Michala Gyetvai talk and workshop. 4/5th. October

We were very fortunate to have Michala with us on Friday and Saturday. Her talk on Friday evening was fascinating and inspirational. We heard about her formative years as a stitcher and the inspiration behind her works, many of them springing from her childhood memories and experiences. She talked through pieces of her work and showed us her sketchbooks- pieces just dashed off. If only we could all dash off such wonderful pieces of artwork.

Saturday came with some trepidation as we were expected in work in the dreaded sketchbooks. However, it proved to be somewhat easier than expected although still scary!! Michala was on hand to give help whilst still allowing us to work at our own pace.

Some demonstrations occurred about how to work with the felted blankets, adding extra texture and features with further hand felting. It was amazing to think that Michala uses hand felting techniques even on her large pieces of work. Evidently a tufted doormat comes in handy for those!

We all had the chance to try hand felting although some managed to do more than others. It was reassuring to be told to work at our own pace.

By the end of the day, everyone had achieved something, whether being a little less afraid of their sketchbooks, being able to hand felt without personal injury or just generally a feeling of a good day. We were certainly exhausted.

So, if you have a chance to attend one of Michala’s workshops do!

Stitcher at work

 A selection of materials.

 Sketchbooks and the start of the felted pieces

 

Coming to the end of a great day.

October talk: "Seas of Grass" - Michala Gyetvai

We are delighted that Michala Gyetvai, well-known local textile artist, will be coming to the branch on 4th October to talk about her art work and what led her, since childhood, to work with the materials she uses - principally machine stitch onto wool blankets, following her studies in pastels.  Her talk will trace the inspirations and influences that led to the development of her textile work into the vivid and often large-scale pieces for which she has become known.

'Abbey Fields'

'Homage a Matisse'

Michala's work has been exhibited at the Herbert Art Gallery, amongst others, and featured in "Stitch" and "Embroidery" magazines.  Her talk on 4th October will be illustrated with some of the large pieces Michala is working on currently, together with her sketch books and paintings, and she will give us an insight into how she put her exhibition together (a very topical subject for our branch).









Don't miss what promises to be an inspiring, colourful and 'tactile' evening!

If you would like to see more of Michala's work, you can find it at: http://kaylacoo.blogspot.co.uk