For my *proper job* I'm managing an arts project that crosses over music and design. Specifically fashion and graphic design. I'm not allowed to say any more (ooh how exciting!). Suffice to say I wanted to find some talented people to run fashion and graphic design workshops. I have a rule that I try not to employ anyone I haven't seen in action - it's a quality control thing.
So, by chance someone with just those exact skills had emailed me a few weeks ago just on the off chance it might be useful for us both to find out more about one another's work. They seemed ideal but just to be sure I asked if I could pop by a workshop they happened to be running.
So this Easter weekend I found myself in a fashion customisation and screen-printing workshop, run by *one69a* and *HussainDeyn *all in the name of work. I had such a great time. I have done screen printing before but a long long time ago. at school, and I couldn't really get into it back then.
This time however I was itching to get my hands on the kit. There were about 12 or so people in the workshop, surrounded by piles of recycled vintage clothing and fabric samples; haberdashery galore from buttons and ribbons to zips and braid; on the graphics front there were sample design books from the past 110 years; and a selection of brand new bags and t-shirts to go crazy with. It was heaven, and very well run. Everyone seemed happy with what they were doing, the women running it managed to be wherever and whenever they were needed (which is not an easy skill in workshop running). We all said we could happily spent a whole day there.
So here's what I managed: a two-colour handrawn (unintentionally modernist) type screen design. (I was bewildered by all the choice of images they'd provided so just side-stepped them and cut my own). I think I was the only one who tried two colours and I'm pleased with how it turned out. I'd never printed onto patterned fabric before and the idea came from some samples the artists had provided. This gorgeous 70s cotton caught my eye and I couldn't believe no-one else had hoarded it before I got chance to grab it!
I felt a bit extravagantly guilty cutting up a silver lace cardigan but that's what they were there for, and I knew someone someday would use what was left. Time ran out there so I took it all home and appliquéd it all together later.
It feels sort of finished though I do feel there's something still missing - any suggestions?
