In this four-week series, participants will explore textile dyeing and surface design techniques to create one-of-a-kind fabrics and sculptural artworks. Artists will experiment with bundle dyeing, eco-printing, and image transfer using both natural and traditional art materials to add color, pattern, and imagery to fabric surfaces. 

These custom textiles, alongside found and repurposed fabrics—will be layered and combined through patchwork, hand-sewing, and soft-sculpture techniques. Each artist will design and embellish either a soft sculptural tote bag—a wearable work of art—or a sculptural textile wall-hanging to display. 

Artists will take inspiration from installations at The New Children’s Museum, including The Wonder Sound by Wes Bruce (he/him) and Future Ancestral Technologies: Odyssey by Cannupa Hanska Luger (he/him). Through these works, participants will explore themes of nature, storytelling, and sustainability, embracing the creative potential of upcycling and the use of natural and found materials in the art-making process. 

This series is led by Artopia’s Art + Creative Learning Manager, Danielle Rives (she/her) and Sr. Teaching Artist Maria Sales (she/her). Danielle’s practice — rooted in painting, drawing, textiles, and mixed-media processes — explores the intimate and the everyday, drawing on imagery, materials, and techniques traditionally associated with femininity and domestic life. 

Maria’s creative practice focuses on drawing, building, photography, soft sculpture, and design. She explores the creation of cute characters through movement and light colors, inspired by the animations of Hayao Miyazaki and the designs of Hello Kitty and Tokidoki. Starting with sketches, she enhances her characters with marker or watercolor, then brings them to life using mediums like needle felting, cardboard, or clay. Her work is rooted in creating joy — both for herself and others. 

Questions about parking, accessibility, or our cancellation policy? 
Visit our Artopia: NCM Creative Studios FAQs page for all the details you need to plan your visit: https://thinkplaycreate.org/artopia-faqs/