Below is a full listing of all the SAQA Seminar content. Take a deep dive into fascinating video conversations with artists, interesting articles, and tons of great resources. Login is required for members-only content (marked with a star).
SAQA Seminar - Stitching
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Deborah Boschert finds out more about the materials, tools, and techniques that artist Natalya Aikens uses in her hand-stitched creations that are architecturally inspired, thoughtfully repurposed, and delicately stitched.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Sarah Ann Smith is a wealth of knowledge about machine stitching and thread. She shares great visual aids including a giant sewing machine needle and explains the mysteries of how thread is wound onto spools and so much more!
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Watch and find out how Chawne Kimber takes inspiration from her family history to create stitched self-portraits. She also shares quilts she created as a reaction to issues about race and culture in the United States.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Valerie Hearder is a textile artist, quilting teacher, and author of quilting books. In this video, she shares a variety of original artwork from artisans in South Africa. These artists use a variety of stitching techniques to create their narrative artwork.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Formerly a painter, Sharon McCartney is full time artist who now works with mixed media to create her layered textile constructions. Sharon incorporates hand-stitching, found objects, and printed fabrics in her pieces.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Sheri Brautigam provides an overview of the history and culture of Mexican textiles, specifically in the Oaxaca region. This video has beautiful examples of hand-stitching and other needlework used on traditional clothing and original art.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Sue Stone shares examples of her hand-embroidered work that often feature fish. Sue is also known for her portraits and often includes extensive textural stitching.
SAQA Seminar - Surface Design
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Dinah Sargeant discusses her use of hand-painted fabrics and raw edge applique to create her award-winning artworks.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Susan Shie walks us through the process of creating her newest art quilt from sketch to air brush to air pen to stitching.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Sue Reno joins us for Unit 4: Other Techniques to discuss the use of cyanotypes in her artwork. Learn more how she masterfully includes natural imagery in her creative process.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Artist Carol Soderlund often uses imagery from her travels to create her own personalized printing tools. Find out more about her process and the beautiful results!
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Hollis Chatelain joins us for Unit 1: Dye and explains her process of creating beautiful dye-painted artworks. See more of her work at hollisart.com.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Carol Anne Grotrian explains her unique process of creating whole cloth pictorial quilts using shibori, indigo and dye. Also included below is a great list of books and other resources.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Camille Hawbaker is a printmaker and fiber artist interested in using silk and thread to create fine art. This video conversation leads the viewer through her techniques in various works in the order that she made them. Along the way...
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Karen Goetzinger joins us to discuss her use of thread and fabric collage on stretched and painted canvases.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Artist Jill Kerttula describes how she combines digital photography into her exquisite stitched pieces. The results are simply beautiful!
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Have a beautiful piece of surface design fabric? Artist Pat Pauly offers some great advice about using your one-of-kind fabrics.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Jette Clover joins us for Unit 3: Print to discuss how she incorporates printing techniques into her mixed-media collage constructions.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Explore the wonderful world of dyeing. Whether you use natural dyes such as indigo or a full rainbow of synthetic dyes, there are just so many different ways to add color and design to fabric.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
The theme for this unit of SAQA Seminar: Surface Design is Other Techniques. The possibilities are endless for adding pattern and design to the surface of fabrics, including the use of digital imagery.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Paint is such a versatile way to add additional dimension and design to fabrics. There are many wonderful possibilities for creating with paint including different textures, colors, opacity and application methods. It’s great for beginners and maybe a bit less intimidating than dye.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Print may be the most diverse of the SAQA Seminar units. Print techniques include basic mark-making, stamping, using stencils, thermofax, monoprints, rubbing, gel printing even goyutaku — printing with fish.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
In this exclusive article just for SAQA Seminar, Melanie Testa explains her process of selecting colors when creating her custom printed fabrics.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Artist Peggy Brown has compiled her tips and techniques for using watercolor paints on fabric. This type of process provides both subtle and ethereal effects.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Want to learn more about rust and eco-dyeing? Then check out this article by artist Maggie Vanderweit. She provides great information and tips about these fun dyeing techniques.
