it’s about time I refreshed this site & tidied up around here, so here is the latest page & project I have cooking up.
so far, and in the meantime, I’ll slowly be adding, moving & rearranging this blog.
a virtual Spring cleaning if you will. please do check out the new project & let me know your feedback in the comments below.
xo!
Filed under Art Events
Hello there stranger…
It’s been a long time hasn’t it?
I know…I’m sorry…I’ve thought about you often, amongst chaotic moments, big decisions, and new frontiers…you haven’t been far away in my mind.
I have so many stories to tell & not nearly enough time in a day to get everything I have my heart set on accomplished.
I am only stopping in here a short spell, to share some news and updates, and ….whoosh!!! Off I go again…
My sweet little family and I have relocated to Vancouver Island and I am celebrating this new life we have here, with more space, more openness, lots of garden and more opportunity to dream…..
& on that note……..
Handmade Felt Workshops!
Finally, with spring & summer at our doorsteps, & after many moments of pondering, I am happy to be able to have the extra space to open my doors to those interested in learning how to make handmade felt with me.
The classes are structured to be fully customized for your own interests, which I think is the best part, with a primer in the basic skills of wet & dry felting techniques to get you started.
We then dive into my glorious stash of soft wools, fibres and treats & have some fun.
Would you like to join me?
Together we’ll explore the magic of felting.
some of the topics we cover are:
obtaining three dimensional organic shapes,
felting flat surfaces & surface design,
nuno/laminate fabrics,
incorporating dry felting into wet felting, using moulds & resists to create three dimensional objects.
(not ALL topics will be covered in one class, but we will try to cover most subjects, with an opportunity to come back & learn more! ) See more below!
First, if you are unsure what handmade felt and felting is, here are a few bits of info for you: (thank you wikipedia)
Felt is a non-woven cloth that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing woollen fibres.
While some types of felt are very soft, some are tough enough to form construction materials. Felt can be of any colour, and made into any shape or size.
Wet felting is combining carded wool fibres with friction and lubrication by moisture (usually soapy water). This “wet” process takes advantage of the inherent nature of wool and other animal hairs.
It is this combination which reacts to the friction of the felting process, forcing the scales on the hairs to lock together and thus causing the phenomenon of felting.
Dry felting Needle felting is a popular fibre arts craft conducted without the use of water. Special barbed felting needles that are used in industrial felting machines are used by the artist as a sculpting tool. Using a single needle or a small group of needles (2-5) in a hand-held tool, these needles are used to sculpt the wool fibre. The barbs catch the scales on the fibre and push them through the layers of wool, tangling them and binding them together, much like the wet felting process.
And now the fine print & details:
Location: Central Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
Class dates & times:
Sunday, May 6th 1 – 4 p.m.
Sunday, May 13th 12 – 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 19th 1 – 4 p.m.
Sunday, June 3rd 12 – 3 p.m.
Sunday, June 10th 12 – 3 p.m.
Saturday June 16th 2 – 5 p.m.
Saturday, July 14th 2 – 5 p.m.
Sunday, July 22nd 1 – 4 p.m.
August & September dates TBA
Maximum number of students per class: 6
$50.00 per class on a sliding scale*
Supplies & materials included.
please bring:
-a drink & snack (you’ll build up an appetite!)
-2 old towels (lots of water will be involved)
-a plastic bag (for wet towels)
-a recycled plastic soap bottle
-pair of rubber gloves (optional)
Children over the age of 6 years old can accompany a paying adult for free, but both must work on the same project together.
Repeat students get a hearty discount on more classes. Once you take a beginner session, we can discuss taking your experience to another level & create more customized sessions for you.
I like to do that sort of thing.
Private lessons also available…Let’s talk.
Payments can be made by:
Sending cash or cheque
Interac etransfer
Paypal
To register please email me at tanisalexis@yahoo.ca with the class date of your choice, your name, email & phone number.
I will send you an email confirmation with payment details.
Once you have paid, I will email you a small questionnaire about your preferences and abilities to customize your class.
And then we do a little happy dance in anticipation of our upcoming felt extravaganza together!
*Sliding scale fee: for those who want to learn but simply cannot afford the class at the full rate, that’s ok! As an artist, I can definitely relate!
Go ahead & email me at: tanisalexis@yahoo.ca and we can talk about what is a comfortable price for you.
Have something you want to swap, trade or barter with? Contact me, we love that sort of thing.
Hope to see some of you around these parts. I really do hope I can inject some creative inspiration into your world, just as much as your enthusiasm will do for me.
Otherwise… I have missed you, even though I’m not very good at regularly checking in.
I hope you can forgive me for the temporary absence & join me in the wonders the near future brings…who knows, maybe we can share our stories with each other soon.
I’d really like that..
much love xo.
Filed under Art Events, handmade by me, tanisalexis news
interview, originally uploaded by tanisalexis.
the fabulous folks over at mr. x stitch have a fantastic blog featuring amazing artists in the realm of contemporary embroidery and needlecraft. I’ve just had the immense pleasure and honour of being interviewed by their guest blogger, Moxie about my works, my process and so much more. Read it all here.
best wishes everyone! xo!
Filed under tanisalexis news
You’re invited!, originally uploaded by tanisalexis.
I have the honour and pleasure of exhibiting my mixed media works from my ‘we shall live here’ series on the walls of the Plum Gallery in the Port Moody Arts Centre!
They’re hanging out there right now! I haven’t seen them yet, but I will be at the gallery this Saturday as part of the annual Artswalk. Come by and say hello! And if you can’t make it, the Opening Reception for the show is Thurs, April 21st from 6-8 pm.
My work will be alongside a good friend & colleague of mine, Amanda Maxwell, she makes really beautiful jewelry with surprising results. Our work is both based on the concept of home, and it should prove to be quite interesting to see our work come together .
Hope to see you there! xo
Filed under Art Events, collaborations, tanisalexis news
just a short one to say that I’m busy with some serious art making these days, as I’ve been contacted to fill a last minute spot in the port moody art centre. it will be a busy month for me!
more soon, including, maybe, sorta, perhaps, an image heavy post of some of the pieces I’ve whipped up in the past few months.
& hurrah for spring!
ciao!xo!
Filed under Uncategorized
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