Teaching, mentoring and talks
For over 30 years Claire has taught design, textiles and illustration in further and higher education and for workshops throughout Scotland. Her practice feeds into her teaching and vice versa providing a perfect combination.
Through her work she has been invited to give talks and lectures at events, colleges and schools throughout the UK. She is also a trained mentor and works on a one to one basis with artists and designers.
Most of my teaching is aimed at people who want to challenge their creative thinking. I have taught for 30 years, working in higher and further education and more recently teaching workshops throughout Scotland. I work with artists and designers at all levels of experience working in any discipline.
The courses are designed as a catalyst for developing ideas and extending creative approaches.
Here are a few of examples of recent workshops.
The Message is in the Medium
Off the Rails Arthouse, Ladybank, Fife, Scotland.
9th & 10th March 2019
10-5pm
Message [mesij] n indirect communication from one person to another; errand; inspired teaching, revelation; moral or social teaching.
Medium (pl media, mediums) [meedi-um] n material in which an artist works; substance within which objects exist or through which a force is transmitted.
This 2 day workshop will explore the possibilities of incorporating a message within a textile piece. We will develop ideas, which convey a message through the use of imagery, layers, shape, the written word and textile techniques e.g. hand and machine stitch, mono and screen print.
We will examine how a variety of media and techniques can be used to communicate a message and lead you to new starting points for your textile work.
You will work individually, but with strong support from Claire and will have a chance to discuss and share ideas with the rest of the group. There will be machine stitch and other technical demonstrations throughout the weekend.
This workshop is suitable for all levels of experience.
A link to Off the Rails Arthouse website.
Draw…. Think…. Make Weekend workshop September 2018
Draw………The course focused on drawing, mark making and collage in an experimental and non-conventional way.
Think………Linking drawings and research to the development and execution of ideas and visual narratives.
Make…….The emphasis for the workshop was on encouraging the unexpected and accidental, end results evolved out of this process.
Participants produced a body of work for future development and the whole group were extremely prolific.
The images show some of the drawing implements made before drawing with them and images of some of the work in progress.
Tales of the unexpected 5 day Summer school July 2017
The course focused on colour, line, texture and mark-making with fabric, paper and stitch. There was a strong emphasis on experimentation, encouraging and exploiting the unexpected and accidental. Drawing was a key aspect, though not in any conventional sense of the word. Inspiration for textile and mixed media work was developed, through research, drawing and the design process alongside textile techniques. Participants developed a new body of work and a direction for their next steps. Individual and group discussion was an important element of the week.
The two videos show 'Collaborative drawings' each person in the group started a drawing then moved along the page and drew on top of the next person's drawing. A very liberating, energetic exercise with exciting and unexpected results.