Esterita Austin...Excellent Workshops!!

WoW! My workshops the last 2 days have been exciting and inspiring! I loved them both. Esterita is a former middle school art teacher in Long Island. She is a talented woman! That is her pictured with the portrait she did of her cousin and one many would recognize as it has been in one of the major publications. It is stunning. The hair was done in BATIKS and the beret is a dyed velvet. She also paints on her pieces, something she showed us how to do on the 2nd day.

The 1st day was a class called "Sheers to You". We were given a pattern and some sheers. I had a little trouble understanding her method of transferring pattern but I worked out a system that worked for me...very free form, very intuitive which is just right for me! I LOVE how it came out. I had a BLAST doing it. It looks better already since when I came home today I cut it off the white cotton background and fused it to a Sally Ann dress! A stretchy velvet I fused tricot fusible interfacing to. I will get a picture tomorrow. It looks pretty good on the new burgundy base. I want to machine quilt in a variegated thread now.

The 2nd day was more structured, with a pattern and rules. This was definitely more challenging for me! I want to learn though because I love what knowing this can do for a piece. Trying to achieve depth with value is a challenge for me. I did not succeed. BUT Esterita showed us how to enhance that issue with paint. She actually started to paint on mine but I don't have a shot of that. I want to continue what she started and then post a picture. even though this was so challenging for me I thoroughly enjoyed this class

Debbie used 1 piece of fabric for hers and I see why Esterita advises using 1 fabric with many HIGHS & LOWS of color in them. I love this one

Florine came back to see us (she moved to the Finger Lakes region) and she "got it". This is beautiful and hope we get to see the finished proMelanie really took a chance when she signed up for this class!! She is the girl that wants to see the entire vision before she begins. A true type A!! She did GREAT! I love hers! She is gong to thread paint hers instead of acrylic paint. This could be the start of something new!







This is a portrait in progress by one of her students, Pat McDonald. It is so good. I would love to try this.


I look forward to tomorrow's trunk show & lecture by Esterita.









Today I learned:

1. How to add paint to fabric pieces and really make a difference in the values. I need practice though!
2. About Misty Fuse.....love it
3. Love layering sheers for effect
4. Save fusey scraps.....will show you later
5. I want to go to Tuscany, Italy to the annual Esterita Austin week-long workshop. I would take a loan out to do this! I am going to hatch a plan!
6. Karyssa (son's GF) makes the best, from scratch, including crust, APPLE PIE!