Flip a switch and the entire world becomes the world of your imagination. In this course the emphasis is on interacting with the seen world, seeing what YOU see and interacting with it. Develop the process and allow yourself to see what you see AS you draw or paint and build your own personal LANGUAGE that comes out of living in the moment of your creations. It’s not simply about what you want to say but also about what is the work saying? Can you listen to its voice while you are working on it? Whatever materials you bring along for the journey are fair game. This class emphasizes process, experimentation, and the merging of the imagination with the visual world around us. You will build a personalized “mark and color toolbox” through exercises in line, rhythm, pressure, material exploration and more. Over time, you will learn how to trust your instincts, develop visual sensitivity, and cultivate a uniquely personal, meaningful practice..This class is for students who are ready to discover the core of their creativity and ready to develop a truly unique body of work.Open to all levels. Skills for success include curiosity and a willingness to explore.This is a mixed media class: oil, acrylic, wax pencils, oil sticks, pastels, charcoal are some of the possibilities. Painting on paper is encouraged as an affordable way to experiment. Canvas and panel and other materials are acceptable also.

Have you ever wanted to see what film can do when you break all the rules? In this 4 week class we will be experimenting with a variety of photographic, development and darkroom techniques that push (and pull) the limits of what is possible in film photography. Learn about cross-processing, redscaling, film soup, alternative darkroom chemistry, using expired film, double exposure, camera hacking, and more! This class is open to everyone from beginners and seasoned pros; cameras and film will be provided, but students are welcome to bring their own materials.

Learn to build and shoot your own camera! In this course we will cover the basics of DIY cameras. The first half of the class will be in the woodshop, where Mike Scully will teach you to assemble your own pinhole camera, and in the second half we will will move to the darkroom, where Colin Graybuck will teach you how to shoot, develop, and print large format film!

Soak up the sights, sounds, and warm summer breezes at Shelburne Farms in this three-day immersive tapestry weaving workshop. Participants will be inspired by the many landscapes and elements of the environment all while playing with color, texture and image in tapestry.

Each day, participants will meet at the famed Farm Barn on the Shelburne Farms property. From there we will walk or drive to a different spot on the farm and spend some time drawing and photographing anything that inspires. We will talk about working images into weaving plans for very small format tapestry studies. 

These tapestry studies can be used to plan for future larger tapestry projects. 

Built into the day will be time for lunch and time to weave.

Other details:

Pre-requisites: Introduction to Tapestry Weaving or commensurate experience. You are welcome to contact Bradie at fiber@shelburnecraftschool.org with any questions.

Things to consider bringing:  

Artist Notebook
Colored Pencils/Watercolors
Pens for notetaking
Portable chair or blanket for sitting
Water bottle
Walking shoes
Preferred yarn
Scissors
Needles

Materials: Small hand-held looms will be available for each student that they will have for the duration of the class; students can also supply their own looms if desired. The instructor will have some yarn available for students to use, but participants also encouraged to bring their own in colors that speak to them and reflect aspects of the landscape most appealing to them.

** Yarn should be appropriate for a loom warped at 8 ends per inch. **

Participants will learn the art of needle felting and create a three-dimensional wool sculpture of an owl using a special barbed needle. Instruction will be hands-on and will include demonstrations.

Students between the ages of 9 and 12 are welcome to enroll with an adult.

Materials: Included