Crow Timber Frame Barn Art Retreats

Claire Benn

Claire stitched a bit at college, dropped out, stopped stitching and started working … finally re-engaging with textiles after seeing a Mennonite quilt in 1994. What can be done to a piece of cloth still amazes her.

In 2001 she teamed up with Leslie Morgan to form ‘Committed to Cloth’ which became one of the foremost textile teaching practices in the U.K., with seven great books published during the partnership. In 2014 Claire retired from the partnership (but not completely from teaching) in order to focus more on her own work. Working with students in a community of like-minded people is a continued joy as teaching provides such a positive feedback loop; everyone learns. Her focus as a tutor is to enable; she presents clear demonstrations and instruction, believes in straight-talking, offers guidance, pulling and encouragement.

Artist statement

Solitude. Stillness. Silence. Experienced in nature and made visual through cloth and earth pigments, thread and hand stitch. I appreciate the tactile qualities of all my materials; being hands on and engaging with process is important to me – as is the craft that underpins the making of my art. Nature – and particularly landscape – provides inspiration as there’s so much to see, feel and experience: the long view, the wide-open spaces, the terrain, the soil, the plants and the creatures.

My family encouraged painting and drawing but school did not. Even then, the arts were less important than other subjects. Not being academically-minded, I left Sixth Form at seventeen and started work, eventually becoming a freelance training and development consultant specialising in one-to-one coaching. In 1998 I re-focused my career on art, engaging in self-directed studio work and study with practising artists. My previous career gave me a skill set to establish a teaching practice which ran from 2001 to 2015. Although I still teach at other studios, I’m now able to spend much more time on my own work.

• For more information about Claire and her work, visit her website
• Instagram: @HerQuietMaterials

Registration form

Claire’s 2-week class

• October 5-10 & October 12-17, 2025 | Working with Intent / Guided Independent Study
Open or Close
Working with Intent / Guided Independent Study
• Only 14 students accepted since each person will have their own work table for wet work.
• Level: Intermediate to advanced - participants must be familiar and comfortable with working with their media of choice, and using a range of techniques/processes. NOT suitable for beginners.
• Sewing machine: No
• Materials fee: $30 payable in cash to Claire
• Facility usage fee: $60

• SORRY, class is full To be placed on waiting list, please send in registration & deposit. If space does not become available, a full refund of the deposit will be issued.

Tuition & Meal plan for 2-week class with Claire (limited to 14 students):
• $3760 | paid in full before April 1, 2025 | 10-day Tuition ($3100) & Meal plan ($660)
• $3810 | paid in full before June 1, 2025 | 10-day Tuition ($3150) & Meal plan ($660)
DESCRIPTION
“The denial of discipline, struggle and sometimes flat-out boredom is why some modern art is so unconvincing; it lacks life resonance. The artist plucks the flower but has never planted the bulb, and somehow we sense that.” (Dr. Martin Shaw)

This workshop is for participants who wish to plant their bulbs, focus on making the work they want to make and build their ability with composition in relation to art textiles.

You must be practised with your chosen media and application techniques. I am happy to help problem solve, trouble-shoot and provide refreshers but please be advised this is NOT a technique workshop.

You may choose to work with any kind of media and any kind of application process, but please see the on-site supplies list as the workshop cannot pre-arrange for every kind of media to be available, so be prepared to bring or ship specific supplies.

My role will be one of mentoring rather than tutoring and my focus will be to:
- Understand individual goals in terms of what each participant wishes to achieve. To help with this, you’ll be asked to share your intent with the group. This activity will happen before supper on Sunday afternoon. As such, please arrive at the Barn and set up between 4 and 5pm, and we’ll get together between 5 and 6pm. Supper is at 6pm.
- Help you to work with key design principles in terms of exploiting elements such as balance, contrast, relationship, unity/cohesion and content. Within this, we can utilise the tools of colour, value, scale and imagery to drive visual interest.
- Explore how to use devices such as focal points, pathways and other ‘doorways into the picture world’.
- Engage in one-to-one and group discussions to help students respond to the cloth as it evolves, review and consider progress of the palette and/or the composition and plan next steps.
- Provide advice and guidance on media, the order of process and refining technique. As such, whilst this is a hands-on class, the goal is not to teach specific technique. Instead, you’ll be working to the beat of your own drum to generate the work you wish to create.
As such, whilst this is a hands-on class, the goal is not to teach specific technique. Instead, you’ll be working to the beat of your own drum to generate the work you wish to create. The class will encourage the evaluation of work-in-progress and the discussion of ideas, concepts, design and composition on an on-going basis.
ON-SITE SUPPLIES
The materials fee of $30 will include use of the following media. The workshop fee will cover use of the media supplied and please bring cash to pay for this. If you bring your own, the fee will be waived.
- Mx dyes: 11 key colours for thickened and liquid dyes, or immersion.
- Discharge: Thiox will be used as the discharging medium. It can be used in paste or liquid format on soda-soaked cloth.
- Fabric Paints: a limited range of key colours plus extender base.
- Acrylic mediums: fluid matte & gel mediums for making laminated stencils and mark-making directly on to the cloth. White & black acrylic paint.
- Heavy-body acrylic paints in a limited colour range - if acrylics are your primary media, please bring the colours you need.
- Chemicals: everything needed for dye and discharge work.
There will also be some media/materials for general workshop use, for which no fee will be charged, e.g.:
- India/China ink: for use on paper and cloth.
- Resists: soy wax, string, freezer paper and masking tape (for resist work on cloth or on-screen).
- Tools: a selection of key tools will be provided, including:
- bristle decorators’ brushes and foam brushes in various widths
- a selection of bristle & synthetic artists’ brushes
- various rollers
- mono printing plates (large & small)
- scrapers (e.g. old credit cards and small squeegees)
- needle-nose bottles and some ‘Montana’ markers
- tjantings & other soy wax tools
- sheet plastic (clean!) for batching clot and other use.
An ample supply of thickened and liquid dye paints, discharge media, chemical water & print paste will be ready for use on the first day. A rota will then be established so the group takes responsibility for keeping stocks topped up. Recipes will be posted to ensure consistency throughout the week. Other media such as fabric paints, matte medium, soy wax, etc. will be available for use at any time.

