BEREA ANTAKI The Art of Story Cloth Virtual Workshop
All images courtesy of Multicolores
Multicolores is an association of Maya women artists who create original works of textile art using embroidery and rug-hooking. They will be hosting a virtual workshop for The Art of Story Cloth on March 13 and 14, 2021 from 2-5pm GMT. Combining stitching with needle turn appliqué, the women of Multicolores create highly detailed, layered compositions that express a visual narrative. Like stitched paintings, story cloths explore colourful stories inspired by the artist’s folklore, family, community, and personal experiences. Each artwork is a vibrant expression of the artist’s individual imagination and creative voice.
In this two-day contemporary embroidery workshop, you will explore the art of hand-stitched story cloths. Your instructors will begin by sharing some of their own work and sources of inspiration. They will invite you to consider the many sources of your own stories: family lore, community traditions and celebrations, folktales and legends, life experiences and our own vivid imagination. The artists will lead you in a discussion about the use of symbols and other visual strategies to convey meaning and emotion in each piece.
The artists will guide you through their design process: sketching concepts, playing with placement, scale and composition, choosing colour combinations and transferring design to fabric. Artists will review a vocabulary of five stitches that can be used to create an infinite variety of textures, lines and shapes. They will share their expert stitching tips and important dos and don’ts. The workshop includes a downloadable design guide with several of the artists’ original templates. By the end of the workshop, you will have designed and begun stitching a story cloth inspired by your own personal narrative.
While some embroidery experience is recommended, this workshop is suitable for experienced embroiderers and beginners alike. Please come prepared with two to three ideas of personal stories that you might render in a story cloth. This workshop will take place on Saturday and Sunday, March 13 and 14, 2021 from 2-5pm GMT. Due to the ongoing restrictions and physical distancing guidelines implemented in response to Covid-19, this workshop will be held virtually on Zoom.
For the full list of materials and to book your place, visit the Workshop page. To explore other Selvedge workshop opportunities, visit our website.
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