Join Wakefield-based artist Helen Riddle for a weekend introduction to creating abstract designs in wet-felting and stitched surface decoration.
Inspired by the works in the Sheila Hicks exhibition, you will combine wet-felting with binding techniques, needle-felting, needle-weaving and hand stitching to create your own relief hanging or decorative panel.
Following demonstrations of methods, you will be guided in using a drum carder to create fine shade blends before designing your panel, incorporating pre-felts and other fibres, learning the basic wet-felting technique and using resists to create pockets and slots. You will then create a wet felting background for your panel, making firm foundation layers and adding colour, shape and movement to the surface layer by incorporating different blends, fibres, and pre-felts.
On the second day, following a demonstration of hand-stitch, needle weaving, needle felting techniques and different ways of binding and attaching relief elements of the design, you will work on completing your own design.
About the artist
Helen Riddle was awarded the City and Guilds Medal for Excellence in Constructed Textiles in 2014 and works from her studio at The Art House, Wakefield.
Her work combines wet and needle felting with free-motion embroidery, hand stitch and print. She has recently exhibited for Wakefield Art Walk and Leeds Industrial Museum and her work can be seen at events and galleries around the UK. Helen’s rhubarb and heron brooches are stocked at the Hepworth Wakefield shop. Her recent exhibitions include The Doffer and the Fancy: Re-imagining the Machine Textile Sculpture, Leeds Industrial Museum, 2019; 10km of Stitch, Wakefield Cathedral July 2021 and Pathways, a joint exhibition in Wakefield, 2021.
Book Your Place
Sales end 4pm 27 July 2022.
A proportion of the allocated places are offered to Members at the discounted rate on a first come, first served basis. Please contact members@hepworthwakefield.org for your discount code, or see your regular Members’ newsletter. Become a Member.
Book your place online or if you have any questions or special requirements then don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing hello@hepworthwakefield.org.
A two week cancellation policy applies to all workshops. As commercial workshops support our charitable activities, and materials and equipment are ordered in advance, we regret that refunds cannot be offered less than two weeks before the workshop date should you wish to cancel your place.
Should The Hepworth Wakefield need to cancel a workshop, your ticket will be refunded in full.
