Prison Break – Hudson River Valley Art Workshops

Carol Esch: Talented Fiber Artist & Fiber Arts Workshop Student

February 7, 2015

Carol Esch is one of the most lively and enthusiastic students, and her attendance really lifts a Workshop’s energy and level of enjoyment through the week. Carol has attended a variety of Fiber Arts Workshops at our facility over the years, and has made the most of the classes to really expand the range of techniques used in her impressive art quilts.

Carol Esch Collage

How long have you been taking Fiber Art Workshops?

Oh gosh, I’ve been taking workshops at Hudson for at least six years…maybe longer! Some of the instructors I’ve had: Jean Wells Keenan, Carol Taylor, Sue Benner, Pat Pauly, Liz Berg and Rosalie Dace. These teachers are not found on the East Coast for five day classes! Kim and Mark find and employ the very best instructors!

How did you find the Workshop experience?
I loved it so much at Hudson River Valley Art Workshops that I gave my husband a gift of a week of painting with John MacDonald. We then discovered that Deborah, John’s wife, was in my fiber art class! My husband Don has taken two classes with John, one with Kim English, and one with Kenn Backhaus. Don loves the ambiance and food…and Mark complies with no asparagus, goat cheese or lamb for Don!

What would you tell your friends are the three best reasons for taking a Workshop?
One of the best parts of taking workshops here…besides the food of course…is the length of classes, camaraderie, and ability to work in the studio 24 hours a day.

What projects are you currently working on in your art?
Currently I’m working on a series of “window” quilts. I am, however, a PROCESS person so I love learning new things.

Where is your art currently being exhibited?
My quilts have been in AQS shows, several guild shows in New Jersey, a couple of small shows, and one of my window quilts won Viewer’s Choice in the Prallsville Mills show which is mostly for painters and photographers. I am applying to a few other shows and learning to resize photographs and fill out all the info. Some fiber artists must have full time people to do all this!

What is your favorite art quote?

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. – Thomas Merton

Describe your studio.

My studio (stash and cutting table) are in one area of my house, but I sew in another sun-filled area.

Name five of your “can’t do without” tools/products.

My favorite tools are my right angle ruler, Olfa cutter and mat, Kai scissors and design wall.

Fabric Compositions Coming Together

March 29, 2012

It’s the 4th day of the Carol Taylor Improvisational Scrap Quilt workshop and the class is still working at a feverish pace! It’s hard to get them to take a break for meals! Although at afternoon cookie time those cookies disappear fast.

Look at these amazing compositions created from all the technique exercises:

This is part of a piece being created by Barbara Plasker. What a marvelous use of the fabrics.

Gail Dwyer has 3 pieces coming together in her design corner.

This is one of several pieces by Karen Fink.

I’ll try to get some more photos tomorrow because I’m sure the midnight oil will be burning in the studio and more work will be coming together.

Next up, class-wise, is a 3-day workshop that is sure to be a rousing good time. How could it not be with the ever enthusiastic Laura Wasilowski! This is a 3-day workshop on using hand stitching and embroidery to take your fused art quilts from flat to fabulous! There is still space in the class and we always welcome spur-of-the-moment/fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants types of people! Join the fun, but if not, stand by for the pictures!

Improv Scrap Quilts with Carol Taylor

March 27, 2012

Carol Taylor is back again this year repeating her very popular Improvisational Scrap Quilt workshop.

The first two days have been a flurry of activity as the students build components, that they will later use in their quilt compositions, while learning different construction techniques – skinny lines, couching, pieced circles, and a lot more.

This is an example of the exercise piece created when they were learning to couch various types of fancy fibers on a piece of fabric. This will later be cut up into pieces when they start to compose their scrap quilts.

Everyone’s work is looking totally different even though they are using the same techniques.

Carol Taylor thought I coordinated very well with Gail Dwyer’s sets so she said that she just had to take a picture!

Carol bought her mini yarn shop with her, providing lots of eye candy and possibilities for the students to purchase. This is a benefit of Carol being close enough to us to drive in her own van.

As a knitter and a fiber artists, I just love to gaze at the jumbled pile of color and sparkle!

