Before we go back into the studios to see the basketmakers and weavers, here’s another update on the Gathering, now only two weeks away. New items or information appear printed in this color within the posting.
Our eighteenth biennial Gathering is set for September 25 – 27! This is a great way to keep in touch with each other, meet Sievers instructors and it’s also an opportunity to return to the Island and share a sample of what happens at Sievers School with a friend. All visitors are welcome and all events are open to the public. Here’s what’s waiting for you…
Workshops – Three workshops are scheduled during the Gathering. For the first time, two of them are one and one-half day sessions that begin on Thursday, September 25 at 2 pm and end on Friday, September 26 at 4 pm. They are: “Landscape ‘Painting’ with Fabric” taught by Susan Hoffmann and “Surface Design on Paper” with Lorrie Grainger Abdo. Our Friday afternoon workshop, from 1 pm – 4 pm is “Willow Garlic Basket” with Jacki Bedworth.
** Please register for the workshops at https://sieversschool.com/contact/ or by calling us at 920-847-2264 by Thursday, September 18.**
Workshop 1 – “Landscape ‘Painting’ with Fabric” with Susan Hoffmann – $ 185 (includes materials kit of photo, fabrics, adhesive and use of art supplies.)
Thursday, September 25, 2 pm – Friday, September 26, 4 pm
If you love quilting and sewing, but are looking for something different to do with fabric, this is the class for you! Using Susan’s original art titled “Birches in Fields of Gold” as your inspiration, you will create a 16” x 20” piece using fabric and scissors as your canvas and paintbrush. You will learn elements of design and composition, as well as artistic techniques. When your piece is finished you may choose to quilt it or frame it outside of class (directions supplied). Required supplies: 4” embroidery scissors with a 1-1/2” blade (must be extremely sharp!), large sewing scissors, rotary blade cutter, glue stick (fresh, please), straight pins or quilting pins, measuring tape, notebook, pen, and a camera or cell phone to take photos during class. Optional supplies (only if you have them): 18” x 24” cutting mat, small iron, ironing surface and pastel pencils and markers. This class is suitable for everyone – no experience or sewing machine necessary – just come with a desire to tap into another side of your creativity.
Susan began exploring fiber arts at Sievers in 2000 and found her passion when she took Natalie Sewell’s Landscape Quilting class in 2008. As her first piece began to take shape, she realized it looked more like a watercolor painting than a quilt and decided to frame it when finished. She continues to perfect the design and construction processes to create her unique kind of textile art. She is represented by Fine Line Designs Gallery, Sister Bay, WI, and The Longbranch Gallery, Mineral Point, WI. In addition, Susan’s piece “Fire in the Sky” will be featured in the book “Color Passions: The Best of Mixed Media” due out this fall. (http://susanstextileart.com/home-2/)
Workshop 2 – “Surface Design on Paper” with Lorrie Grainger Abdo – $ 185 (includes materials)
Thursday, September 25, 2 pm – Friday, September 26, 4 pm
This is a class designed for play and lots of it! Additive, resist and subtractive techniques using paints, oil pastels, inks, pastes, found objects, stamps, tapes and stencils will be demonstrated throughout the workshop and then you’ll be turned loose to create beautiful papers suitable as part of mixed media creations or as “stand alone” art pieces. Exploring mark making, combining colors and dimension with a variety of materials will enhance your overall creative knowledge and can be applied to a variety of other media as well. All materials will be provided and the workshop will be fun-filled. Please “dress for mess”. Bringing any of these items may enhance your experience by giving you more ways to play: chunky stamps, inks and stamp pads, small quantities of acrylic craft paints, stencils, texturing tools (onion mesh bags, brayers, etc.), special papers (handmade, sheet music, etc.) and any material you enjoy using that could be applied in a mixed media creation.
In 1995 Lorrie learned to make handmade paper at Sievers and she continues to work with paper and pigments. Her paper mosaics feature the freedom of colorful expression, yet highlight precise craftsmanship as well. Lorrie is detailed in her instruction and fun with her delivery. She serves on the boards of the Handmade Paper Guild and Signature Artist’s Cooperative, works at the Kalamazoo, MI Book Arts Center and teaches workshops. (http://lorrieabdo.blogspot.com)
Workshop 3 – “Willow Garlic Basket” with Jacki Bedworth – $ 55 (includes materials)
Friday, September 26 – 1 pm – 4 pm
Storing garlic under favorable conditions helps to maintain its healing properties and flavor. And what’s better for storing garlic than a basket you craft especially for the job? Using stake-and-strand techniques, you’ll weave a small (3 ½” x 3″), handled wicker pocket that will ensure your garlic will keep for months. For all levels of basketmakers.