SAQA Seminar - Visual Design
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Participating artists in this MA/RI exhibition were asked to create an original artwork and document their design process.
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
Michigan artist Beth Markel is a fifth generation quilter who believes that textile arts are a happy marriage of tactile and visual. Learn more about how she creates her bold and colorful quilts by using a variety of design concepts.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Elena Stokes talks with Deborah Boschert about being inspired by line, texture and space. Elena's abstract and impressionist landscapes suggest open spaces and vast horizons. Her use of repurposed silk sari scraps enhances her work with color and texture.
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
Deborah Bochert is the author of Art Quilt Collage: A Creative Journey in Fabric, Paint and Stitch. Learn more about how she creates her art quilt collages using fabric, paint, and stitching.
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
The Pixeladies, Kris Sazaki and Deb Cashatt, answer questions about their collaborative design process. Find out how they work together and how they see things similarly (and differently too).
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Jeanne Marklin spoke with Karen Schulz about how she begins a new composition. Karen has design suggestions that will help you develop and refine your design.
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
Canadian artist Regina Marzlin shares the importance of using a design wall - find out how it helps her creative process!
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Margaret Abramshe is an art quilter with a background in teaching art to students of all ages. Margaret offers a great explanation of design concepts and shows how she uses them in her artwork - the process she follows and how she evaluates her work along the way.
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
Learn more about artist Judy Hooworth and her creative process. Judy has exhibited widely in Australia and overseas; her quilts have been featured in many books and magazines around the world, and she has written three books on quilt design.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Jeanne Marklin interviews Carolyn Crump about how she uses design concepts to evaluate her artwork. A mixed-media artist with a background in graphic design, Carolyn's wonderful quilts have strong graphic qualities
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Working primarily in a series, Canadian artist Heather Dubreuil is known for her beautiful cityscapes and colorful collages. Heather shares with Deborah Boschert how she utilizes the principles of design as a framework in creating her artwork.
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
Judy Coates Perez is an international award-winning mixed-media textile artist and author, who travels globally to teach and lecture about her creative process and sources of inspiration. Find out how she creates her beautiful artworks!
SAQA Seminar (Article)
How do you evaluate your own work? When asked to critique another artist’s work do you feel confident in the language you want to use? Check out these resources.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
There is so much to think about as we create our artwork - what colors to use, which shapes, placement of the shapes, size variation, space. Knowing more about the Elements gives us the necessary tools to improve our art and to analyze where things go wrong.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Learn more about the principles of design - pattern, rhythm, proportion, contrast, movement, balance, unity and emphasis. Getting familiar with these key concepts will help with creating successful compositions.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
How do you begin a new artwork? Make drawings, use a sketchbook, improvise on the design wall? Do you have it all thought out before you start or just start and see where the design wants to take you? Our...
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Jill Kerttula shares several of her works with Deborah Boschert and talks frankly about some pieces that were less successful than others.
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
Clara Nartey is an artist, a writer, and a curator whose passion is to help others reawaken their inner creativity. Learn more how Clara evaluates her artwork and the self-critique process.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Heather Pregger gives us a peek into her comprehensive sketchbook and explains how she tracks her creative process with notes and photographs in this video conversation with Deborah Boschert.
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
Hope Wilmarth is an award winning, internationally exhibited, art quilter who creates mostly abstract pieces. She shares how line and shape are important elements, especially when combined with a limited color palette.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Pat Pauly shares her work and the way she uses shapes, color, lines and contrast. Three different series show how she repeats elements for maximum effect while masterfully combining her hand painted fabrics with commercial fabrics.
