Better late than later
Now that the long hot summer seems well and truly over here in Europe, it’s time to let you know our plans for our next summer, and we have some exciting, not to be missed, events coming up that’s for sure.. The new calendar is now up on the website and bookings are already coming in so don’t leave it too late to let us know if you’d like to join us for an extraordinary few days away from the cares and stresses of everyday life at our celebrated venue. The experience will uncover, develop and stretch your creative imaginations in ways you never expected and chock-a-block full of lively exchanges of ideas both with co-participants and workshop leaders.
Over the 12 years we’ve been hosting workshops, we’ve had artists, professionals, chefs, photographers, housewives, authors and others who simply sign up for an adventure. People aged between 20 and 80 from Europe, Asia, USA, Australia, Korea, Japan, Scandinavia and South American, many of whom return year after year after year because they feel welcomed and comfortable. Our workshops are filled with learning, laughter, creativity and the rare opportunity to spend time with people whose creativity may be stimulating not because it the same, but because it is different!
Try something outside your comfort zone and we guarantee it will surprise and excite you. Next year we will be hosting a classic weekend with a critically acclaimed concert pianist; a wine and food gourmet weekend with celebrity chef; a unique combo textile workshop with two of our favourite workshop leaders; a 3-day comedy impro session led by an actor, teacher, trainer, and coach; a jazz weekend with 4 world-class musicians; a top-notch knitting feast; and an opportunity to play with paint, paper and thread simultaneously.
Our wonderful returning Knitting Workshop leader, Åsa Tricosa, who will be returning to Les Soeurs Anglaisses at the end of June next year, has recently published her first book, Ziggurats, 16 Elegantly Seamless Knits, (£35). Knit one of the sweaters from her book, post a photo of it on Ravelry and you may be the lucky winner of voluminous amounts of glorious yarn!
For many years we have tried to organise a workshop down here led by the textile artist Cas Holmes but her heavy schedule and our short season have made it impossible so far. However, her whose beautiful new book, “Textile Landscapes” has recently been published and is the next best thing. In it she explores the tactile nature of textiles whilst guiding the reader through every stage of the creative process: building unique and beautiful works of art through observation, gathering material, experimenting in stitch, collage, screen printing and appliqué. She explores the fascinating relationship we have with the environment and the effect of the local landscape on our own memories and imagination adding her own personal, local pieces and travel diaries, as well as work from international artists.
Living in the Bristol area if the UK? We’ve found a delightful home and fashion shop in the Clifton area that you might enjoy called The Movement Boutique. Launched in May 2016 by sisters Macelle and Leah, it already has a loyal following of customers who know they will get great customer care and are guaranteed to find something a little bit different. Constantly on the search for new and exciting brands, there is however no compromise on quality and style. Most of the products can also be bought online for those who live too far away to pop into this delightful shop!
Though mostly known for his frankly weird trompe l’oeil lettering, Portuguese street artist Odeith has recently been adding larger-than-life insects to his repertoire. Though not for the squeamish, his wall-based works are meticulously placed in derelict spaces and require careful planning to achieve an anamorphic effect. You can see more from Odeith on Instagram.
A bit late in the day, but if you are an admirer (or collector) of early 20th century British art, you might like to visit the website of the Liss Llewellyn Gallery where you will find what remains of a wonderful exhibition, World War One and its Aftermath: A selection of pictures inspired by the First World War to coincide with the Tate’s exhibition ‘Aftermath’, which sadly closed at the end of September with art by R B T Kelly, Paul Colin and Frank Brangwyn.
One of our returning participants, Lori Seibert, also happens to be a successful graphic designer who has worked for numerous US high street companies. In 2019 she will be organising and leading a workshop at Les Soeurs Anglaises entitled Snippets and Stitches.. This is a departure for us in that we will only be organising the venue, accommodation and hospitality for a group put together by Lori herself. We loved having her here as a participant and are quite sure her workshop will have the same joyous quality as her designs and personality. If you are interested in joining her group, contact and booking can be made directly through her website, Creativityabroad.com.
To finish this newsletter we thought you might like to hear what actor and theatre director, David Straun - a participant of the InstantWit workshop this last year - thought about Les Soeurs Anglaises and our venue (totally unsolicited by us, I promise). Should his words inspire you, IntantWit will be returning in May 2019 to lead another of their incredible workshops, Laughter Lab, that proved to be such an inspiration to stitchers and non-stitchers alike!