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Wet Felting a Stylish Clutch

November 17, 2019 @ 12:30 pm - 5:00 pm

$60 – $70

In this workshop create and complete a wearable piece of art, a felted clutch purse, using Merino wool and hand dyed Margilan silk. No sewing involved! Learn how to wet felt wool fiber and silk with the use of a resist. Turn fibers into strong fabric using modernized ancient felting techniques. Learn about shrinkage, how to design a template, and how to insure your felt is well felted. Choose your own colors of wool and silks. If you choose to purchase the magnetic clasp there will be an additional $2 cost paid to the instructors in addition to the material fee. Bring a snack or light lunch. We can refrigerate if necessary.

Date: Sunday, November 17
Time: 12:30-5pm
Cost: $60 with a $10 material fee paid to the instructors + $2 for magnetic clasp, Members save $6
Membership starts at $45 per year and offers 10% discount on art instruction* as well as 10% off select Store items at the Gallery. *Does not apply to summer camps.
Location: Spectrum Gallery, 61 Main Street, Centerbrook, CT

Taught by Cathy McDonald and Catherine Stebinger
Teaching Artist, Cathy McDonald Lovell was first introduced to felting by taking a class at the Guilford Art Center with Vermont artist Lynne Occone. Other workshops followed, inspiring her to take on the many challenges of felting. Joining the Northeast Feltmaker’s Guild allowed her to widen her horizons and learn from an accomplished group of talented people. The Guild organizes 2- and 3-day workshops throughout the year that offer remarkable learning experiences. After each of these workshops, it’s time to “go home and learn more on your own” which Cathy enjoys most of all.

Cathy enrolled in the Art Education program at the University of New Hampshire, one of the few schools to offer a degree in that field at the time. At UNH, Cathy studied under the guidance of Al Hurwitz, who also hired her to teach at Day Junior High in Newton, MA. She went on to earn her Master’s degree from Wesleyan University and finished with a combination degree from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and Central Connecticut State University.

To Cathy, the fun of all this education is to go back to her students and say, “Guess what I learned this week, and now guess what we’re going to learn today.” Cathy taught at Julian Curtis Elementary School in Greenwich, CT where she also worked privately with special needs students. Furthermore, Cathy established the ceramics program at the Greenwich Art Barn.

Cathy especially enjoys teaching students how to apply color theory to all kinds of work including drawing, painting, felting, ceramics, glazing, and jewelry-making. At East Lyme Middle School, Cathy created an innovative “open studio art program” that welcomed her students at any time of day. Cathy owned and operated Airloom Stained Glass Studio (Greenwich and Essex, CT) creating works for clients such as the architectural firm Moore, Grover, Harper and various private commissions.

Cathy’s philosophy has always focused on the notion that all good art is based on good design, composition, and color. Her felting is done in a very painterly, fluid manner which makes it unique. Blending various beautiful merino wool fibers together is definitely a challenge because the wool colors are not mixed together the same way that paints are. They are melded together in the felting process and that is the key challenge. It is always exciting to create “fiber art” and have it appreciated by all of those who own or wear one of your pieces.

Creating with her hands has long been part of Teaching Artist Catherine Stebinger’s life as a pastry chef. Now retired from the kitchen, that need for tactile expression has been translated into fiber.

Catherine layers, rolls, kneads, and dyes various types of wool, silks, and vegetable fibers to create pieces that range from soft shimmery vests and scarves to firm, taut vessels, wall hangings, and sculptures. Just as simple ingredients such as eggs, sugar, and flour can create airy mousses or crispy bread sticks, so can the various fibers be combined and manipulated in infinitely diverse modes to produce stunning pieces of art.

Catherine began her fiber studies with international fiber artists Katia Mokeyeva, Natalya Brashovetskaya, Lisa Klakulak, Renate Maille-Moskowitz, and Lena Archbold. Her sculptures, wall hangings, and wearable art have exhibited and sold at The Hygienic, Maple and Main Gallery, and Wesleyan Potters.

Details

Date:
November 17, 2019
Time:
12:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Cost:
$60 – $70
Event Categories:
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Venue

Spectrum Art Gallery and Artisan Store
61 Main Street
Centerbrook, CT 06409 United States
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Contact Us



    Essex Board of Trade, Inc., P.O. Box 322
    Essex, CT 06426 or email Info@EssexCT.com