T1:E1:P1 Workshop: Alex Falkiner Drawing with thread

A workshop with Alex Falkiner at the NSW Art Gallery last weekend was a great afternoon – a few hours of pleasant learning, stitching, and catching up with fellow OCA students Kath and Eva. (Alex’s website is www.alexfalkiner.com/; Kath’s post about the workshop is explorationsintextiles.com/drawing-thread-workshop)

The topic was mark-making with stitch. The basic stitches were familiar – seed, running, back, buttonhole … – but the attitude was fresh. Some jottings:

try to keep the freedom you have as a beginner

ask “what would happen if …”, not “is that right…”

Open up, make spaces, room for exploration. Alex will put two familiar ideas/techniques/… next to each other, then find the space between, where you can find something new

Let go of what you “know”. Let go generally.

Mine – front

Don’t stitch everywhere. Pick out key elements. Enjoy space.

Sprinkle with seeds – good for transition areas.

Single thread scribble – connecting.

Mine – back

Deep in my Aztec research, the work we were doing looked a good fit for the mix of pictographs and text in the codices. Alex showed us some of her work in progress, which also included shapes cut from patterned fabrics and vliesofixed on plus lots of text. Definitely something to sample when I get to that stage of this project. Work by Tilleke Schwarz is another good reference (eg www.tillekeschwarz.com/gallery/after2000/5.html).

Some fabric baskets Alex used to hold all the threads also suggest some Aztec-like design elements. If you look closely there is orange zigzag machine stitch. I’m not quite sure at the moment why I associate zig-zags with Aztec – I can’t find strong sources for it – but I definitely have the association.

T1:E1:P1 Workshop: Alex Falkiner Drawing with thread
Textiles 1 – Exploring Ideas
Part 1 Cultural fusions
Workshop: Alex Falkiner Drawing with thread