Working with Intent: Independent Study

Claire Benn & Leslie Morgan | May 27-June 1, 2012

Please note: this workshop begins Sunday at 1 pm (Sunday, May 27)

Class size: limited to 14 with one bench per participant guaranteed (as opposed to the normal workshop size of 20).

Description

After a successful independent study retreat in 2011, this retreat will be run in 2012 for those who are seeking:

• a large workbench of their own

• a smaller group size

• mentoring & guidance (rather than structured tuition)

• discussion and debate on many aspects of surface design, composition, format, finishing and presentation

• a dedicated window of time to focus on their own work, take time out to contemplate and discuss ways forward, and create momentum

This retreat therefore seeks to help participants work with Intent, using surface design techniques and wet processes to either:

• generate compositional whole cloth or a palette of cloth to a plan or vision

• explore and push boundaries with wet processes and develop technique

• explore personal imagery and how it translates on to cloth

Leslie and Claire’s main focus will be to guide and mentor rather than instruct, for example:

• discussing individual plans/intentions.

• input and demonstrations on technique and process as needed/ requested

• one-to-one and group discussions to help participants respond to their work as it evolves, and plan next steps.

• providing advice and guidance on the best choice of tools to generate the imagery sought and where appropriate, developing good technique.

• providing advice and guidance on the order of processes.

As such, whilst this is a hands-on retreat, the goal is not to teach specific processes. Instead, participants will be working to the beat of their own drum.  The evaluation of work-in-progress and discussion of ideas, concepts, design and composition will be encouraged.

Retreat Format & Hours

To encourage the sense of retreat, the following format will be (roughly!) followed:

• Sunday 1pm arrival: starting at 1pm on Sunday will enable a fast start on Monday morning – effectively, an extra half-day. As such, participants should arrive at 1pm on the Sunday (having eaten lunch prior to arrival). Unloading, set-up and studio familiarization will take place from 1 to 3pm (please do not arrive before 1pm). Cars need to be moved up adjacent to the Yellow Barn once unloaded.

• Sunday 3pm to 6pm: to help Leslie and Claire understand individual goals, the group will meet between 3pm and 6pm. Each participant will be asked to talk for 10 minutes to outline their intention for the week. This talk can be supported with digital or printed images, personal imagery, color or value references or personal tools that might be planned for use.  

• Sunday 6pm: dinner. 

• Monday to Thursday: the Barn will be open from 7am to 10pm. Whilst formal ‘class time’ will be from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Claire & Leslie will be available to the group from 7.30am to 9.30pm Monday to Thursday. These extra hours are invaluable for one-to-one consultation and individual and/or group critiques and discussions.

• Friday (last day): the Barn opens at 7am and class closes at 5pm. Clear-up between 2-3pm, closure session 3-5pm.

The supplies fee will cover use of the media, although exactly what any student will use will be dependent on individual goals. The following supplies of wet media will be provided: 

• Procion MX dyes: Strongest Red, Mixing Red, Sun Yellow, Golden Yellow, Turquoise, Mixing Blue, Deep Black and Chocolate. Claire & Leslie will provide help and guidance on color mixing. Participants are welcome to bring other colors for personal use.

• Discharge: Formosol will be used as the discharging medium. It can be used in paste or liquid format.

• Fabric Paints: Magenta, Scarlet, Acid Lemon, Golden Yellow, Turquoise, Royal/Mixing Blue, Black, White, Transparent Extender Base, metallic Gold, Silver and Chocolate.

• Resists: Soy Wax, Elmers’ Glue, flour paste, cover film, freezer paper, masking tape (for resist work on cloth or on-screen).

• Chemicals: Urea, Ludigol, Calgon, Sodium Alginate/ProThick SH  (for making Chemical Water and Print Paste), Soda Ash, Salt and Formosol.

• Stencil production: matte medium & newsprint (paper lamination stencils), feather-weight sew-in interfacing, household paint & fusible web (painted interfacing stencils), Tyvek (burned-out stencils)

• Tools: a selection of key tools will be provided, including:

  • distressed bristle decorators’ brushes and foam brushes in various widths

  • a selection of bristle & synthetic artists’ brushes

  • monoprinting plates (large & small)

  • tjantings & other soy wax tools

  • credit cards and scrapers

  • rollers

  • needle-nose bottles

An ample supply of thickened and liquid (water-colour consistency) dye paints, discharge media, Chemical Water & Print Paste will be ready for use on the first day. Thereafter, a rota will be established where 3 different people per day will be responsible for keeping stocks topped up. Recipes will be posted to ensure consistency throughout the week. Other media such as fabric paints, matte medium, soy wax etc. will be available for use at any time.

Participant Requirements List

The Intention
Perhaps the most important element to bring with you. We are aware that some people like to work to a plan and some prefer to respond to the cloth as it evolves. Both approaches are valid and either way, we encourage you to take time before the workshop to consider:

• Specific purpose
  Consider whether you’ll be working to a specific goal (compositional wholecloth or a palette of cloth); aiming to push processes or explore/develop technique or exploring personal imagery and mark-making (or a combination thereof).

