A day of domestic bliss and screen-printing heaven!
Posted:28 September 2012
Last Saturday’s ‘Domestic Bliss’ textile print workshop with local designer and maker Kate Strachan was a great success. The day was sunny and bright – always a good start! – and the students keen to roll up their sleeves and get printing!
The idea was to create a design inspired by The Garden House garden, then to interpret this design and create a simple one-colour screen, and finally to print onto tea towels or canvas bags.
“It was quite one of the most enjoyable days Ive spent for a long time. You walk through the gate into a different world, dont you? Unexpected, quirky and beautiful, more than a bit of rurality in the city somehow…
The day was like an injection of creativity for me and I was inspired to draw for the first time in ages. The spirit of the place has really stayed with me, proof that a garden is best when it completely reflects the personality of its owner. Kate was delightful too, the other people all had interesting reasons for being there and it was amazing what everyone achieved in such a short time! Oh and lunch was delicious too!” Jaine M.
For inspiration Kate brought along a variety of everyday domestic objects printed with her own delightful designs.
We were skillfully guided through initial sketches, selecting and drawing up a design and cutting paper stencils. After a simple introduction to the process of textile screen-printing, we rolled up our sleeves, donned our aprons and got working.
“Bridgette and Deborahs Garden House is an oasis of quirky creativity and warm hospitality: everywhere you look there are beautiful planting combinations and madly creative garden sculptures and furniture.
A day spent in their company kickstarts your creative juices and warms up your friendship batteries. Kate is an encouraging and thoughtful teacher, and her screen printing day brought out the best in all of us — we were liberated to explore our individual creativity, and it was an absolute pleasure to meet and spend the day with such an interesting bunch of students.” Jackie G.
Kate teaches fashion and textiles part time and produces her own pieces using mainly vintage fabrics or linen, and makes limited edition silkscreen prints on textiles and paper.
Her work references the utility era, the simple obviousness of a useful household item. It plays with the convention by which we identify an image with the thing it represents and encourages practical application but with some enjoyment! www.katestrachandesign.com
