Layers of Stitch with Cas Holmes

24th and 25th July 2021

£130

Cas is an artist, teacher and author living in the U.K. I trained in painting and photography at the University of Creative Arts, Kent in the early eighties, followed by further scholarships for research in Japan and India.

Cas likes to use discarded items, waste material that are no longer considered useful. Her work is informed by her drawings and photographs reflecting personal narratives, places visited, stories of  her grandmother, old and forgotten textiles.  Found materials and cloth (fragments of lace, old clothing, domestic fabrics) have a history’. These she breaks down, tears, and cuts, until they are re-assembled to create something more meaningful.

WORKSHOP: A typical workshop starts with a practical session to experimenting mark-making and other colour application techniques Cas uses in conjunction with her found surfaces.  This is followed by an exploration of methods used to join pieces together with adhesive mediums and stitch. As you progress participants will incorporate your own ideas as well as creating sketches, samples and notes for further reference. Participants will leave the course with a sound basis of processes and working samplers, or foundation pieces which they can continue to build on and develop at home.

Possibilities will arise to create complex layered dimensional machine or hand stitched 'drawings'  You will explore marks onto lightweight fabrics such as cottons, muslins,  silk organza and explore paste methods to combine the layers of cloth and paper.  Creative exercises with reference to the surrounding landscape and collected plants and objects and their application in relation to different fabrics (torn and old materials such as handkerchiefs, clothing and vintage fabrics) and found materials/paper will further help to develop personal expression and add meaning to your work. Your 'visual narrative' will take inspiration from the garden, architecture, wildlflowers and wildlife or your own subject reference

Please read the covid guidelines below before booking 

Where will the workshops take place?

We will be embracing the outdoors and working between gazebos and where necessary the studio space. Outside the studio is a large patio area which houses the outdoor classrooms. The format is 2 people spaced apart at the end of the tables. All tables are separated and at the edges of the space. The tutor will have  a teaching desk to work from. Students will be mostly outdoors and asked to wear a mask indoors. Common sense will be applied at all times but even outdoors some may feel more comfortable wearing a mask. Visors are also provided for anybody who wishes to wear them. All students are expected to respect each other’s space and safety at all times. 

You are advised to bring layers of clothing as the Welsh weather is a little unpredictable.

What happens if the pandemic is ongoing and government restrictions do not allow workshops at the allocated time?

The workshops will adhere to ALL guidelines and will absolutely only take place if it is safe to do so. No risks will be taken. Please read the T’s and C;s and Covid Guidelines below.

Should I book a workshop if I am unsure what will be happening in 2021 with the pandemic?

This is a difficult one. I can give my opinion and explain my experiences if it helps. I cannot control lockdowns, travel restrictions, and the potential for us to need to postpone a workshop. In 2020 I postponed many guest workshops, but my team and I ran lots of regular classes via zoom and  returned to small in person workshops in mid-September. We worked with Welsh Government to keep creative classes running safely as they are so important for wellbeing. 

In the first term of 2021 in the second lockdown, we held all workshops online. From May onwards all in-person workshops have taken place in the outdoor classrooms. The students and tutors have adapted together and enjoyed the experience. The studio is accessible for use of machinery and materials. The students enter in small numbers to work in the studio, but are based under the gazebos just outside. I believe we are now more prepared than ever with distancing measures, PPE etc and in general people are more willing to take part in organised activities that they deem safe - whereas initially nothing felt safe! It has been so good for everybody’s mental health to get creating again at the studio and outdoors. If booking a workshop gives you something to look forward to, then it can only be a good thing. We all need a bit of hope and I sincerely hope the guest workshops will see these incredible tutors share their talents with the Beth Morris Workshops community.