To see pictures of Carol’s past workshops with us check out these posts:

Carol Taylor Improvisational Art Quilts (2011)

Spring Color Outshined in Carol Taylor’s Class (2010)

Carol Taylor Photo Op (2007)

Setting Up the Mini Fabric Shop

March 16, 2012

It is just two days until our 8th workshop season begins with a 5-day workshop with Paula Nadelstern! Londa of Log Cabin Fabric came by this morning to set up her portion of our on-site mini fabric and art supply shop. It is always a feast for the eyes when she brings over the baskets of fabric, threads, and other goodies!

We carry a number of threads, books, inks, and other notions ourselves (year-round).

Even if you are not taking a workshop, if you are in the area, you are welcome to stop by to shop — remember we also have a gourmet chocolate shop at the inn, Life By Chocolate! Our general public shopping hours are between 10am and 5pm, Wednesday through Sunday.

Following the Paula Nadelstern workshop is a 5-day workshop with Carol Taylor: Improvisational Scrap Quilts and then a 3-day workshop with Laura Wasilowski: Couching Thread, Hidden Needle. All of these classes still have some spaces, so come join us if you can!

Spirals and Value to Value with Carol Taylor

May 21, 2011

Everyone in Carol’s class seemed to work non-stop! Each piece was unique to the individual.

As this was the last day of the workshop, everyone gathered for a class picture on the porch of one of the cottage rooms. Thank goodness the weather cooperated and the sun came out just at this moment

These are the small pieces that were create first to learn the technique and process.

And this is the long narrow pieces that everyone created after that! Some glorious colors.

Carol Taylor will be teaching for us again next year. The class will be titled Improvisational Scrap Quilts. Already this class is generating a lot of interest. So don’t wait too long to get in on the fun.

Carol Taylor’s Improvisational Art Quilts

May 17, 2011

Carol Taylor, the renowned award-winning art quilter from Pittsford, NY, is here this week teaching a multitude of techniques for improvisational art quilts.

This afternoon she was explaining how she attaches yarn to the quilt in those perfect spirals that you often see on her quilts.

After the demo, Carol went around to each person to for further individual guidance with the technique.

It’s been a good couple of days to stay in the studio what with all the on and off rain, but at least the lilacs are loving it!

May Workshops – Watercolor, Fabric, and Acrylic Collage

May 8, 2011

It has been a quiet first week of May, especially after the lively crew here for Paul George’s workshop!

However, the fun is about to begin again!

Coming up next is a 3-day watercolor workshops with Barbara Nechis – May 12 – 15. There is a couple spots left in this workshop.

Right after Barbara, we have a wonderful fabric and fiber fest with Carol Taylor teaching a 5-day workshop, May 15 – 21, on improvisational piecing and fiber embellishment.

Following Carol’s class, is Robert Burridge teaching one of his “Loosening Up” workshops. This class is full with a long wait list, but never fear, Bob will be back again in 2012.

Jane Sassaman is in the house!

November 6, 2007

And we are having a great time. I watched Prison Break the other day with Leslie. Not a bad program. Adictive but you need to watch it since the beginning to follow the storyline.

I’ll get pictures. I’m still waiting for Kim to process the Carol Taylor pictures.

Soon.

ChocoVision Revolation: ChocoVision Delta Tempering Machine

October 27, 2007

Well, my Delta has been having problems and it may be that the heater keeps overheating for a number of reasons. One is poor design. The other is that I have 120V. The new design that Mike is working on will keep the heater from having these problems.

To continue reading about the ChocoVision tempering machine, go to Life By Chocolate blog.

I should have more pictures from the first Carol Taylor workshop going up pretty soon.

Oh, and Hudson is out to stud. What a good boy! What a beauty dog. Lucky dog!

Fiber art is back! Carol Taylor is in the house.

October 22, 2007

We have Carol Taylor in the house for the next two weeks. You heard that right. She’ll be teaching two back to back workshops. I THINK there is still room in next weeks class if anyone is interested!

See you next week. I will be taking pictures and so will Kim. It’s a lovely group and Carol is just wunnerful.

Carol Taylor: new section for this art quilt workshop

September 22, 2007

October 28 – Nov 3
Piecing It Together
Carol Taylor
Piecing
All Levels

There is still room in this workshop but it is filling fast.

We also still have

October 21 – 27
Piecing It Together
Carol Taylor
Piecing
All Levels

but it’s full for now. If you want to sign up, please do so. You never know.

In other words, we have two sections of the same Carol Taylor class back to back, one right after the other. Enjoy.