This post concludes the three-post series featuring my January (into February) 2023 Live Online Class. Life scurries along so quickly, doesn’t it? And now, as March blows in like a snow lion (here in Maine), and roaring like Reva Hill’s in-progress lion collage above, it’s already a month ago that this class concluded. I’m already preparing for my next live online class at the end of this month.
Just a few short years ago I wouldn’t have thought it was possible to teach fabric collage online like I’ve been able to. It took lots of practice and several innovations, both technological and organizational, before I could commit to doing it. Here are some of the things that made online fabric collage possible.
- Zoom annotation. Being able to use Zoom’s annotation tools to mark directly on my students’ images was a game changer. I may not be there to pick up the fabric and cut a piece out, but I can circle a piece of fabric. I can’t point my finger at a spot on the quilt and suggest a change, but I can highlight it on the screen. Then the student can take a screen shot of these visual notes as a reminder of our conversation.
- Using photos instead of live video. Video is great for communication, but not so much so for sharing visuals like quilts. Lighting for video is hard and even with good light the image never comes across as sharp as is necessary. However, when I have my students send in photos of their work, the image is crystal clear.
- Pre-Class coaching. Providing a 45-minute individual pre-class coaching session prepares students in at least two ways. First I’m prepping them to be ready by helping them finalize their image choice, line drawing, and fabric selection. But just as importantly, we are doing a dry run for the use of the technology. More than once we have discovered (and corrected) technical issues during coaching instead of on the first day of class week.
- Using Tom. I couldn’t do it alone. Without my partner Tom (or someone like him) Live Online Classes wouldn’t be possible for me. He’s in the background collating images and dropping them into a slide program for me to look at and annotate. Then he makes sure the next person is ready to receive my feedback. More than one student has commented that “Tom keeps us all in line.”
- Practice, practice. I spent several months early on during the pandemic producing a series called “Thursday Night in My Studio Live!” We did 27 hour-long-plus episodes of that series. Around the same time I started Fabric Collage Coaching, and have since done dozens and dozens of these one-on-one student Zoom sessions. Both these activities allowed me to become familiar and comfortable with the Zoom interface and it gave Tom practice in post-production editing.
- Pre-recorded Daily Demonstrations. When I teach in-person, I take an hour or so first thing each morning to do a demonstration of a particular fabric collage technique or process. I need to get the beginning to end information across, and class time needs to be given to it. However, we decided that that wasn’t necessarily the case in an online format. The students are on their computers anyway, so why not pre-record the morning demonstrations and provide links to watch the videos on their own time and at their time-zone convenience. That way, our daily morning meetings during class week can be reserved to answer any questions about the daily topics, saving the hour or so of demo time for a general check-in with everyone, prior to the official start of each day’s teaching rounds. A good use of our class time together.
Combining a bunch of ideas and skills enables us to produce the quality of Live Online Classes our students have been able to attended.
So it’s nice to look back and relish the progress all twelve of my students made in this class. (If you missed either of the two previous posts, you can view them using the links below.) The entire class was broken into three subgroups, or “breakout rooms” as Zoom calls them—the Zookeepers (featured previously), the Spice of Life (featured previously), and Wild Things (featured today).
Wild Things
This group was made up of Janet Delsener, Judy Bilardello, Kathleen Howard, and Reva Hill. They named themselves “Wild Things” because they had all chosen to do large carnivorous mammals. Tom provisionally named them the “carnivores” but they considered that too gruesome!
Judy Bilardello
See more of Judy’s work in these posts: November 2019, May 2021, and Finish Line: July 2021.
From Judy:
With permission from Lions, Tigers, and Bears, I set out to make a fabric collage of Kallie, a tiger who was rescued from an abandoned roadside zoo in Oklahoma. She is now receiving much needed medical care and will live out her life in an open space environment 45 minutes from San Diego. She is a survivor. I want this fabric collage to honor her and celebrate her.
This is my second online class with Susan and I have taken one in-person class as well. Not to mention Thursday Night Live in my Studio sessions! I knew she would guide and encourage me when I needed help. Her observations are so clear. Her suggestions on the mark. She listens and responds and moves me forward when I feel stuck. I always come away from my session knowing exactly what my next steps are.
An advantage of taking a Susan Carlson class on line, is the convenience of being in your own studio or sewing room. All your supplies are readily available and your fabric stash can be revisited whenever you need to find just the right fabric piece for the detail you are working on. There is also the advantage of talking with quilters from California to Scotland. How fun is that!!
Additionally, Susan and Tom have a system in place that melds technology and artwork nearly flawlessly. They are quite a team! Each individual session with Susan is designed so that she can annotate directly on a photo of your work as she describes what she sees as next steps or helps trouble shoot whatever needs attention. I record each session and use it as a reference as I progress. There is so much valuable information!
In addition to my own work, I truly enjoyed chatting with others in my break out room and across the other small groups. Our after hour work sessions were casual and fun as we learned about each others’ lives and shared our past and current fabric collage experiences…sometimes with tea, sometimes with a glass of wine.
