I really enjoy sharing my creative perspective and offering oodles of inspiration to ignite your creative process! See my Upcoming Events page to see when and where I’m teaching these workshops or schedule a creative play-date for you and your group by going to the Contact page. Also check out my On-Demand classes on the Creative Spark platform with individual and group pricing available: Lisa Thorpe Creative Spark classes
Lectures & Trunk Shows
Lecture & Trunk Show Fee: $400 for virtual or in-person+ travel expense reimbursement. In-person lecture requirements: screen, table and power cord for a digital projector, two quilt stands and two tables. Presentations: all the offerings below and many of the workshops I teach are available as in-person, virtual or hybrid presentations. I am proud to say, I have been awarded a teaching certification from the Academy for Virtual Teaching for my excellence in teaching. Either in-person on virtual, I’m happy to design an experience for you and your group!
Surface Design Sampler Trunk Show: In this trunk show I share all the ways I play with surface design to create fabric I use in my quilting art. I will play short demonstration videos on Monotype Printing (also known as Gelli Printing), Marbling Fabric, Stamp Carving. Each 3 minute explanatory video gives viewers a up-close look at the process. After each technique video I’ll show examples of functional and art quilts I have made using the hand printed fabric and give time for audience questions. An up- loadable handout listing techniques and materials shown will also be provided to group to share with members. (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Photo to Fabric: Design in the Palm of your hand- I demonstrate, how to take a simple photo with your smart phone or tablet, manipulate it in app and print the image onto fabric on a home printer. I share a variety of art quilts I’ve created with these images as a central theme. As well as several art quilts using multiple photo images tiled together to create a stunning collaged quilt effect. I have also come up with an easy way to create a repeat printed fabric in 4 steps using a smart phone or tablet. I will demonstrate, the process of creating and uploading your own repeat fabric design for commercial printing. This lecture comes with handouts detailing apps, printer info and fabric printing sources. There will be lots of art quilts, fabric and clothing items to see. Participants who want to play along can download app I use and start manipulating photos during the presentation! (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Seeking DELIGHTENMENT: from sketchbook to art quilt I’ll share my workbook of “Delightenment” and the companion art quilts. The pages from my ongoing workbook break down a delightful moments like a walk in the woods or an encounter in my garden into it’s component Design Elements: color, value, line, form and texture. Next I show the art quilt that resulted from that work book page and discuss how I used Design Principles: balance, rhythm, pattern, emphasis, contrast, unity, movement and intent the creation. An inspirational lecture that maps out both an art and mindfulness practice of observing and honoring the everyday wonders of life through fabric art. (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Hands-On Creative Workshops
Workshop Group Fee: 6-hour workshop $700 , 3-hour workshop $400 + travel expense reimbursement. An additional materials fee per person is listed in the info & materials sheet at the end of each description. See my Upcoming Events page to see when and where I’m teaching these workshops or schedule a creative play-date for you and your group by going to the Contact page.
Backyard Birds Fabric Collage: 6-hour workshop Explore fabric collage and design with birds as the focal point. I’ll share my digital design technique for creating the fabric bird images and each student will choose from my supply of printed birds to create a composition using scraps, small pieces of fabric, lace and even book pages fused on an 11×14” felt backing . Composition can be enhanced with machine, hand stitching or both. All levels welcome. Great to combine this workshop with a day of gel printing or stamp making to create your own fabrics to use in these Backyard Bird collages. Info & materials sheet here. Contact me for virtual workshop details (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Pet Project: our fur babies in fabric 6-hour workshop We all love our sweet faithful pets and now you get honor yours in fabric. When you choose this class each participant will send me a Photo of a pet – I will then manipulate the image in an app and print on cotton fabric custom for each kit! If you don’t have a pet picture just request the cat, dog, rabbit etc and she will create an image for you. I will share my process of creating these images and how I prints them on my home printer for you to try later. After a demonstration of design and composition each participant will begin creating their own Pet Project art quilt. By the end of the day everyone will have a sweet 12×12” art quilt, featuring your pet, ready to pop into a shadow box frame or finish any way you choose. Contact me for virtual workshop details (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Photo Facination: fabric & stitch collage 6-hour workshop
