Join us with a commitment to renew, inspire, and grow your creative practice with a Guest Teaching Artist Class!

These 2 – 5 day classes are just the ticket to introduce new ideas, build on old ones, and learn new fiber art skills in a supportive and rigorous learning environment!

Our Guest Teaching Artists are highly regarded artist educators in the field of textiles and fiber for their artistic achievements and excellence as educators. Textile Center welcomes creatives of all levels to try something new or push the boundaries of what you already know by participating in an immersive experience with an expert in the field.

Join an upcoming Guest Teaching Artist Workshop:

The DNA of Dyeing

April 23 – 27, 10 am – 4 pm • Nicole Frost

Explore the magic of color and master a variety of complex dyeing and fiber processing techniques with Guest Teaching Artist Nicole Frost in this 5-day intensive workshop.

Learn all of the major techniques necessary to clean a fleece, paint roving, and dye silk, nylon and wool for use in spinning, felting, and other related fiber art projects. Get exclusive early access to techniques from her upcoming book (Dyeing for Spinners), which provides step-by-step insight for how to reverse engineer the dye process to get the results you want!

Learn more and register

Fitting Pants

May 8 – 10, 10 am – 4 pm • Lynda Maynard

Looking for a pants pattern to work from that is both flattering and provides freedom of movement? Learn to do the fitting to achieve a custom fit in this special 3-day workshop!

Using a muslin from a preexisting pattern (of your choice) with clean silhouette, students will work to do the necessary fitting adjustments on the body. Then transfer those changes to a new paper pattern.

Learn more and register

Register for both Lynda Maynard’s workshops (Fitting Pants and Pant Construction Techniques) to receive a $50 discount, using code PANTS50.

Pant Construction Techniques

May 11, 10 am – 4 pm • Lynda Maynard

Troubleshoot techniques for constructing perfectly fitted pants with this special sew-along workshop with Lynda Maynard focused on zippers, waistbands, and pockets.

Learn more and register

Register for both Lynda Maynard’s workshops (Fitting Pants and Pant Construction Techniques) to receive a $50 discount, using code PANTS50.

Sashiko Intensive: From Core + Essence to Application + Practice

June 28 – 30, 10 am – 4 pm • Atsushi Futatsuya

Join Textile Center for a special Guest Teaching Artist workshop with Atsushi Futatsuya, a third-generation sashiko artist from a renowned sashiko family in Gifu prefecture, Japan.

In this intensive stitching workshop, learn the most important element in sashiko stitching: unshin (needle movement). Explore the history of sashiko and its role in cultural practice in Japan. After formal teaching of the “core and essence” of sashiko on the first day under the direction of Atsushi, students will begin to develop their own rhythm in stitching. Apply unshin to a favorite garment while learning other elements of Sashiko such as hitomezashi.

Learn more and register

Register by April 1, 2024 for the special EARLY BIRD rate.

Cochineal Insect Dyeing

March 29 – 31, 10 am – 4 pm • Porfirio Gutiérrez

SOLD OUT

Join us in welcoming Porfirio Gutiérrez to Textile Center for two special workshops on the weaving and dyeing traditions of Oaxaca.

Porfirio comes from the Zapotec weaving traditions and uses his work to communicate the deep spiritual dimensions and integrity of his ancestors. In this 3-day Cochineal Insect Dyeing workshop, Porfirio will share his knowledge of transforming nature into color.

Learn more

Tapestry Weaving in the Zapotec Tradition

April 2 – 6, 10 am – 4 pm • Porfirio Gutiérrez

SOLD OUT

Join us in welcoming Porfirio Gutiérrez to Textile Center for two special workshops on the weaving and dyeing traditions of Oaxaca.

Porfirio comes from the Zapotec weaving traditions and uses his work to communicate the deep spiritual dimensions and integrity of his ancestors. During the five-day tapestry weaving workshop, Porfirio will share his approach to connecting traditional practices to contemporary sensibilities.

Learn more

Save the date! 2024 Workshop Lineup

Check back for new additions and registration links.

Atsushi Futatsuya

June 28 – 30, 2024

Lidia Amanda Lopez De Lopez

July 23 – 26, 2024

Flóra Carlile-Kovács

August 20 – 25, 2024

Cookie Washington

September 24 – 28, 2024

Lily Hope

October 15 – 18, 2024

CANCELLATIONS:

Cancellation and refund policies are included on each class registration page. Generally, 50% refund available if withdrawn by the Earlybird deadline. Due to the scheduling nature of these classes and arrangements for instructors, no refunds are available after that.