• Key color and value references
  Having an idea of a colour palette can help you to focus, although the palette may (of course) change for any individual piece of cloth. You may wish to consider bringing a small range of references such as painted papers, tear-outs from magazines, paint chips, photographs and so forth.  Some participants like to use references, others do not. If you do bring some, limit things to the really useful!

• Personal imagery
  Undertaking design work to generate the marks, lines, shapes and texture you wish to see come alive in your cloth (see note on thermofaxes later).

• Specific tools
  Give thought to preparing or assembling specific tools in advance. This may include thermofax screens, cutting stamps, assembling favourite mark-making tools or making stencils for use with a silk screen.

• Journaling or other notes
  Any written work that may be important to the overall goal.
  
  Bring all of this with you.
  
  

The Cloth
Choose the fabric(s) you wish to work with and prepare it accordingly. Scouring - even with cloth that is sold as PFD - is recommended. Bring 15 to 20 yards in total and label each piece in a corner. It may not all be used - this is dependent on individual working styles and pace. Racing is to be avoided, whereas thoughtful consideration will be encouraged.

For dye paints, we prefer to work on soda-soaked cloth rather than putting soda ash into the dyes (the benefits of this approach will be explained).  As such, please ensure you have two pieces of scoured, soda-soaked and dried cloth ready for use on the first day: don’t iron it or fold it once soda-soaked – just stuff it into a bag once dry.  A soda vat will be available for on-going soda soaking throughout the workshop.  To soda soak scoured cloth:

• Pre-scour it, then dry it or spin-dry it.

• Create a soda vat large enough for your needs; the basic recipe is 3 tablespoons of soda ash to 1 litre of water.  Dissolve sufficient soda ash for your needs in warm (not cold or hot) water and top up with the appropriate amount of cold water.

• Place the scoured, dry (or spun-dried) cloth in to the soda vat and leave for between 10 to 20 minutes (heavier weight cloth will need longer).

• Dry by drip-drying or spin the soda-soaked cloth before line drying (if you have a spin dryer, recycle the run off back into the soda vat). DO NOT TUMBLE DRY.

• Once dry, stuff it into a bag (don’t fold or iron).

Additional Media
If you wish to use media outside of that specified in the class description, please bring it with you.

Tools
It is hard to be specific as to what tools and supplies to bring, as each individual’s needs and preferences will vary. However, for direct surface work we recommend:

• Silk screens; up to 3 in number, your choice of size (think small, medium & large). Please put your name on the frame and waterproof the wood by applying 3 layers of water-based wood varnish. When the final layer is dry, please pre-scour the mesh by scrubbing it with a cream cleanser and hot water.

• Thermofax screens (if you have them). Note: we hope that someone will be able to bring a thermofax machine to the retreat. If this is the case, Claire & Leslie will organise mesh and frames and provide at cost. Please advise us if this is something you can provide. Please note that if a thermofax service is available, you will need your imagery to be in laser print or photocopy format (not inkjet). India ink will also generate a thermofax, as will some pencils. You can photocopy in Pickerington or Lancaster.

• 1 x squeegee (we recommend the 9” Speedball squeegee – beige or maroon handle with brown rubber blade).

• An old credit card or spreader to use as a squeegee with thermofaxes. Spreaders can be found in hardware stores or kitchen shops.

• Mark-making tools of individual choice; a good selection of tools will be provided but if you have favorites, bring them.

NOTE: we would prefer a participant to supply the soy wax pot rather than tote our own over the Atlantic. Please advise us if this is something you can do.

General Supplies

• Two dropcloths: please bring dropcloths that are sturdy, such as drill cotton or denim. Old sheets are too thin and avoid heavy-weight muslin or canvas as it tends to hold wrinkles. Please pre-wash and shrink your dropcloths to size; the largest benches measure 9’ x 4’ so if you allow for this size, you’ll be fine. 

• Rubber gloves (suggest 2 pairs).

• A good-quality mask. This is important if you wish to undertake discharge work. A normal decorators mask will not be sufficient for this purpose.  Discharge work will take place outside.

• 1 x box of ball-headed or T pins.

• A small cutting mat.

• 1 x small cat or kitten litter tray.

• Craft knife (preferably with a nice, pointy, sharp blade - such as an Exacto knife).

• 1 x black Sharpie.

• 1 pair of scissors, suitable for paper and fabric.

• Notebook; handouts on recipes and some process will be provided, but it can be useful to record your order of process on individual pieces, or make notes during general discussions.

• Sketch book or white paper for on going design work.

• Pen and pencil.

• Cloth apron (or wear the equivalent of gardening/decorating clothes).

• Comfortable, rubber-soled shoes (you’ll be standing a great deal and the floor is concrete).

• an iPod and headphones if you like to work to music.
  
  
  

Please contact us if you have any queries. In the meantime, we look forward to a week of focused work.

Claire Benn: cb@committedtocloth.com
Leslie Morgan: lm@committedtocloth.com

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