Mastery Series: Year Seven

Today begins an intense 5-day session in an ongoing mastery series with Hollis Chatelain.  This series is pretty broad-based as we began with three years of drawing, followed by a year of color theory and two years of color-focused design work.  This year, we will be using the information from the previous sessions as it applies to thread and threadwork.  Quite frankly, I have no idea what to expect.  I brought all the solid colored thread I own, which consists of the entire Aurafil Mark Lipinski Collection, Superior Nature colors, Superior Living Colors, Superbrights.  In other words, I could barely see out the windshield of my car as I drove from San Antonio up to New Braunfels.
I think that, no matter what fabric I brought (and I brought enough to fill the entire bottom section of BB, the teaching travel bag) it won't be what I need, but I'm good with that!
My hope is that I increase my skill set in terms of using thread as an important component of the design.
I want to elevate the idea of thread as "paint", and I think there are several ways thread can accomplish that.  So, I'm excited about the coming week.
Being at an off-site environment has made this intensive level of focus possible because we can work as long as we wish, our meals are provided at the facility, and we can walk quickly from our classroom to our lodging:  it is all on the same property which makes it an ideal setting.  This place, the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, works so well for this that Hollis is beginning another mastery series this fall in the same facility.  No matter where you are located, if this sounds appealing you can contact Hollis, who will refer you to the person who is coordinating that group.
Members of this group come from all over the country for the workshop series.  We have formed a tight bond with one another.  I would compare this series to a college intensive course.  It has been hugely important to me in my development as an artist.  I'll be reporting in from the classroom during the week ahead!

Scenes from last year:

an afternoon critique session

we learn a great deal from one another

a collection of "sketches" in cloth

The two below are mine.

I believe they are related to composition and harmony.

Cloth glued (quickly) to 8.5x11 sheets of paper