Every day I work a little more on Kallie and hear Susan’s voice in my head reminding me I need to “put it down before I can fix it up”. Step by step, “see where it goes”.
Janet Delsener
See more of Janet’s work in this post: January 2022.
From Janet:
The lion is from a photo taken by my husband on a recent South African safari. The lion is a young male and part of a pride that we followed daily for nearly a week. He is symbolic not only of an incredible vacation but also of the overwhelming connection to natured that developed throughout our trip.
For anyone considering the class who is a novice at this process, I would encourage them to work through the moments when they feel frustrated and to seek support from their “roommates.”
Sooner or later, it will all fall together. After all, if this was simple and easy, it wouldn’t seem as amazing when you stand back and admire your work and the work of others.
In answer to one of our survey questions, “What do you see as the biggest benefit of the online format of this class?”:
You have access to your stash, you can work in your pjs, you can move around more freely to work off nervous energy and you don’t have to worry about snow making you late!
Reva Hill
Reva was one of two newbies taking a class with me in this overall group of students. However, she did have some previous fabric collage experience—check out her spiral below. There, Reva got great practice auditioning her fabric choices for her lion, as she worked along blending from one color and pattern to another.
From Reva:
My subject was a statue of a lion that a friend had taken. I chose the subject/photo as I like the simplicity of it (black and white and a great eye) and thought it would be good as a beginner project.
I enjoyed the class so much! I didn’t really know what to expect but was not disappointed at all. I enjoyed being in the comfort of my home yet having Susan available to guide me. I loved all of the pre-class videos and the fact that I will be able to watch them as often as I want. It’s hard sometimes in an in-person class to retain everything.
Survey question: How did your online class experience compare to in-person quilting classes you have taken?
Pros: Having all of my fabrics, tools etc. without having to pack things to an in-person class. Found that this was less stressful to prepare for. Learning from observing feedback given to other participants. Cons: Not being in an actual room with the other participants and seeing their pieces in person.
And even though viewing classmates’ work wasn’t in-person, Reva still felt that her favorite moment of class was, “At the conclusion, to see the progress of everyone’s projects.”
Kathleen Howard
See more of Kathleen’s work in these posts: Finish Line: July 2020, Finish Line: December 2020, May 2021, and Finish Line: September 2021.
From Kathleen:
While driving in a California Bay Area suburb at dawn, my son took a photo of a coyote on a well kept, suburban lawn. The coyote clearly felt that, at such an early hour, my son was an intruder into his territory. He snarled for the camera. I am interested in portraying the interface between humans and animals in their home/territorial settings. We often intrude into their lives, lives that are lived without concerns about our politics or our problems. But some of our problems become their problems, especially in crossover of habitat. I am interested in portraying those moments of nexus. “Get Off My Lawn,” as I think I will name the collage, is one of those moments.
The coyote’s face and expression were crucial. While I have done a few collages, both with and without Susan right there to help, I really wanted Susan’s support to get this face right! I was so glad to have her thoughts and suggestions as I went through the process of doing that coyote’s snarling face.
I also tend toward using the natural colors of animals I collage. I am breaking myself of this habit and appreciate Susan’s support in that effort. I wanted my coyote’s coloration to send a message about his both belonging and not belonging on a suburban lawn. Susan’s guidance in choosing colors, and getting the coyote’s expression just right, was so helpful throughout the process.
Space Available in May 2023 Live Online Class
You are invited to join me via Zoom for a 5-Day Live Online Fabric Collage Class. This class is for all levels of fabric collage proficiency, from beginner to advanced. The class runs May 29–June 2, 2023.
I have included an update of the number of spots available and will do my best to keep it updated as it changes. If you find on the registration page that the class has sold out and would like to be placed on a waitlist, please email Tom ([email protected]). Thank you.
CLASS DESCRIPTION: Five-Day Live Online Fabric Collage Classes (Animals Only)
Price: $995 per student
Required Class Fee: $169 for the Fabric Collage Master Class—an online resource “manual” to refer to before, during, and after class—yours for life ($199 regular price; contact tom@tomallenbooks for coupon code for discount. This fee is waived if you already own the Master Class)
Hardware and Software Requirements: Computer, tablet, or other larger-screen device; reliable internet; ability to photograph and send images of collage in progress (a cellphone is recommended); Zoom meeting software (free to download)
Maximum Number of students: 12
Subject Matter: This class deals with animal subjects—furred, feathered, or scaled—pets, exotic animals, birds, insects, sea life, sea slugs, whatever type of animal appeals to you.
Included: Forty-five minute private pre-class coaching session to prepare you for Day One of class.
See links below for more information.
May 29-June 2, 2023
2 Spots Remaining (as of March 4)
Register and pay here:
https://susancarlson.com/product/may-2023-live-online-fabric-collage-class-with-susan-carlson-animals-only/
One Comment