KEN SMITH
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I was born and mostly raised in Far North Queensland. I have drawn and painted since childhood. In 1989, I discovered silk painting. Then followed two years' full-time research, in which I explored some of the possibilities of silk painting and combined the painted silk with machine embroidery. With FME (fabric machine embroidery), there's no doubt that the human hand, brain and heart are at work. The embroiderer develops a personal style - the sum of those techniques which the artist likes the effect of and enjoys doing (and the machine being used will do with ease). It also reflects the embroiderer's tastes - colour, texture, degree and style of finish, for example. Even imperfections and inconsistencies become part of a personal style. Nor is it possible to do exactly the same thing twice. To me, that's a positive advantage! Texture and richness of effect are important to me. |
I experiment with a variety of styles. I feel a tutor is obliged to show that, whatever the preferred style of the student, it can be achieved. But I don't belong to the "This is how you do grass" school, preferring to teach students stitch techniques and encourage them to make their own discoveries about the interpretive applications.
Above all, students should relax and enjoy exploring freehand or freemotion machine embroidery (FME) as much as I do. So my workshops are technique-based rather than product-driven (though even beginners can turn their class stitch samples into attractive works).
Many people find the prospect of "driving the bus" themselves daunting. When encouraged to try, they find that it isn't. It's fun! Without the pressure to finish a "masterpiece" (product) by the end of the workshop, students have a chance to play, to gain confidence in coordinating the speeds of the machine and the movement of the work. In my experience, 99.9% of beginners (usually without realising it) have made giant leaps before morning tea on the second day.
Man in Landscape (detail) After the Burn-off (Daly River Road) Millaa Millaa Falls (detail)
Ken (www.bennett-smith.com) will be holding two identical beginners workshops due to popular demand, one before and one during the festival. He will also hold one intermediate and advanced workshop during the festival. These are detailed below.
WORKSHOP: Beginners' Creative Freehand Machine Embroidery (Codes KS1 and KS3)
DESCRIPTION:
KS1 TIME AND PLACE: July 17 to July 18 (2 days), 8.30am to 4pm, Studio 2, Community Arts Centre.
KS3 TIME AND PLACE: July 15 to July 16 (2 days), 8.30am to 4pm, Studio 2, Community Arts Centre.
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KS3 is fully booked, but please still register for this workshop as you will be put on the waiting list. We will contact you if a place becomes vacant. If we have sufficient interest, we will try to arrange another workshop after the Festival. There is 1 vacancy in KS1. |
WORKSHOP FEE: $140
ART MATERIALS LIST:
Download List. Will also be supplied on registration.
WORKSHOP: Banksias to Beach: Bribie in Machine Embroidery (Code KS2)
DESCRIPTION:
This three-day workshop will take the flora and scenery of Bribie Island as its inspiration for interpretation in machine embroidery. The approach will be exploratory, and the emphasis on enjoyable learning in a relaxed atmosphere.
TIME AND PLACE: July 19 to July 21 (3 days), 8.30am to 4pm, Studio 2, Community Arts Centre.
WORKSHOP FEE: $210
Download List. Will also be supplied on registration.