Sylvia Naylor’s demonstrates the Art of Free Motion Embroidery – July 28th

Artist Sylvia Naylor will be at the Algonquin Art Centre on July 28th, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm demonstrating her free motion technique. Free Admission.

Sylvia’s  landscapes are inspired from sketches, observations and photographs taken from her enjoyment of the outdoors while walking, cycling, canoeing and gardening. The ideas she gathers are then roughly sketched on paper, or a paper collage. “I never draw on the fabric because that would mean that I would have to keep to the drawn line. I prefer my work to evolve.” The fabric is dyed and/or painted before any thread touches the fabric. Different types of fabrics are used depending on what types of effects she wants to obtain, such as silk, cotton or polycotton. Before starting the free machine embroidery, the feed dogs are lowered and the foot is removed so that the fabric can no longer be moved by the machine. The background fabric is stretched in an embroidery hoop, which enables the work to move in any direction, this freedom of movement requires great control. The intensely coloured, exquisite renderings of nature are obtained by using a large palette of threads. These are constantly being changed both through the needle and the bobbin. The stitch tension is also frequently manipulated in order to make loopy, textured stitches. Embellishment with hand embroidery sometimes completes the artwork.

Check out the video of Sylvia at the Art Centre