Due to a spectacular flurry of replies from the email newsletter that I sent out 14 hours ago, I’ve realized that the ‘essay’ parts of my newsletters will need an additional place to ‘live,’ in addition to my newsletter archive, here. That place is here on my blog. If you enjoy this blog post, please know that you can find, “much more where that came from,” in my newsletter. Thank you in advance for sharing this content with others, crediting me and linking back to this post, and for your comments below, digging deeper into the subject! 💕 ~Heidi
I'm about to do a lot of teaching at QuiltCon, much of which I've already pre-recorded. I've also just recently taught Stitching Together with The Makerie, so my brain is full of ideas around creative instruction. The following are some tips on getting the most out of a creative workshop, and the places one might choose to focus their attention:
Technique and materials vs concept: I am often bewildered by the intensity of questions around materials and tiny details. How many strands of floss? Floss or pearl? Which weight? What stitch is in that example? Please show the quilter's knot again... This bewilders me because I often show up curious about the concept. I want questions like: High visibility or subtlety? Stitch every detail, or leave some negative space? Depict everything from above, or break with that perspective choice at times? How to marry both 2D and 3D embroidery? How to visually incorporate text? How did you choose this color palette? Which part did you stitch 1st, 2nd, 3rd? Etc.
I believe that goals/focus are at the root of these two sets of questions. I also concede that the second set of questions may simply be those that come from a more experienced creative student. But, how to make that leap? (I hope by modeling the questions here!)
Once I have the name of a technique, I can look it up on YouTube, and watch it on repeat till I get it- it's not a unique or special thing that I can access only through my teacher.
I can look at any stash and find different gauges of thread. I can also look at any stitch dictionary, and find a texture or stitch that will serve my purpose. After all, I'm not planning to make an exact copy of anything.
What I want to learn, and can usually only get from my unique teacher is:
What inspired you?
How do you save time, or create economy of movement?
How do you choose the right stitch?
How do you choose the right thread for the project?
Why is that knot so useful to you?
What technique and materials details are you a nerd for?
You say you're inspired by X, but your work looks different from X, how did you get there?
What do you think causes your work look so sublime?
How did you transition from idea to finished product?
How did you prioritize this idea over other options in your head?
Of course, you can ask what you want to ask in a class, but my point is that you may not be asking a question that will get you where you want to go. These latter questions are the ones that will help move you from copying into creativity. They will transform your focus so that you too will find the first set of questions to be immaterial.
How and Why. While I was a HS freshman art teacher for 9 years, I LOVED showing my students episodes from PBS Art 21. At first, I just told them to "Take Notes" in their sketchbook about the video, and they wrote down the most peculiar details, with no notion of why we were watching the video in the first place... Then, I started to teach them about taking notes, and I would write on the dry erase board the two questions that I wanted them to have in mind while they watched:
Why do the make the art they make?
How do they make the art they make?
What a difference! Suddenly, my students cared about the things that I wanted them to care about. Understanding the motivation behind the art led my students to find deeper motivation in their own art. Noting the steps in the creative process, and how a work was made also increased their perceptiveness around materials, craftsmanship, and balancing planning with improvisation.
I think that any student can do this for themselves too. Consider your goals in taking a Zoom workshop. Make them simple, and try using a post-it note on the frame of your computer screen while in class.
These goals can be as simple as how and why, or they can be much more specific.
Critique. This is a big concept for me when I teach, and one that I worry about extra in large workshops and on Zoom, as inflection and tone can get a bit lost sometimes. I am used to the rigor of an art school critique. I have a thick skin, and it can be easy for me to forget that my clever commentary can be taken from a much more fragile place. I hope that the following will help protect you in class, and keep your heart safe and open:
I love to brainstorm. It's super fun for me to say to a student, "What if..." and play with several new creative options. As a teacher, I hope that this will spark their creativity, and keep their mind rolling in this exciting new space.
What I hope that the savvy student knows, is that my feelings are not connected to them taking any of that advice! If they stick with their original plan, it's like when I ask a waiter what's good on the menu, and then I ignore that advice, and get what I wanted anyways. Hearing their response sometimes fully clarifies my desire on the menu. I'm happy to do that for a student. I'm also equally happy when my brainstorming session rolls them into a totally new idea, and they make that.
I like to notice details and craftsmanship. I feel that it is my responsibility as a teacher to let my students know when and how they can 'up' their technique.
I hope that these tips don't hurt feelings. You are not bad if your applique is turned under differently from how I do it. Also, you might have a great reason for having done it that way on purpose! #ConceptualArt. But, I know from experience that it can take a few tries to get a technique down, and sometimes I introduce a bunch of info really fast, and maybe you just didn't hear/see that bit of instruction, so I do try to point those details out in class, so that you can leave having learned as much as possible.
Perspective. I believe that understanding this perspective on critiques can lighten the hearts of many students. After clarifying a point in class recently, I had a student proclaim, "OH! I didn't realize that the Quilt Police weren't here." How wonderful to feel free to make the class work for you, and not the other way around. Trust your own gut, and push back to make what you want. Experiencing the push and pull of critique will give you an inner compass that's key in finding your own creative voice and point of view.
I hope that these tips are helpful! I hope that you are able to show up fully as yourself when you take a creative workshop. I hope that you are able to maximize your experiences in class, and that you leave feeling refueled and inspired.
"What a thrill it is to cultivate one's skillfulness in the area of learning. It is perhaps life's most useful skill."
-Heidi Parkes
P.S.
Because thread, book, and tool choices DO matter, as evidenced by the many questions students ask about them! Here's a reminder that if you're curious about some of my favorite supplies for quilting, hand care, and Zooming, they're linked on my Amazon Shop Page.