Vicki Mansfield talk and workshop

On Friday, we had an interesting talk on the history of hardanger and were able to see lots of Vicki's amazing work. She has developed the work to make it three dimensional. Her Kenilworth Castle garden pieces were particularly beautiful. It was interesting to learn how she had developed her interest in the work and why she felt that she wanted to explore the potential of the technique further. It is always interesting to listen to artists explaining how they have reached where they are.

After the talk, those of us due to take the workshop were more than a little daunted as her work is so intricate and we felt that perhaps neither our eyes nor our hands or brains were up to it. However, we were wrong.

Vicki proved to be an excellent teacher and she took us through the processes slowly and we all began to gain a little confidence. It was the quietest workshop I had ever attended, indeed we all commented on it. The concentration was intense.
Around the table were an interesting selection of lights and vision aids as we struggled at times to see exactly what we were doing and to count the rows.
Lunch time came as a relief from the intensity and was very sociable and chatty, a distinct contrast to the rest of the morning.

Vicki and student



Counting stitches

Lights and concentration

 

 

Work continued. There was a lot of muttered 1,2,3,4 as we counted rows and a number of cries of despair when we recognised a mistake. I think everyone had to take something out during the course of the day.

Nonetheless, it was very satisfying to see the work grow and the delight when the stitched met at the end of a piece of work!!






By the end of the day, everyone had a feeling of success.
Our pieces pictured below are unfinished but demonstrate a lot of hard work and the learning of new skills. Hopefully many of us will go on to finish them.





A selection of our pieces at the end of the day.

If you want to see more of her work, her website is: www.indiagrace.co.uk