When we think of dioramas, foggy memories of shoeboxes and elementary school projects might pop up, but dioramas can be much more than dinosaurs! Diorama means “through that which is seen” in Greek, and is a method of creating a three dimenstional scene to convey a story or a feeling. Choose a favorite scene from a book, a memory from your life, a poem, a dream, an altar, let your imagination run wild and bring it to life through wool. Using a variety of methods of wet and needle felting each person will create a diorama of their choosing. Consider the background a painting, using needle felting and wet felting techniques, incorporating prefelts if desired. For the foreground, three dimensional objects or characters will be sculpted with a combination of needle felting and wet felting. Interactive finger and/or hand puppets can be created using seamless resist felting techniques. This class will be a felting sampler for beginners and a space for more experienced felters to experiment and play. Bring photos, books or sketches to guide your diorama if you know what you want to create or come open to inspiration as we walk through the process together.  No experience and no art skills are necessary.  Wool is a very forgiving medium, full of surprises and possibilities!

This course is part of Fiber Week! Plan to attend Fiber Friday, a new feature in 2020. On February 14, we’ll host a day of speakers, demonstrations, open studios and community gatherings free for all enrolled students. This popular model, borrowed from our Wood Week and Basket Week, allows students and instructors alike the opportunity to meet one another, expand their interests and enjoy our cozy campus learning atmosphere. Come early or stay late; you won’t want to miss Fiber Friday! Full schedule available in early 2020.

You will need the following tools for this class:

• 2 towels
• any favorite felting tools you have
• books, photos, etc for inspiration

Feel free to bring your favorite tools and whatever materials you might feel appropriate for this course.