(Header photo: (left) artwork by June 2023 Guest Teaching Artist Gasali Onireke Adeyemo; (right) artwork by May 2023 Guest Teaching Artist Susan Moss)

REGISTRATION:

Different from our core adult classes, Guest Teaching Artist workshops need to reach a minimum number of participants well in advance of the workshop date in order for the workshop to run.

If you are interested in participating in a Guest Teaching Artist workshop, do not delay in registering and make sure you “CLAIM YOUR SPOT” as soon as possible!

Please note that because the Guest Teaching Artist workshops are structured differently from our regular adult classes, they have a different withdrawal policy.

INFO FOR OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS:

Traveling from out of town? We have lodging and accommodations available right down the street!

The Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport just a 15-20 minute drive away, and Textile Center is also located steps from the Prospect Park light rail stop (no car necessary)!


Our official hotel sponsor, Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton, is just one block from Textile Center at 2812 University Ave SE, and offers a preferred nightly rate of 5% off the best available room rate for Textile Center patrons (for any available room). This rate includes wifi, free hot breakfast, fitness center, indoor pool, and shuttle to and from Textile Center. Overnight parking is available for an additional fee. To receive this rate, book online here.

 

Enjoy the vibrancy of the Twin Cities during your stay! Here are a couple of resources to help you make the most of your time here:

View our incredible lineup of past Guest Teaching Artists:

Conjuring a Winter Rainbow

January 2024 • Sasha Duerr

Natural dyer, artist, and educator Sasha Duerr taught an intensive 3-day workshop. Participants created local and seasonal color with evergreens and other January dye ingredients. Then, worked with plant-based hues and experienced the awe that can be found with creating color from everyday ingredients.

Design Camp: Improv Piecing for Abstract Quilts
April 2023 • with Pat Pauly

Artist Pat Pauly taught this intensive workshop on improvisational piecing (sewing) as the base for composing contemporary works. Participants in this workshop built a set complete with insets, windows, thin lines, breaks, shifts and curves—all the tools of improvisational quilting. Then, they broke apart the set to focus on design and composition, and rearranged (with a few added tricks) the parts to create an entirely new piece.

The Creative Sketchbook
May 2023 • with Susan Moss

Artist Susan Moss taught a class on how an active sketchbook and journaling practice can enhance creative process and artistic growth. Students learned strategies for a sketchbook practice that is low risk, non-evaluative, and exploratory. They worked with varied materials – gouache, colored brush pens, markers, water soluble pencils – and responded to a range of mark-making and writing prompts.

Adire to Indigo: Resist-Dyeing in the Yoruba Tradition
June 2023 • with Gasali Onireke Adeyemo

In a 4-day workshop, artist Gasali Onireke Adeyemo shared his knowledge of surface design and dyeing from his native Osun State, Nigeria. Participants learned the complete adire process, from preparing the cassava resist paste to painting and stenciling with traditional Yoruba patterns to dyeing adire cloth with indigo.

Piecework: Exploring Personal Narrative with Collage and Encaustic
July 2023 • with Susan Stover

Join Guest Teaching Artist Susan Stover for an exploration of personal narrative through the mediums of collage and encaustic. Whether you have a story to tell or want to dig deeper into your own artistic motivations, explore how the pieces of our histories come together to influence how we work and what we create. Using fabric and paper, make your own collage materials to embed into encaustic.

Rozome Intensive
August 2023 • with Kiranada Benjamin

Join Kiranada Sterling Benjamin for a professional workshop on the ancient art of Japanese resist painting and dyeing known as rozome. With roots in 8th-century Japan, the art of rozome appears on everything from scrolls to standing screens to kimonos, and has been dazzling fiber artists abroad for the last fifty years. Participants will learn eight different wax techniques in addition to four different dyeing techniques utilized by master rozome artists.

Traditional Kimono Making
September 2023 • with Tsuyo Onodera & Maki Aizawa

Join Master Kimono Maker Tsuyo Onodera and her daughter, artist Maki Aizawa, as they lead a special 4-day kimono-making workshop. Tsuyo and Maki will lead participants through the art of traditional kimono making from selecting and pinning the tanmono fabric to sewing your very own obi and casual summer kimono known as yukata. Explore the history of traditional kimono-making including discussion of kimono layout, construction, size, and pattern alignment.