Join artist Michael Brennand-Wood as he leads a workshop based on his current exhibition and artistic processes.
Brennand-Wood says: “Pattern books of textile designs provide imagery and instruction to follow. I was always more interested in using patterns as a launch pad for new ideas. The aspiration was to learn from the past, reinvent and create a contemporary image. The Encirclement of Space contains several major works based on 16th century Renaissance Lace patterns. This short-day workshop is designed to explore that process, using collage, paint, coloured pencil and crayon.”
The workshop will begin with a walk around the exhibition, key works will be discussed especially in relation to how they were initially developed, how imagery derived from historical lace was sampled and reconfigured to create new imagery. This will be followed by a short technical and materials introduction/demonstration of key techniques.
You will be provided with a collection of pattern book pages that can be cut, shaped and interlaced together. These initial paperwork ideas can be further enhanced via the addition of paint, crayon and coloured pencils. There is no right or wrong approach to the workshop, no pre-set vision as to what you will produce. You may wish to view the workshop as a lace image jam session, an opportunity to explore new ideas and approaches within a supportive group – ideas that could be developed at home at a later stage.
At the close of the day’s activities, we will have round room look at what has been achieved. There is no pressure to produce a finished item, the focus of the workshop is on the individual generation of new ideas and approaches derived from lace.