experiment with these different techniques in their own work, and seek out ways to explore and expand their own definitions of quilting in general, and the Modern Quilt movement in particular.

  • Quilters as Artists

    This lecture will focus on the intersection of the Art and Quilt worlds, and what quilters, who want to grow and explore what it means to be considered Artists, need to think about.

    While motivations for taking the title of 'Artist' depend completely on the individual, there are ways in which makers can gain confidence in calling themselves an Artist. Focusing on three key areas of Craftsmanship, Critique, and Courage, this lecture will discuss ways to nurture an artistic practice.

    By challenging and encouraging quilters to start thinking of themselves as Artists, and giving concrete ideas for fostering that identity, quilters can experience the joy that comes with the title of Artist.

  • Talk Like an Artist

    This lecture is an exploration of the elements of art, and the principles of design, specifically in how they relate to modern quilting. Participants will be able to identify the elements of art and how they are used in the principles of design in modern quilt examples pulled from Contemporary quilters.

    This lecture is intended to elevate quilter’s vocabularies as they work towards thinking of themselves as artists, and by utilizing the elements and principles, participants will be able to identify these elements in their own work which will allow them think critically about their work, creating work that can be refined and further developed.

  • Artist Statements: Connecting with your Audience

    As people who create quilts in the visual world, writing about our work can be very challenging. Often, we've spent years honing our skills in communicating with fabric but putting that meaning into words is not always as developed. But there are ways to overcome this challenge!

     This lecture will be a discussion of the purpose of artist statements, their ability to inform viewers on the work being presented, and why a good artist statement can make the difference in the understanding of a work of art.

    Discussion will include what should be included in a thorough statement, what to avoid, and how to utilize an artist statement to connect with a wide audience. At the end of the day, if we're able to better connect with our audience, then our work has succeeded!

Workshops

  • Coming Soon!