SAQA Seminar - Your Professional Toolkit
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Keidra Navaroli shares "A Curatorial Perspective" in this video conversation. Navaroli is the Assistant Director and Curator at the Ruth Funk Center For Textile Arts in Melbourne, Florida. She encourages fiber artists to take risks with their work and create...
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Learn more about artist Ann Brauer how she sells her work at fine craft shows. Ann is a studio fiber artist working in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Learn more about how artist Martha Wolfe works with an artist group in Viewpoints 9. Viewpoints 9 is an international, invitational fiber art group who work on challenges posed by each artist.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Cheryl Sleboda teaches us about "Building a Brand" in this video conversation. Cheryl is an award-winning art quilter, lecturer, traveling teacher, and runs two businesses.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
In this video, Ginni Fleck is interviewed by Jeanne Marklin about "Creating a Textile Art School". Ginni is the founder of DIY Textile School in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
Learn more about artist Dianne Firth and her experiences exhibiting her work internationally. Dianne is Australian and has shown her work in venues across Australia and overseas.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Editorial Director of Modern and Art Quilting brands for The Quilting Company, Vivika Hansen DeNegre gives an insider's perspective into the publishing world, and what art quilters can do to get published.
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
Learn more about artist Jane Sassaman and how she uses social media to share her artwork. Jane is a contemporary quilt artist, fabric designer, author, and teacher who has been making art quilts since 1980.
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
Learn more about artist Maggie Vanderweit and how she uses marketing tools to promote her successful art business. Maggie worked for 40 years as a lecturer and teacher, and for 20 years selling at shows.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
In this video, Sue Benner is interviewed by Clara Nartey about "Navigating the Commissions Process". Sue Benner is a textile artist who lectures and teaches workshops nationally and internationally in the areas of surface design, textile collage, fused quilt construction...
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Teaching, writing, speaking: these are but three ways to generate income that can be directly related to your art. Learn about the rewards and costs of diversifying your professional activities from artists’ personal experiences.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Continuing education and exploration are also key to your professional art practice. Classes and workshops, critique and discussion groups, art and museum outings all support your development. SAQA has many opportunities and resources as well.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
The first step in putting your art on a more professional plane is getting it seen. Check out these resources for learning the best practices for preparing your work for exhibition.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
We love to make our art, but a professional practice doesn’t stop there. As in any other business, we have to market our product (in addition to showing it). Learn more about marketing your art by reviewing these resources.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
You’ve gotten your work out in public. Great! Now, wouldn’t it be great if someone or some organization bought it?! While there’s no sure path to successfully monetizing your art, check out these resources to help you on your way.
Besides physical exhibition, there’s a virtual world out there with many platforms on which to share your work. The choices seem endless.Learn how other artists have decided where, how, and how often they share their art online and their parameters...
SAQA Seminar (Article)
We hope that the videos, articles, and resources in this SAQA Seminar will help as you chart the next steps in your professional journey. Goals, interests, and skills can vary tremendously so each artist’s path of professional development will be...
SAQA Seminar (Artist Q&A)
Learn more about artist Betty Busby, her career, and how she sells her work. Betty is a published fiber artist and teacher who maintains a busy exhibition schedule nationally and internationally.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
In this video, Marjan Kluepfel is interviewed by Clara Nartey about "The Role of Art Organizations in an Artist's Career". Marjan is a fabric artist, teacher, lecturer, and writer.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
In this video, Laura Wasilowski is interviewed by Jeanne Marklin about her career as a travelling teacher. Laura is a textile artist and creator of hand-dyed threads and fabrics. She has also written several books.
SAQA Seminar - Color
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Director of the Wayne Art Center in Wayne, Pennsylvania, Nancy Campbell, and Artist Cindy Friedman have a retrospective chat about Art Quilt Elements and some of the color trends observed in that exhibition over the years.
