Empty Spools Seminars - Sue Benner class 04-12-16

As usual at Empty Spools I am ending the day exhausted.  I get 1000% more exercise here than I do at home.  Hike to meals, hike to Merrill Hall (auditorium)... at least I don't have to hike to my sleeping room which is right across the "piazza" from the classroom (Nautilus).  But just being with 20 other people in a room all day is tiring for someone who lives alone.  It is a great class, Sue Benner is a great teacher and the other 19 students are all busy working on their projects and paying attention to the lectures.  I feel very fortunate that I am in this class. 

Our first assignment was to make three small (9" x 5.75") pieces based on the pictures we have brought with us - either our own photos or something from a book or magazine.  These are "quick" fabric sketches which we finished yesterday and shared with the class this morning.  These pictures were taken with only the classroom lighting and are not very good.  Here are my three pieces:

 On the bottom is the picture I took in Washington State several years ago.  With Mt. Baker on the mainland.   On top my impression done in fabric.  I think the cloud is too dark and I will try to remedy that by fusing another piece of fabric over it.

 

Another picture taken in Washington State on the same trip.  The gull needs to be larger and not line up with the rocks on the shore.  I'll try making a slightly larger gull.  There are a few yellow stitches indicating the grass growing on the top of the pilings, but it isn't something I want to do by hand and will wait until I have my machine set up to do it with machine stitching.

 

A photo from an Oregon trip one autumn.  I was trying to abstract the image.  I think I need to do some machine stitched twigs and skinny trees in the background.  Again, when my machine is ready.

 

I have pictures of other student works and hope to get to editing them tomorrow.  But right now I need to get to bed.  The weather was cooler today and quite windy, but no rain, which is predicted for tonight or tomorrow. 

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