Exploring Abstract Minimalism

In this workshop, you will learn how to create a minimalistic abstract design from one or more images and walk away with 1-2 small art canvases. You will use paper, card, fabric scraps and glue as a way to explore minimalism; playing with identifying key elements, removing non-essential elements, placement of elements and color selection until you have a final design.

A group activity provides additional insight into what people see and how people can interpret images differently.

Materials (Students to bring):

• Photo or two (recommend a photo that can translate into geometric shapes; e.g. Photo of a city scape)

• Scissors (fabric and/or paper)
• Glue Stick
• Scrap paper or color card (optional)

About the Instructor

Michelle Wilkie is a textile artist and designer of modern quilts. Her artistic practice revolves around modern quilting where she seamlessly blends traditional techniques with a contemporary twist, embracing both Improvisation and Minimalism.

Michelle is currently exhibiting and participating in a community exhibition at the NC Museum of Art (NCMA) in conversation with Layered Legacies exhibition. In the past year, she has had solo exhibitions at Durham Art Guild Golden Belt Gallery (“Creating Connections”), PAAL Gallery and Page-Walker Center of Art and History (“Eyes Wide Open”).

She has participated in several group juried shows which has her work shown in France and Italy and locally (in the US) at ArtFields, CAM Raleigh, Truist Gallery, 311 Gallery and ArtSpace NC.She has also completed a summer residency with Ox-Bow School of Art, a 6-month residency with the Durham Art Guild, and participated in Penland School of Craft Winter Residency.

She has been featured in several magazines and has work published in the book Modern Quilts: Design of the New Century.

Interested in Minimalism then check out these artists:

• Josef Albers (https://www.albersfoundation.org/)
• Frank Stella (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Stella)
• Ellsworth Kelly (https://ellsworthkelly.org/)
• Carmen Herrera (https://www.lissongallery.com/artists/carmen-herrera)

Host or Publisher Durham Art Guild