SAQA Seminar (Exercise)
Try out this color exercise by David Hornung from his book Color: A Workshop for artists and designers.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Luana Rubin, co-owner of eQuilter.com, explains how the Color Marketing Group operates and how forecasting predicts color changes in all aspects of your life: clothes, cars, hotels, appliances, and more.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Noted thread painter Carol Shinn shares her process for creating her image and the colors used to complete them. Her use of color to create moods and shadow is masterful.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Ready for a deeper dive into color vision, the Munsell color system, and the history and development of color theory? Then this video with painter and art teacher David Briggs is for you!
SAQA Seminar (Exercise)
Try out this exercise from Katie Pasquini Masopust. She takes us through making a fabric color wheel and some exercises using different color schemes.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Join Susan Fohr in a tour across time and countries as she uses pieces from the collection of the Textile Museum of Canada for illustration.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
See how artist and fabric illustrator Kestrel Michaud does design and color decision-making using technology as part of the design process.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
SAQA artist Michelle Jackson explores how she uses color to capture, express, and stimulate emotion.
SAQA Seminar (Exercise)
Try this creative way to come up with a color scheme using words and the Fibonacci sequence. You will be surprised by the result!
SAQA Seminar (Article)
For the next seven weeks, SAQA’s Education Committee invites you to play with color. We will be exploring lots of aspects of color, but before we get into the details, let’s start with play.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Hear artist and teacher David Hornung talk about the basics of color and color theory in the context of art.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
International Quilt Museum curator of collections Dr. Carolyn Ducey leads us through an introduction to color theory illustrated by quilts from the museum's collection, and answers the question "How is color theory like mayonnaise?".
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Katie Pasquini Masopust explains how to use color to get a finished composition that has depth and illumination. Choosing a compositional layout and colors from a color wheel is a great way to start a new piece with the hard decisions already made!
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Lori Weitzner, Principal and Creative Director of Lori Weitzner Design, is internationally known for her contributions to the world of textiles. This is the recording of her live webinar on March 4, 2021.
Introduction
Welcome to SAQA’s 2021 Seminar on Color. Through our introductory unit, we hope you will explore your current relationship to color.
Start to explore your own relationship to color by doing the exercise for Unit 1. Starting with a couple of favorite fabrics, use scraps and embellishments from your stash and see what happens.
Color Theory
Once colors were seen through a prism, scientists started to create color theories to assist in understanding color and its uses. Color theory and the use of the color wheel sounds like a topic we all recognize. But do you...
Working with Color
Artists work with color all the time. In this unit, we want to introduce methods of being intentional about using color.
Getting Technical with Color
Significant scientific work has been done to understand light and color. This includes the basic physical science of light and color, as well as the impact color has on the psychology of human beings. Here we explore both sciences to help understand our physical and psychological reaction to color.
Using Color
Artists in different media have used color in many ways, from vibrant primary color palettes to nuanced neutrals to striking black and white. In this unit, we will explore how various artists have used color throughout history.
History, Language, and Culture of Color
Color has cultural context. It’s had a significant impact on human history and the history of art, be it through availability, trade, design, or fashion. Cultures use language to describe color in a variety of ways; the emotional interpretation of color is also culture-dependent.
Wrapping up
Over the last six weeks, we have presented you with a great deal of information about color, its science, its impact, its use, and its context. This is an opportunity to integrate what you have learned and share it with...
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Nancy Bavor, Executive Director of the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, talks about color trends by decade, what was happening inside and outside the contemporary quilt world, and how this is reflected in artworks.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Hollis Chatelain talks about color from an emotional point of view because she believes that we react emotionally to art, and color is what pulls us in or repels us.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
This article reviews some of Christopher’s research about facial color being a response to and a trigger for human behavior in a very engaging way.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
In this article, artist and author James Gurney talks about limiting your palette within a piece and provides several strategies for doing just that.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Maria Elkins describes how she used Munsell Color Theory to expand her color range within her work. She includes helpful photos of her fabric stash sorted according to hue and value.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Linda Colsh, a long-time SAQA member, reflects on her use of color and why she has been working in neutrals for several years.