Join me for 5 days of floral embroidery bliss this August. Friday 2nd, Saturday 3rd, Sunday 4th, Monday 5th & Tuesday 6th August, 2024.

Gathering in the wonderful Maker Workshop at Christchurch’s iconic Arts Centre we will work together to use paint and contemporary stitch techniques to explore florals fully.

This inspiring workshop will give you the opportunity to play with a variety of techniques including painting your own linen, designing imagery (no drawing skills required) and stitching to represent the blooms you love.

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW:

Daily: arrive from 10am for a 10.30am start. Finish aprox 4pm each day. Tea & generous snacks provided. Lunch break will be 12.30-1.30 each day BYO or eat out.

FRIDAY - gathering over morning tea, exploring materials (all supplied in generous quantities), painting linen, stitch sketches.

SATURDAY - Katherine English, Floral Artist will join us to share her beautiful and unique perspective on all things flora, she’ll share her latest foraged finds that we can use to inspire our work. Designing imagery, possibly beginning to stitch

SUNDAY - designing and stitching

MONDAY - stitching, optional extended lunchtime walk around Christchurch Botanical Gardens 12.30 - 2.30 (weather permitting)

TUESDAY - stitching, work with Fleur to develop a plan to continue working on your piece at home (if desired). Farewells, group sharing from 3pm. Finish by 4pm.

Cost: $1,200 pp includes all tuition, materials, tea and snacks each day.

A $500.00 non-refundable deposit is required to book your place in the workshop. Balance is required three weeks before the workshop. This website listing is for your deposit payment, a new link will be provided for the balance.

Individual payment plans are welcome; please email me to discuss.

Minimum numbers are required for this workshop; should the minimum numbers fall short, your deposit will be refunded in full. Typically, workshops fill quickly. If something happens and you can no longer make it, I will try my best to fill your spot from the waitlist. If that is not possible, I won’t be able to refund the balance of the workshop. Travel insurance is recommended if you are coming from out of town.

Venue: the Maker Workshop space is in the historic School of Art Buildings on the corner of Rolleston Ave and Hereford St in Central Christchurch.

There are stores and cafes as well as accommodation within the Arts Centre precinct Arts Centre

Plus, there are plenty of options within walking distance.

Experience: ideally, you will know how to thread a needle and perhaps a few simple stitches, or you may be very experienced and looking to explore a new style. My workshops are designed to suit all experience levels as I keep our group small allowing for plenty of one on one time to help you meet your creative goals.

Questions: there are no silly ones, you are so welcome to email me any time and ask away. fleurwoodsart@gmail.com

Really excited to geek out about all things colour, texture, textile, thread and floral for a whole 5 days together! X Fleur

More about my teaching philosophy and the week’s workshop…

My goal is to meet you where you are at as an individual creative and support you to grow gently but surely towards joyful mark making using my favourite techniques.

I facilitate a safe and welcoming environment for anyone joining my workshops, my teaching style is warm and relaxed. My intuition for the process and working with fellow creative souls is strong. I aim to adjust my approach for individuals as well as each group to ensure that no matter your learning style or experience level you feel embraced and supported to fully explore your creative potential.

I'll openly share my process of hand painting linen, designing your unique artwork inspired by flora and stitching using contemporary embroidery practices.

During the five days we will cover off all of the key elements of my process so you have the practical skills to create with joy but also bring those skills together into either a small finished stitched artwork or a larger ongoing project (your choice depending on what size you'd like to work with).

Generous supplies are offered that you are gifted to take home with you to continue creating whenever you like using all of my favourite tools from beautiful hand dyed wools, specially selected vintage textiles and so much more.

Stitching is a slow practice so we will embrace that pace and while we're in slow down mode there will also be lazy lunches, time for a wander and a quiet cuppa and chats with your fellow work-shoppers or for those who are just obsessed there's the option to create and eat and deep dive.

It's your time to do as you please with generous knowledge sharing and support.

P.S. Here’s what some recent work-shopper’s said…

"Fleur has such a gentle & encouraging manner and is so very generous in sharing her skills and materials.  I went away from that first course so very inspired and have been on a stitch journey ever since.  I have gone on and completed a few more courses with Fleur and have loved every single one.  Each one I come away with a bit more knowledge and confidence in my ability as a stitcher.  I have made some things that no longer get stuffed in the cupboard unfinished but are displayed proudly in my home.  I now feel cheated if I have a day without stitching – it's a great calmer at the end of a busy day." - Michelle B

“I love Fleur, her work, and her workshops! I’ve been to 3 workshops so far,  and I learn something new each time and leave feeling inspired and invigorated” - Jacinda R

Here’s a bit more about me incase you’d like to share this experience with a friend who doesn’t know my work…

Fleur Woods is a Contemporary Embroidery artist based in rural South Island, Aotearoa New Zealand.  Fleur's intricate, joyful stitched paintings are coveted and collected around the world. Featured in many, many magazines and exhibited from her local gallery in rural NZ to the Lower East side NY. Whilst prioritising studio practice Fleur also adores teaching and selects beautiful locations to teach her sought after workshops in both New Zealand and Australia. As a largely self taught artist Fleur's processes are unique, free and playful. She embraces colour and texture and prioritises joy in the process.

Inspired by nature, country gardens, wild flowers, native bush and all things flora Fleur brings her passion for the outdoors into the classroom encouraging students to take time to notice the beautiful details in nature and bring this into their work. A natural collaborator Fleur's approach to teaching is one of working in small groups to enable participants to follow their individual creative goals, so while the workshop will have themes and technical elements that are offered for group learning there is plenty of one on one support available to meet you where you are at and help you progress to the next level.

Find out more about Fleur & her process in this recent interview with Fibre Arts Take Two

 https://youtu.be/A3Gtpe9pkiY 

or read more here in these articles

https://homestyle.co.nz/daily-thread/ 

https://www.kyalandkara.com/inspiration/fleur-woods/ 

https://www.huntingforgeorge.com/blog/meet-the-artist-fleur-woods/