Landscapes with Sue Benner

What a great week this has been. It felt like a week at art school, as Sue packed our classes full of information both within the scope of our landscape class, and beyond it. Not only did we discuss the elements of good composition, the importance of value and colour, the techniques possible for abstracting a landscape, and much more. We also were introduced to numbers of other artists - some familiar and some new to us - working as painters and/or as textile artists representing landscapes. We visited work that was more realistic and other work that was more abstract. I could go on, but will leave it there, and would highly recommend her class to anyone wanting to create landscapes in fabrics. Our own work started with making three small studies from the photographs we'd brought with us, working in our own area of interest. I brought photos from our days in Lesotho, and made one small study with basic shapes, one with more curvilinear lines to it, and a third was a detail study. Then we began to work on a larger piece, based on one of our studies. I chose to make a bigger piece that was a combination of a couple of my smaller studies, and you can see it underway here, alongside the photo on which it was primarily based. I've also posted a couple of finished pieces (without the quilting), the first by Edie and the second by Leslie. The work going on around the room was most impressive, and I will post more photos in a few days. Lastly there is a photo
of Sue, discussing the finer points of quilting ourpieces with us. I only hope I can remember half of what I've learned from her.

Sue Benner Workshop

Where has October gone? I have been on the road much of the month, and it feels as though time evaporates when that happens. But they have been happy days. First I drove down to Sisters, Oregon with my friend Joan Darling, to attend a five-day workshop with Sue Benner. The class was called Driven to Abstraction, and working from our own images, we were encouraged to interpret it abstractly, using a variety of techniques. The class was rich in information - enough to work with for months to come. I especially liked the notion of doint "studies' - something like journal quilts - to see how various ideas work out. Here are some photos of some of my work, and that of other workshop participants:

I worked from a photo I'd taken when on Saltspring Island last summer - two trees leaning against one another. First I interpreted the photo using unrealistic colours, and simplified lines. Then I looked at the lines alone - a graphic interpretation of the photo. The third study was more realistic in colour, but simplified in line - almost a combination of the first and the second studies. Next was a study broken up into sections by a single tree shape. Then a close-up of one element of the design. I fell most compelled by the third of these, but would like to push these ideas further, before committing to a larger piece

A study of poppies, by another student, Sara.

Karen's studies.

And one of a tropical flowers by Laura.

And lastly, Debra's studies.

If you ever have the opportunity to take a workshop with Sue Benner, I would highly recommend it. She was incredibly generous with her knowledge and experience. And as with many workshops, the things you learn are so often above and beyond the specified subject matter. And to have five days to work on this, uninterupted, was heavenly.