As I continue working on adding more(!) sheer fabrics to the moon portrait of my son, Sam (my summer challenge), Tom and I thought it was a good time to update you on our 5-Day Live Online Fabric Collage class plans. After running three of these classes this spring, we’re happy to say that Live Online Classes are not simply a viable alternative, they’re equal to my in-person classes—though we all have different ways of learning and one mode may be more appealing than another to each of us.
In any case, not only are the online class results impressive (very important) but this way of teaching allows me to reach people I’ve never been able to reach before (also very important): those for whom it would be a strain to afford both tuition and travel, room and board to attend a class; those who simply can’t travel due to health or family obligations; those who live in relatively distant places (a shout out to Catriona Stirling who attended the May class from her home in Scotland—that’s her penguin collage above).
For an overview of the fantastic results of those spring classes, check out the slide shows below in this post. To get a feel of how Tom and I run a live online class over the course of a week, check out this post: “NOT On the Road Teaching: First Live Online Fabric Collage Class Results.“
Due to the ongoing pandemic, I recently and regrettably canceled a couple in-person classes in September. As a replacement I scheduled a Live Online Class for one of the weeks I would have been teaching in person. Once those students had an opportunity to register for the online version, we emailed others who had earlier expressed an interest in such a class and it filled. After having to disappoint one group of students, it was at least a consolation for me to have something to offer others to look forward to.
Soon Tom and I will be setting dates for 2022 online classes.
If you’d like to be the first to hear about any online class offering (which could happen on relatively short notice), let us know and we’ll email you directly, in advance of posting in the blog. Just send an email to Tom ([email protected]) and write “Expression of Interest in Online Class” (or something to that effect) and we’ll add you to our list. Some of you earlier gave us your expression of interest, hence the recent class notice. We will keep you on that list unless you email us asking to have your name removed.
All the online 5-day classes this year have been limited to animals only—the most commonly chosen (and just about my favorite) subject matter in any sort of class. Tom and I are considering expanding options in 2022, with a possible Fabric Collage Portraits Only class. Portraits of people are the most difficult to create—and from my perspective, the most challenging to teach. We would like to assess the interest in such a Live Online Class. Because of the challenge to both the students and me, we would limit the number of students to 6 to 8 people to make sure everyone has the 1:1 help they need from me. If this sounds interesting to you, please email Tom ([email protected]) and include “Portraits Only” in the subject line.
In the comments section below, let us know if you have other thoughts or ideas for online learning opportunities that you’d like to see us develop. Thanks!
Live Online Class Gallery—Spring 2021
A big thank you to these ladies for allowing us to share their work again. The images below are from the final day of each of the classes. I know that many of these collages are now either completed quilts or much farther along in the process, so special Finish Line posts are in the works! Click on the date headings for each slide show to connect to the blog posts for each class.
March 2021
April 2021
May 2021
What Does a Day in an Online Class Look Like?
• Prior to start of each class day: a pre-recorded presentation introduces the next step(s) in the process. Students will come to class having already watched the presentation.
• Work day begins with a live Q&A with the full class, where I’ll further discusses that day’s topic and do a quick check-in with each student to set their plans for the day.
• Students are then sent to a Zoom “break-out” room with 3-4 other students. With remaining morning time, I’ll meet with students individually.
• Students email photos of the progress on their project (to Tom), which I’ll share on the screen as I get to each break-out room. This way I can view and discuss each project, making annotations to the photos which students can then refer to when they return to work.
• Lunch (hour-long break in teaching). Students may continue to work and/or socialize.
• Afternoon: I’ll continue to meet with individual students. By end of day, I’ll have suggested “homework” for the next day.
Online Class Extras with Student Testimonials
• The Fabric Collage Online Master Class—the Master Class has been out and available to anyone for a few years already, but we made it a prerequisite (with a student discount off the $199 cost) for our 5-day virtual classes, and it proved invaluable as an “online text book” and reference for use before, during, and after our week together. Once you own it, the Fabric Collage Master Class—with any additions and updates—is yours for life. For more information, follow this link.
The tech support and organization of this latest workshop raised the satisfaction factor immensely. Individual pre-class consultations, Master Class, and daily topical videos made for thorough understanding of process and procedure. Additionally, personal consultations twice daily with annotations directly on my work and on my animal photograph focused my work time specifically. I was able to know what to do while working independently. Tom’s collecting of photos as we progressed made Susan’s advise and support current. She helped me notice what she sees. I’ll keep working on developing that skill forever!
—Judy Bilardello
• A 45-minute private coaching session ($100 value) with each student prior to class is included in the class cost. These sessions will be scheduled during the week prior to class, ensuring that everyone is prepared with subject matter and supplies, is comfortable with the online format, and ready to begin the class on day one with design and fabric at the ready. Here are links to Susan’s general online coaching: an overall information page and a post demonstrating a session with Joanne Schwartz and her “Catch.”
This class is very well-organized and well-paced. It’s a great container within which to do wonderful work. There’s a lot of “on-your-own” time that the class encourages you to claim for yourself, even as there are regular opportunities for group learning and 1:1 coaching. I like the pre-work a lot. It allows you to get a lot more from the week. And the 1:1 with Susan prior to the workshop means you hit the ground running. Susan and Tom give their all and it feels very personal.
—LeahGrace Kayler
• A Zoom Meet & Greet on the evening before the first day of class will introduce students to each other.
• An evening meeting on the last day of class with all students gathered to share and review their week’s work.
It is a very demanding class but so very worth it. We all went through ups and downs, at times feeling exhausted, trying to do as much as we could before the next one-on-one meeting with Susan. The way the class is set up makes it easy to manage as the breakout rooms give you a bit of flexibility. If you need to tune out for a bit to recharge, you can. After 5 days of hard work, the end result is spectacular. No project is complete but we all have the skills to finish them on our own.
—Sylvie Aguilar
Would be interested in doing an animal class on line esp of. dogs . I’m in Ireland would that work ?
Caroline, We had a woman from Scotland attend the Live Online Class. Catriona Stirling attended the class in May: https://susancarlson.com/2021/05/29/not-on-the-road-may-2021-live-online-fabric-collage-class/ Because we usually have several people from the west coast of the US attend, class starts at 11:00 a.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. eastern time. I believe that we are 5 hours behind you so that means the class would run 4:00 to 11:00. Email Tom at [email protected] if you would like to be placed on a “expression of interest” list to be notified when our next classes are scheduled.