The Snowbirds

The Snowbirds are a group of felt makers spread across Northern Canada who came together virtually during the Pandemic. They watched Cheryl Weighill progress in her creativity through studying with ArtyBird Carnforth.

We now study together using the on-line Design for Textiles suite of courses. The work here is from the Colour course.

If you are part of a group who would like to study with us, we create bespoke exercises to connect the design with your textile craft.

Some Examples of Foundation Work

Foundation: The Foundation programme starts at the beginning of your chosen craft. All the fundamental areas will be taught alongside design, knowing how to apply colour shape, line, and texture to your textile subject, allowing you to make individual work. We assume no previous knowledge, but many participants come having taken part in workshops, enthusiastic to learn more. A third of the programme will be design, and a third sampling to develop techniques and explore your materials and tools, reflecting your design knowledge. The final third is spent in making two items, one that is a practical item, and the other a hanging or picture decoration. These will grow out of your design and sample work. This programme runs for a year and gives you a comprehensive foundation to the craft area you have selected to study. It establishes the building blocks of design and making, whilst guiding you through the two approaches of form and function in you developing and creating craft items. All our pathways are offered at Foundation level: Felt, Dyeing and Printing, Creative Textiles, Creative Computing, Creative Dressmaking, Weaving and Tapestry Weaving.

Some Examples of Intermediate Work

Intermediate: You’ll embark on the two-year intermediate programme after successfully completing the foundation or equivalent programme in your craft area. It is for someone who knows that they wish to deepen their knowledge and understanding, with a view to making strong individual work of their own. You will study the design concepts of colour, shape, line, texture, and form in depth through art, media, and craft sampling. We will look closely at the work of other makers to understand how they use the materials, tools, and processes of your craft to deliver the design concepts. You will be guided to develop your own work, making four items based on a personal response, exploring craft media, making to commission and the contextual piece that comes from research into current makers. These will naturally evolve from the programme, based on your design and sampling work.

Some Examples of Advanced Work

Advanced: The two-year advanced programme develops you into a maker with a strong individual voice. A designer’s samples folio is created from your selected theme to discover what you want to say about that theme. This will take a third of your time. You will progress to resolving designs and techniques, finding your unique voice. From these you will develop a final piece, or series of pieces, which will be made and presented to the highest of professionalism. Each month you will be asked questions to support your research into other craft makers, helping you to understand your own uniqueness in your craft area.