Jordan Station, Ontario, has brought these two friends to Canada to teach in her shop.
"Janet Bolton composes textile pictures using the simplest of hand sewing techniques. Her inspiration comes from visual experience, memory, imagination-and sometimes from some quality inspired by the material itself. The placement of each element within the composition and the feeling this evokes being the important factor of each piece of work."(janetbolton.com)
"Julie Arkell's papier mache is compelling and naive, papier-mache people and creatures are hand-built and adorned with found objects, knitted accessories and a dose of British humor."(earthangelsstudio.com)
I discovered Janet in April, 1996 when I happened on her book, Patchwork Folk Art, at a vendor while attending the National Art Education Association Conference in San Francisco. I am still inspired by this book today, and I have added most of her other books to my library, including her newest, Fabric Pictures. I was enamored with the size of her quilts and that they were done completely by hand. With the tiny bits of fabric needed, thread, needle, scissors and a plastic bag, I can quilt any where. I have planned "mind trips" to England to study with Janet for years.
My daughter had MS and spent many hours in the hospital. These tiny quilts, along with tangling, were a blessing for me. I was able to be handle her situation calmly and focused on her because I could keep my hands busy. I am truly unable to sit quietly and do nothing.
June, 2014, I retired from 42 years of teaching. Thirty years I taught art. In all those years of teaching, to make my budget stretch for the school year, I did papier mache with my students. We made masks, snakes, people, spiders, ladybugs, houses, animals, creatures, monster size cats, etc. The list was endless. Students loved it. I loved it. I'm truly looking forward to Julie's class to make small items to use in conjunction with my miniature quilts.
With retirement, I gave a gift to myself...a dream of a lifetime...these workshops. I can't believe it's almost time.