Since a class with Jo Campbell-Amsler at Sievers in 1992, Jacki has specialized in creating traditional willow baskets. She cultivates almost a dozen varieties of willow and teaches workshops, demonstrates her craft at historic re-enactments and creates baskets on commission for museums and historic sites.
Door Prizes – With a registration fee of $15, you will receive 10 tickets that will give you 10 chances at a number of different Sievers-related door prizes including Sievers gift certificates. Additional tickets are available in the Sievers Shop.
Friday Evening Program – “Parallel Threads that Parallel Life”. We begin at 7 pm with social time and refreshments in the Sophie Studio. At 7:30 pm, Daryl Lancaster, Sievers instructor since 2007 and artist, teacher, handweaver, writer and professional dressmaker/designer with over 40 years experience will discuss her views and her perspective on handwoven clothing, recycled experiences and the creative process. Daryl will talk about her adventurous journey over the years with handwoven clothing showing images and samples of her fabrics and garments in her program. Read more about Daryl and see her work on her website: http://www.daryllancaster.com/index.html.
Sievers Fiber Arts Garage Sale – This continues to be a popular event at the Gathering. The Fiber Arts (and more) Garage Sale will be held on Saturday, September 27 from 9:30 am – 1 pm. Many items have been donated for this already and we welcome yours, if you have any to donate. Some of the items include a Sievers Sampler loom, Sievers Inkle loom, a Navajo loom, Ashford Traveller spinning wheel, woven coverlets, weaving reeds, fabric, books, yarn, household items, etc. There will also be a “boutique” table. Proceeds from the garage sale will be shared with the Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands and the Washington Island Art and Nature Center. This time, we plan to ask garage sale buyers to “make an offer” on most items.
Vendors – Shop from 10: 30 am -2:30 pm on Saturday in the Sophie Studio. Our Sievers instructors will have a table of their artwork for sale, including jewelry and more from Lynn Schuster (http://www.etsy.com/shop/LynnSchusterDesigns). Lorrie Grainger Abdo will have her paper mosaic and other artwork, Patty Brooking from Izora’s Beads will have tempting beads and beadwork supplies, Anna Gibson will offer an eclectic assortment from her Island Style shop and Laura Findlay Hagen will have her jewelry (https://www.etsy.com/shop/LFHJewelryDesigns). In addition, Heidi Brodersen will demonstrate on her sock knitting machine and have socks and more for sale, Jewel Lee Grandy’s Art on Bark (birch bark art) items will be available and The Danish Mill will have wonderful goodies. The Sievers Shop will also have selected yarns, books and various fiber arts supplies on sale.
Demonstrations – This is a chance to meet Sievers teachers and students as they demonstrate a variety of the subjects taught in Sievers classes, answer your questions and share their enthusiasm for fiber arts. Demonstrations will be held both in the morning and afternoon on Saturday and will take place in the Walter Studio. Demonstrations include: Polymer Clay with Judith Yamamoto, New Life for Leftovers with Donna Kallner, Woodcarving with Jerry Landwehr, Rug Hooking with Betty Heath, Knitting with Patricia Hewitt and Daryl Lancaster will talk about and show her garments. There will also be a “Sit-and-Sew”, to make a charity quilt to be given to Kimberley House in Sturgeon Bay, WI. Volunteers will guide you through sewing strips onto a muslin backing using a sewing machine.
Student Fiber Work Display and “Show and Tell” Show – Bring your work to share with your Sievers friends! Maybe it’s something you began in a class at Sievers, or an entirely new project after learning the technique here. Whether it’s a basket, quilt, handwoven, knit work, piece of jewelry or article of clothing, we’d love to have it on display in the Walter Studio. We’d also like to include items “Made for Charity or Community“. These could be preemie caps, prayer shawls, a Quilt of Valor or any other items that are made for a good cause. New for the 2014 Gathering, instead of only a fashion show, each of the Student Fiber Work items and “Made for Charity or Community” items will be in a “Show and Tell” Show, starting at 3:30 pm in the Walter Studio. For each item you bring, please also bring a 4″ x 6″ card filled out with the following information: your name and city, the type of artwork, a description and/or story. You will have the opportunity to “show and tell” your own item in the show, emceed by Donna Kallner (http://donnakallnerfiberart.com/). Let your creativity, craftsmanship and caring shine!