Class will cover digital printing apps, printing on home printer tips and tricks, composition and layout, plus machine stitch option: words and drawing in free motion and straight machine stitch,as well as interesting embroidery ideas, like stitching on coins or other found objects, and grid pattern embroidery. In person requires use of color inkjet printer or be in driving distance for me to bring mine. Virtual class include one of my photos printed on cotton sheeting, cotton voile and silk organza for you to use in your collage. I will demo free motion thread tracing a photograph applied to the back of your work to create a thread drawing on the front. Participants will choose from techniques shown to create a fabric and stitch collage using photos printed in class and/or photos I bring/send to share. Contact me for virtual workshop details (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Delightenment Workbook: 6-hour workshop minimum – great as a multi-day retreat This workshop has two elements, the making of a Workbook of Delight and the creation of an art quilt inspired by it’s pages. The workbook breaks down the Elements of Design: color, value, line, form and texture. Then the creation of an art quilt conveys the Principles of Design: balance, rhythm, pattern, emphasis, contrast, unity, movement and I add intent. It is a great way to hone your design chops for larger work. Contact me for workshop details (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Monotype Printing to Art Quilt in One Day: 6-hour workshop (also known as “Gelli Print”)The morning will be devoted to creating a stack of fabric mono-prints made on small soft gel print pads that I provide. I’ll show fun and easy print techniques using botanicals, stencils, and texture tools. You can print on a variety of fabrics from silks, linen, cotton and sheers. This is a marvelously accessible and surprisingly tidy technique, no prior experience with printing or painting on fabric is needed. As an in-person workshop I bring all the materials. As a virtual workshop there will be a detailed materials list and a kit of texture and masking tools. In the afternoon each participant will create an 12×18” art quilt composition to machine or hand stitch. Extend this to a multi-day retreat to allow for more print and composition exploration. Contact me for virtual workshop details (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Choose Your Own Adventure Color & Stitch: 6-hour workshop You get to choose which panel of block print images you want to play with: Backyard Birds or Fruits & Vegetables. Whichever kit you choose the next step is the same. We will learn to use dye pastels and/or Inktense Pencils to color the block print images. There will be lots of practice and time to experiment with the dye pastels before you dive into your chosen blocks. Next, you’ll colorize your birds or veg in any color story you love. The second half of the day let the stitch begin! I’ll teach a stitch technique that borrows from the traditional Japanese styles of boro patches and Indian Kantha stitch and sprinkles in a bit of grandma’s crazy quilting too. I mostly use a straight running stitch, very simple and easy with a few French knots and a daisy chain here and there for fun. If you like the idea of marking lines for your stitches, I’ll show you how. If your style is looser and free form, then you can just take off stitching and not worry about marking lines. We’ll have a lovely afternoon stitching and chatting, what could be better! Your finished blocks can be framed or finished individually or stitched together in any combination to create a larger art quilt or strung together to make a row of flags. I will show you lots of examples and share finishing ideas and techniques too…. Contact me for virtual workshop details (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Wing & A Prayer Flags – 3-6 hour workshop Kit includes a set of birds and word block prints on cotton and a 15 color set of fabric dye pastels. After a whole group demo on fabric pastels and stitch tips, and design and composition basics the group will break out into round robin zoom circles where folks can share and chat while they work. We will come back together every 1/2 hour to answer questions and provide inspiration. Each participant will make a string of Wing & A Prayer Flags to grace a special space indoors or out.This can also be combined with Stamp-A-Rama workshop to make it even more personal! This is specially designed as a virtual workshop but in person would be wonderful! Contact me for virtual workshop details (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Printing Palooza: 3-hour workshop A monotype print adventure (also known as “Gelli Print”) I’ll share ways to create wonderful prints using texture tools, stencils, lace, household objects and bontanicals. You will print on a variety of fabrics from silks, linen, cotton and sheers that I’ll have pre-cut and at the ready. Go home with a stack of small prints on a variety of fabrics to use in art and modern quilting. All levels welcome. This is a marvelously accessible and surprisingly tidy technique, no prior experience with printing or painting on fabric is needed and I bring all the materials! Info & materials sheet here. Contact me for virtual workshop details (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Stamp-&-Stitch: 3 – 6 hour workshop Design, carve and print your own rubber-stamps. Use stamps to print unique personalized fabric. I teach you how to create a connecting repeat pattern stamp, focal point stamp or signature “chop” stamp. Don’t worry if you don’t feel confident with drawing skills, I will have sample patterns to get you started if you need it Go home with, at least two, of your own hand carved stamps to use again and again in art quilts, collage and mixed media art and wearables. All levels welcome. Info & materials sheet here . Contact me for virtual workshop details (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Pattern: create, carve, color 6 hour workshop Learn the art of creating interlocking repeat pattern. Design your stamp then carve and print to create boarders and all over print designs. Then we will explore all the ways to colorize your designs; dye pastels, intense pencils and acrylic paint. You’ll make at least two hand carved stamps to use again and again in art quilts, collage and mixed media art and wearables. All levels welcome Contact me for virtual workshop details (available as virtual, hybrid, or in-person presentation)
Marbling on Fabric: 3-hour workshop This is an amazingly fun technique full of play and wonderful unexpected results. Marbled prints are created by floating fluid acrylics on thickened water and then the alum treated cotton is floated on the top and voila la! Each participant will make up to ten 8×12″ marbled panels. I guarantee you will love this process. The marbling workshop has lot’s of prep so the materials fee is larger than the other 3 hour workshops and also requires a work space with a large sink. Info & materials sheet here
I would love to design a lecture and workshop series that suits the interest and excitement of your group! Contact me to book a date for lectures and workshops.