As you may have noticed by now, I am making sure everyone is aware my two upcoming Live Online Fabric Collage classes. Despite of, or maybe because of, all the time we’ve spent online over the past couple of years, some may still be skeptical of how well a visual art like fabric collage can be taught online. Not you, of course, but some people.
To these skeptics I present today’s Fabric Collage Finish Line, which features finished quilts begun in our 2021 Live Online Classes, such as Judy Bilardello‘s bunny, above.
Take a look, and be impressed with what these ladies accomplished. Live Online has become a successful way of teaching for me, and a great way of learning for students. The following results are proof enough.
If you too would like to take the plunge into a week-long fabric collage class from the comfort of your home and in arm’s length of your own fabric stash, click here for the blog post that explains what it would be like to experience a class such as this. There you will also find links for registration pages—the November class still has openings—or use the link below.
November 7-11, 2022 (as of 9/8/22, seven spots remaining)
REGISTER FOR NOVEMBER CLASS
January 30-February 3, 2023
This class is now full, please contact Tom ([email protected]) to add your name to waiting list if you are interested.
And now, drumroll please, are a few fabulous finished collage quilts from our Live Online Classes.
Jean McCreary
Last year, in a post about “ Unlearning Looking and Learning Seeing in Fabric Collage,” I used an in-progress collage and comments by Jean McCreary as an example of how necessary it is to “see” clearly in order to recreate your image as accurately as possible. She began this quilt in our April 2021 Live Online Class.
This year I’d like to share Jean’s very fine and feathered finished quilt of Mr Macaw, who she encountered in her travels. The photos below were taken by Jean and submitted for discussion and annotation during our class together.
From Jean:
After taking some other collage classes, locally, I followed Susan’s blog, read her book “Serendipity Quilts” and downloaded the Master Class, and eventually was able to take her live-on-line class in April 2021. I never imagined that on-line would be a successful way for me to learn her collage technique, but I was SO WRONG! She and Tom were able to work virtual magic to be able to access my fabric stash, inspiration photo, and work in progress, and give the most meaningful feedback in how to “see” my quilt that I have ever gotten. I am so happy she is offering a second class this year … I signed up within minutes!
Macaws are endangered and this inspired me to quilt this blue and yellow macaw (Ava Ararauna). They are highly intelligent, have striking plumage and an 80-year life span. They are considered powerful “spirit animals” that are sacred to indigenous peoples as messengers to the gods due to their spectacular aerial dancing, their strong pair-bonds and pattern of mating for life. They have up to 4′ wing spans, and eat fruits and nuts. Their droppings (how I first noticed this fellow during a walk in Kenya, though they are native to South America, not Africa) disperse seeds and propagate forests and protect ecosystems. After finishing this quilt, I submitted it (and it was accepted) to a book on fabric art birds!
Sandy Low
Sandy Low of searing hot Las Vegas, Nevada created this scene of Arctic chill, and warming in my March 2021 Live Online Class. The beautiful eye of this handsome fellow (see detail below) seems to be reflecting the colors of the earth.
From Sandy:
After the pandemic caused two classes by Susan Carlson to be cancelled I was delighted to have the chance to take an online class from her, March 2021.
“When you tug at a single thread in nature, you find it attached to the rest of the world.” The penguin is based on a photo my daughter Karen took at the Kansas City Zoo, and the the background is loosely based on a photo my nephew Andrew took when he was doing research in Antarctica. I enjoyed learning a new technique!
Susan Dunbar
Susan Dunbar of Becker, MN, was able to spend this online class visiting with her daughter-in-law as they both created colorful creatures. Susan tackled not only one but her two soulful-eyed canines, colors and fabrics selected for their personalities, and Rocio collaged a big and fantastical fish. See these (and other’s) works-in-progress in this April 2021 post).
From Susan:
I first learned how to make fabric collage in 2018 when my daughter-in-law Rocio offered to attend a workshop together to make landscape art quilts. The next year we attended another workshop and learned how to make animal fabric collages with a different artist. Then she sent me Susan’s Fabric Collage Master Class Manual so I made more animals. I think I’ve read most of her blog posts. Participating in the online class this spring with Susan was exciting because she generously shared new creative techniques and ideas to make my fabric collage projects much more interesting!
Judy Bilardello
Judy Bilardello of Santa Cruz, CA, started her “Ozzie Bunny” in my May 2021 Live Online Class. She did a great job creating the visual texture of a soft and fluffy bunny with the prints in her fabrics. There’s short and curved petal patterns for his cheeks, spiky tufts on his forehead, a larger leaf print that stands in for the longer hairs that curve around his head and under his chin, and much more. The ear itself is beautifully collaged with such a variety of darker blue prints that blend and flow together. And catch the simplicity of that perfect little pink spiral to represent his nose.
From Judy:
After taking an in-person class with Susan in 2019 at Art Quilt Tahoe and participating in her Thursday Night Live in My Studio sessions, I was eager to try the online class. The experience was successful on many levels: organizational plans for daily sessions and weekly expectations, coordination between Susan and Tom that kept us engaged and progressing, individual coaching sessions (with annotations) that could be recorded and reviewed as needed, friendly interactions with group members and Susan and Tom… The week flew by!
Ozzie became a friend to my grandchildren when they were sheltered in place due to COVID. They played with her and cared for her every day. This quilt is a tribute to Ozzie and to the resilience of youth. Ozzie the quilt is lovingly displayed in their home.
Mary McKay
Mary McKay of Palm Desert, California attended my March 2021 Live Online Class, in which chose to work this Costa Rican aracari (a relative of the toucan) that she photographed. He earned the name “Elvis” for his shiny pompadour. She wanted to reflect its bold colors in her own fabric choices—note the use of the dark-valued purples, greens, and reds to translate the black feathers of the bird.
From Mary:
I had taken one class with Susan in Arizona and was signed up for a couple more when Covid hit and the world shut down. I was thrilled when she offered online classes and worked on Elvis in the March and April class. Susan also coached me while I was working on another collage. Coaching is invaluable.
Elvis is based on a photo of an aricari, a type of toucan, that I took in the cloud forest in Panama. I was fascinated by them and decided they would be a fun project. I like using motifs in my collages but on this one I wanted to try harder to use batiks and to try to do more blending. Susan also pushed me outside my comfort zone with some embellishments in his toupee. It’s a small step but I took it!
There was way too much drama getting Elvis finished finished but the binding is on and he is done and I am on to the next. I am looking forward to continuing to work with Susan and having her experienced eyes understand what I am trying to do and somehow, magically, make it happen.
All these quilts are so beautiful but I am interested in a portrait class online. Is there are options available for next year? Let me know thanks.
Carole,
I’ve added your email to a list of those interested in a portrait class. We don’t have one planned yet, but if we get enough interest we’ll schedule one. It will be a smaller class, perhaps 8 people maximum, and will cost a bit more.
Susan