Viewer’s Choice Award – Each person who views the Student Fiber Work Display has the opportunity to vote for their favorite. The two items that receive the most votes will earn $25 Sievers gift certificates for their creators, which will be presented at the “Show and Tell” Show. There is no judging, just a non-competitive way to applaud your favorites.
Buffet Dinner – Held at Trinity Lutheran Church’s Fellowship Hall on Townline Road on Saturday at 6 pm. Catered by Lois Jessen of Karly’s, a dinner including a chicken entrée, wild rice, vegetable stir-fry, green salad and dessert will be $22 per person and includes tip and tax. (Advance reservations are required for the dinner. On the Sievers website, on the Contact page, please note in the “Comments” section the number of dinner reservations you would like, or call Sievers at 920-847-2264 by Monday, September 22.)
Musical Entertainment – Cindra Hokkanen will join forces with Doc Westring presenting “What Is This Thing?”, a collection of love songs and humor. Their hour-long program will follow the Gatheirng buffet dinner at Trinity, relocating to Fiddler’s Green (at the corner of Airport and Jackson Harbor Road) on Saturday night at 7:30 pm. No tickets or pre-payment are required; we just ask for free will donations.
Accommodations – For Island accommodations, please visit: www.washingtonisland-wi.com.
Ferry Schedule – For the September W.I. Ferry schedule and fares, please visit www.wisferry.com or call 800-223-2094.
**The registration fee of $15 (which includes door prize tickets), the workshop fees ($185 or $55) and dinner reservations ($22 each) should all be paid in advance by check or with a credit card through the Sievers website on the Contact page https://sieversschool.com/contact/ or by calling us at 920-847-2264.**
2014 Sievers Gathering
Thursday, September 25
10 am – 5 pm (Sievers Shop) – Door Prize Location/Register Items for Student Fiber Arts Display and “Show and Tell” Show
2 pm (Sophie Studio) – “Landscape ‘Painting’ with Fabric Workshop with Susan Hoffmann
2 pm (Walter Studio) – “Surface Design on Paper” Workshop with Lorrie Grainger Abdo
Friday, September 26
9 am – 4 pm (Sophie Studio) – “Landscape ‘Painting’ with Fabric Workshop (con’t)
9 am – 4 pm (Walter Studio) – “Surface Design on Paper” Workshop (con’t)
10 am – 5 pm (Sievers Shop) – Door Prize Location/Register Items for Student Fiber Arts Display and “Show and Tell” Show, Yarn and Book Sale
1 pm – 4 pm (Tomson Hall/Barn) – “Willow Garlic Basket Workshop with Jacki Bedworth
7 pm (Sophie Studio) – Social Time with refreshments
7:30 pm (Sophie Studio) – “Parallel Threads that Parallel Lives” with Daryl Lancaster
Saturday, September 27
9 am – 5 pm (Sievers Shop) – Door Prize Location, Yarn and Book Sale
9 am – 10 am (Sievers Shop) – Register Items for Student Fiber Arts Display and “Show and Tell” Show
9:30 am – 1 pm (Sievers Garage) – Fiber Arts Garage Sale
10:30 am – 2:30 pm (Sophie Studio) – Vendors
10:30 am – 12 pm (Walter Studio) – Morning Demonstrations, Student Fiber Arts Display and Viewer’s Choice Voting
1:30 pm – 3 pm (Walter Studio) – Afternoon Demonstrations, Student Fiber Arts Display and Viewer’s Choice Voting
2:30 pm (Walter Studio)- Student Fiber Arts Display Viewer’s Choice Voting Ends. Door Prize Chances Close
3:30 pm (Walter Studio) – “Show and Tell” and “Made for Charity or Community” Show with Donna Kallner; Viewer’s Choice Awards Announced; Door Prize Winners Announced
6 pm (Trinity Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall) – Buffet Dinner
7:30 pm (Fiddler’s Green) – Cindra Hokkanen and Doc Westring Musical Program “What Is This Thing?”