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS - WHAT TO BRING
The Intention
Perhaps the most important element to bring with you. Please undertake planning work in advance of the class, including:
• Specific purpose: what are you trying to achieve in terms of specific works?
• Personal imagery: giving thought to the marks, lines, shapes and texture you wish to see come alive in your cloth, assembling any reference materials.
• Specific tools: give thought to preparing or assembling specific tools in advance.
• Journaling, notes, references: any written work or references that may be important to the overall plan.

The Cloth
Choose the fabric(s) you wish to work with and prepare it accordingly. How much you bring is up to you; you know your own work rate and racing is to be avoided, whereas thoughtful consideration will be encouraged. Please feel free to bring work-in-progress, particularly if you’re struggling with it.

For dye paints and Thiox paste/liquid, I prefer to work on soda-soaked cloth rather than putting soda ash into the media. A soda vat will be available for on-going soda soaking throughout the workshop but please bring at least four yards ready soaked and dried.

The Media
Please pay attention to what will be supplied on-site. If you wish to work with other media such as earth pigments, soya milk, acrylics etc., please being or sip your own supplies. If you advise me in advance, I am happy to pre-order supplies such as soya beans to avoid the extra weight in your luggage!

General Supplies
- Silkscreen: if you think you’re going to use a silkscreen, then bring one as there are no general-use screens at the studio.
- Squeegee/spreader/scrapers: if bringing a screen or thermofaxes, bring suitable squeegees. Grouting tools/spreaders or pastry scrapers are also useful in a range of sizes, as are a couple of old credit cards.
- Tools: you’ll see that some tools are provided but if you have specific tools you wish to use, then bring them.
- Two drop cloths: please bring drop cloths that are sturdy: drill cotton, denim or something similar in a neutral colour are best as they are sturdy enough to flip over and use both sides before washing is needed. Old sheets are too thin and avoid heavy-weight muslin or canvas as it tends to hold wrinkles. Please also avoid the plastic-backed decorators’ cloths. Your drop cloths need to measure 4’6” x 9’, once scoured and shrunk (the worktables measure 4’ x 8’).
- Rubber gloves (suggest 2 pairs).
- 1 x box of ball-headed or T pins (please don’t bring the very heavy/thick T pins).
- 1 x black Sharpie.
- Notebook or sketchbook; handouts on recipes and some process will be provided, but it can be useful to record your order of process on individual pieces, or make notes during general discussions.
- Pen and pencil.
- Cloth apron (or wear the equivalent of gardening/decorating clothes).
- Comfortable, rubber-soled shoes (you’ll be standing a great deal and the floor is concrete).
- A camera as it’s useful to record work-in-progress.
- an iPod and headphones if you like to work to music.
- Anything else you can think of that you’re likely to need!
Presentations
If you wish to share your work or your working process, please prepare a short, 10 minute presentation and bring it on an iPad, laptop or memory stick. We will organise a rota of slide shows in the evenings (apart from bonfire night!). Please note this is completely optional; speaking or attending!!

Please contact Claire if you have any queries about the class content or supplies.

Images of Claire Benn, student work and classes at the Crow Timber Frame Barn

Claire Benn

Artist statement

Claire’s 2-week class

• October 5-10 & October 12-17, 2025 | Working with Intent / Guided Independent Study

Working with Intent / Guided Independent Study

DESCRIPTION

ON-SITE SUPPLIES

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS - WHAT TO BRING