**Please note that masks will be required during this workshop at all times: when entering the School, moving about the studio, and interacting with the instructor. Masks may be removed when students are working independently at their socially distanced desks. 

A creative exploration of the imagination … or perhaps what goes on in your head … In these five days students will design and create a little bust of a character based on their own personal imagery.

A basic idea for creating a bust using polymer clay and cloth will be provided as well as instructions on how to use these two materials in a mixed media assemblage. Kate will provide the initial idea and patterns for your characters but your project can be as individual as you wish to make it. This class is open to all levels.

Students should bring:

(if you are missing any of these things, let the School know before you spend time and money, often we have lots between us and then when you do decide to buy something, you know what you are looking for.)

• A basic materials kit from the instructor will be provided for you including: polymer clay, patterns for your figure, pre-made under-suit for your figure, wire for armature, and various shared materials
• Please bring an object or box to use as a “house” for your figure. This can be something you have or find once we have begun the character and see the scale of the pieces. The little box that Fibber is inside is approx 5×9”
• Pasta Machine (there will be a few machines available but please bring one if you have one)
• Knitting Needles to use for sculpting: small double pointed around 4mm
• Pins, needle and thread any color
• Hair stuff:  feathers, roving, string, yarn, raffia (things you like)
• T-shirt size pieces of fabrics for clothing layers and details…stretch fabrics work best for the outer layers of the costume.
• Ribbons odd and ends you like for detailing.
• Sculpting tools (my favorite set is “Style and Detail” tools by Sculpey. There will be sets available for purchase if you do not have them.
• Inexpensive paint brushes for acrylic paint
• Acrylic Paints just a few favorite colours for your base if you wish to paint it…
• Assortment of a few “extras” that you might share with others in the class. I find magically someone will always have brought just what someone else is looking for… don’t overdo, just as you sort and pack if something gets your attention or seems like an interesting thing to bring, pop it in your collection of bits and tricks. An example is paper bits for collage on the base or figure…

Bookings

Kate Church

Kate Church refers to her work as “sculptural puppetry” combining the line and form of sculpture with the playful anima of puppetry.

The intention of the work is to carry a silent imprint or sense of emotion through the posture and expression of the figure evolving in front of her. Built using a process that is movable throughout its construction, a tangible sense of emerging comes naturally to the finished sculpture. In fact most of the figures can be altered and adjusted; movement is part of their design.

Details embroidered with movement and grace speaking of curiosity, delight, tenderness and humour … expressions of life. The pieces Kate Church builds somehow defy conventional interpretation. They are not dolls, nor are they formal sculptures.

 

In Kate’s words:

“Combining the line and form of sculpture with a moment in time has been my primary work for more than twenty five years. I work in multiple disciplines including life drawing, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, and painting. It has been a way to evolve and challenge my figurative work.”

Bookings

Registrations for this workshop are now closed.