Art Unraveled – Katie Kendrick Classes

Posted on | August 10, 2007 | 9 Comments

Well, I have to say, if you EVER get a chance to take classes with Katie Kendrick, DO IT! Katie is so nurturing positive, supportive and loving in her teaching style that everyone came out of both classes with at least one piece they loved. Katie helps us to really allow the process to happen and to find our own way of using her methods. Wednestay’s class, Katie’s first class, “Let’s Face It!” was an intuitive portrait-painting class. Angie, Tracey and I took this class together. It was amazing! We started out with doing some non-dominant hand drawings and paintings and then we created backgrounds. We chose some of the non-dominant hand drawings and used them later to create portraits. I completed 3 and I had a ball! Each one is so different, but I really like them all. Angie did two really awesome paintings, as well. Check hers out!
Katie’s second class, “Endearing and Whimsical Folk Art Dolls” was awesome! Angie and I had a blast! Katie is known for her faces and then turning them into dolls. Well, she showed us her process and encouraged us to create our own pattern. She is so supportive as an instructor. She is there to help problem-solve and advise if needed, but she also respects the creative process for each artist in her class. There was not one person in the class who left there with a “bad” doll.

Katie made up packets of muslin, batting, newsprint (for our patterns) and loads of vintage and kimono fabrics for us to use. In addition, she included one of her faces in the packet for those who did not have their own faces to use. Even with that, there was not one doll that was like the others! Like her painting class, her doll-making class was an intuitive process.

For my doll, I used one of the portraits I painted the day before, printed on fabric. When I was painting her, she told me she wanted to fly, and when I was creating her as a doll, she told me the same, so I created this bird-doll with wings. I had so much fun creating the front, quilting and doing decorative stitching for her. I’m so ready to do another doll! LOL I just need to get some more batting and stuffing, but I have 7 other faces that I printed out. And they are begging to be made into dolls!

So today, I have time straighten up the studio, put the fabric away that I took out for the doll class, and, hopefully, do some art. I have no idea which of the many things I”m inspired to do right now will be done, but something will end up sparking today’s project! Tonight I have one more class. I’m taking Bernie Berlin’s “Resist This!” class with Tracey and Andrea. I’m tired, but I’m sure we’ll have a ball!

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