Milwaukee or bust!

Convergence, the biennial conference of the Handweavers Guild of America, is just around the corner and I am in full-on class preparation mode.

I'll be teaching two one-day workshops:  Fabric Painting 3 Ways and Art Journaling to Kickstart Creativity.  These are both classes I've taught before, but for the past few weeks I've been re-doing the exercises and activities, tweaking the lesson plans and handouts, and ordering supplies, lots of supplies.  While the Fabric Painting class is full, there's still room in Art Journaling and you can still register for it.  We'll be exploring how to use a sketchbook--as a mood board, a diary, a lab, a playground, a tool for capturing and exploring ideas and emotions.  We'll also practice using some basic elements of art such as line, shape and color to convey those ideas and emotions.

a few samples of activities in Art Journaling

I've put a bow on the lesson plans and handouts, so those are ready to photocopy and assemble into folders for students.  Nearly all the supplies are in hand, and it's time to start figuring how to pack them.  Thank goodness Southwest Airlines offers 2 free bags per person, and thank goodness my helpmeet Sam is going along.  I figure three suitcases of supplies and one of clothing between the two of us ought to work.  (And I'll have lots of empty space on the way home for anything I buy in the Vendors Hall.  Yay!  I notice there's a Navajo rug auction on Friday night.  Hmmmm.)

suitcase o' paints

additional supplies for Fabric Painting and Art Journaling 

Today I shipped off my tapestry Red Letter Day to hang in the Leaders' exhibit, called Gathering by Waters.  I am humbled to have work hanging in what will be very accomplished company.

Red Letter Day (c) Molly Elkind 2016

This is not my first Convergence, but it is my first one as a class leader and I can't wait.  The hardest thing will be fitting in everything I want to do into the few days we'll be there--see the exhibits and the fashion show, meet with my fellow tapestry weavers at ATA's events, shopping at the Vendors Hall (did I mention that?), and visiting the fantastic Milwaukee Art Museum.

I know it will be an all-you-can-eat buffet of all things artistic and textilic.  Yum.