Alice Vandervennen

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Capturing a Moment in Time

Posted by on Apr 27, 2016 in Workshops |

Friday, October 21, 3-8 PM Saturday, October 22, 10 AM- 4:30 PM   In this time of harvest, we will gather the colours, lines, textures and stories as found in textiles and in found objects. The textiles could be new fabrics or unfinished projects, archival remnants or the precious work of a grandmother’s hand. The found objects can be the stone found on the lake-shore, the nail from the century barn, or a button that seals more than history. With these we’ll create, complete, and frame an intimate composition by gathering the old and the new, the found and the given, the finished and the unfinished. Instruction will be given on how to create a composition involving a wide variety of colours, textures and shapes, how to assemble the juxtaposed materials and how to embellish the assemblage through stitching with threads and copper wire.  You will also be led through the process of finishing, mounting and framing the art piece.  The workshop fee covers all necessary materials, including the frames. Surprise yourself with possibilities by creating art that is both personal and mysterious, art that speaks of roads travelled and stories found, art that becomes the keeper of...

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Totem Textile Assemblage

Posted by on May 5, 2016 in Workshops |

Friday 3-7 PM, Saturday 10 AM – 5 PM, Sunday 10 AM – 3PM Totems are compelling structures of ideas and stories. Standing tall, they are like visual poems depicting narratives in startling arrays of colour, shape, and form. Created with textiles, embedded with meaningful overtones, the totem piece seeks to capture the cadence and rhythm of intimate, familiar places —near the heart and far in space and time. Create a memory-filled, totemic mixed media textile assemblage.Collect the remnants of family heirlooms, textiles that show the work of hands, a well-worn button or the stone from a seashore.  We will juxtapose these elements by stitching, cutting and blending, to create an assemblage that will tell many stories.Instruction will be given in how to work with archival fabrics, incorporate precious heirloom handwork, and how to work with photo transfers to create a composition that carries memory and meaning, celebrating the works of the past. This workshop is set in the community cultural hub of Toronto’s Queen Street West, one of Canada’s most creative neighbourhoods. Be a part of the vibrancy!  ...

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Construct: a creative deep dive in Cobourg

Posted by on Nov 27, 2019 in Workshops |

NOTE:  This workshop is full!   con·​struct: to make or form by combining or arranging parts or elements. Create a composition with stones, with sticks, with copper and colour tones. Create, construct, complete, and frame an intimate composition by gathering the old and the new, the found and the given, the finished and the unfinished. Instruction will be given on how to create a composition involving a wide variety of colours, textures and shapes, how to assemble the juxtaposed materials and how to embellish the assemblage through stitching with threads and copper wire, as well as burnishing and working with copper. You will also be led through the process of finishing, mounting and framing the art piece. Join us for an exciting workshop with a flexible schedule, created to meet participants where they are. We’ll workshop with instruction and develop ideas during the day, and have open studio time at night. This workshop is set up for both beginners and more advanced artists, and is meant to work with participants based on their individual level of expertise or experience. Surprise yourself with possibilities by creating art that is both personal and mysterious, art that speaks of roads travelled and stories found, art that becomes the keeper of stories. Note: This workshop is offered on a flexible schedule — with options to do either a three-day intensive or a one-and-half day version, joining the workshop on the afternoon of Friday, November 5, 2021. Fees: Intensive, 3 days, 2 nights: $330 + HSTMeet half-way (Friday afternoon through Saturday): $230 + HST This workshop is now full.  Contact Alice to be put on the wait...

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Haliburton School of the Arts Summer 2022

Posted by on May 18, 2022 in Workshops |

Dive into art with me in Ontario’s beautiful cottage country. Create an evocative and exciting art piece that combines the work of our hands with those of Mother Nature’s. Juxtapose fibre art with natural materials to create a framed, stitched, three-dimensional textile assemblage. Allow the rich textures, brilliant colours and nuanced lines of stitched textiles to interact with the mysterious beauty of the imprinted stone, the gentle branch or a fragile leaf. Incorporate glowing copper and wire, fabric transfers of precious photos, or tell a story with the remnants of an heirloom quilt. Work with a variety of textiles, including remnants of your own stitched, embroidered and embellished work, new fabrics, and found pieces of textiles that catch your eye.  Register soon and get more information at: https://flemingcollege.ca/continuing-education/courses/mixed-media-textile-assemblages?fbclid=IwAR0FKzkyHyaspAe7JNZe2SjwPi_wtPePKS_0OTrN3oRue7CS9vpFDmj1MlM...

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Create A Memory Assemblage

Posted by on Aug 29, 2018 in Workshops |

Join me for a two-hour workshop to create your own framed art piece using textiles and objects that carry memory and meaning.  Be inspired, relaxed and invigorated, working right in The Gallery At The J.     I will bring everything you need to create a finished assemblage, including copper, textiles and all framing materials.  Participants are invited to bring their own found treasures—-a stone, buttons, or any found objects.  It’s also helpful if participants bring a needle, thread and a small assortment of textiles, found precious, colourful or fascinating.    The cost of $60 covers all materials, including a shadow-box frame.  Payment can be made in advance by eTransfer or cash or cheque at the...

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