Tuesday, June 11, 2013

New QU class starts Friday

My next Working in Series class starts at Quiltuniversity.com on Friday - there's time to sign up for it until Saturday!
 This is an interesting class because when I was devising it, it struck me that few online classes really utilize the strengths of doing a class with many international students and on line.  (I'm taking an on line class myself and it's just not exploiting the really distinctive aspects of this kind of teaching situation).  So I began cogitating (as is my wont!) in order to figure out how could I do this differently? 
In a real class, I take considerable advantage of the fact that we're in a room together.  I can sit right down next to someone, just one on one, and really discuss their issues with art.  While permitting as much kibbitzing as people want, I do try to make the situation a very intimate one.
 So it has been a very interesting challenge to work in a totally different situation through the ether!  I can't talk to folk very personally and intimately - watching their body language to see how they're responding to me...but I can, and do, take huge advantage of the fact that the quilt university classes are 6 or 7 weeks in length and that we have the resources between us of just about all the art and science and knowledge in the world!

Here are some images of a series I worked on some years ago:  it was called Idea of a City:







Now I don't expect the people in the class will be able to make such a series in 7 weeks!  After all it took me about 3 months for each one of these - they're all 60" square and all have home dyed, screen printed and arashi and godknowswot surface design ideas on them.  The "river" strip at the bottom of the one above has 3 entirely different surface design technique and took some doing!!  However I do feel that they should be able to have a well researched and thought out Plan for such a series and have made a good start on the first one.
If you have any questions about the class - you're welcome to email me (there's a link at the top right of the page) or ask in the Comments.  Also if you're interested in purchasing my book Inspired to Design  directly from me, autographed and dedicated to you! please email me for details.  One of these days I'll get around to one of those yellow "Pay Now" thingies!  but I havn't got that yet! I'm also doing a book on Working in Series, a much expanded version of the class with lots and lots of luscious photos of not only my series, but other folks and it will be out in time for a nice Christmas present!
And, if you have been, thanks for reading.....Elizabeth

4 comments:

Judy Rys said...

I would like to take this class, however, I will be on vacation during two of the lessons. Missing two classes and trying to play catch up doesn't seem ideal. Will you be teaching this again?

Elizabeth Barton said...

I have three more classes at Quilt University before it closes:
7/19 Dyeing to Design

8/23 Inspired to Design

9/20 Working in Series

After that I hope to figure out a way to continue classes via a link from my blog and email.

Christine Staver said...

Love your idea of a city series. Did you make them in the order shown on your blog? Did you complete one before working on another? I will add your new book to my Christmas list. I got your first book for Mother's Day and plan on starting to read it this weekend. I have looked through it, but I want to really read it.

Elizabeth Barton said...

No I began with the 5th one down!! they're actually in alphabetic order by name and I worked on them sequentially over about 2-3 years. All except one have left home! Hope you enjoy the book!