Crow Timber Frame Barn Art Retreats

Nancy Crow

Nancy has been teaching quiltmaking as an art form for over 30 years; she finds teaching both a very creative experience and uplifting. One of her goals is to help students find a path through roadblocks to a more flexible way of approaching composition. Composition is the focus of all of her workshops in which she proceeds sequentially from beginning to very advanced composition while at the same time introducing many wonderful techniques which can be used in machine-piecing. Nancy promotes machine-piecing as one of the most important ways to work for a quiltmaker, paralleling it to oil painting. Nancy was selected for two national honors: Fellow of the American Craft Council and National Living Treasure by the Museum of World Cultures at the University of North Carolina. The National Living Treasure award honors Americans who work in traditional handicrafts. In addition, she has won many Individual Artist's Fellowships from The Ohio Arts Council. She leads art tours to Peru, Mexico, South Africa, France, and Guatemala, and is the author of seven books, including: Self-Portraits: Mono-Prints, Nancy Crow, Nancy Crow: Improvisational Quilts and Nancy Crow: Quilts and Influences.

Registration form

Nancy’s 2-week classes:

• October 2-7 & October 9-14, 2022 | Lines, Curves, Circles, Shapes & Figure/Ground Composition: Parts I & II
Open or Close
Lines, Curves, Circles, Shapes & Figure/Ground Composition: Parts I & II
• Level: Intermediate to advanced
• Prerequisite: Students must be practiced in free-hand cutting and construction and expert at machine-piecing
• Sewing machine: Yes
• Materials fee: No

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

Tuition & Meal plan for 2-week classes with Nancy:
• $2530 | paid in full before June 1, 2022 | 10-day Tuition ($1950) & Meal plan ($580)
DESCRIPTION
Part I
This workshop begins with an intense study in the “creation of line(s) and their spatial relationships” when grouped together with other line(s). All lines will be cut freehand while sharpening one’s eye to stronger proportions. These initial exercises will be done in solid black and solid white. Many small sewn-together compositions will be created. It is hoped that participants will begin to see line as a very important element in quilt-making.

Afterwards, this workshop will begin to address other kinds of geometric shapes such as curves and circles in machine-pieced compositions while moving into color and more degrees of values. These new design exercises will investigate evermore sophisticated relationships within a composition.
All work will be done in direct machine-piecing using a broad range of solid colors (commercial or hand-dyed). NOTE: Marbled fabrics are not appropriate for this class nor are splotchy hand-dyed fabrics.

Students will be given timed exercises that explore classical design concerns such as COLOR, VALUE, PROPORTION, SHAPE, CURVES, CIRCLES, AND LINE RELATIONSHIPS. Lots of SEED IDEAS will be GENERATED.

Part II
An energizing and thought-provoking group of design exercises has been developed for this new workshop with the intention of strengthening one’s understanding and practice of figure/ground composition. Students will work freehand, cutting by eye all the parts of each compositional exercise while learning to better engineer the construction of a composition. Lines, shapes, and curves will be used to develop geometric configurations.

There will be a STRONG EMPHASIS on geometric LINE AND SHAPE CONFIGURATIONS…plus…the USE of FLAT & GLOWING COLORS/VALUES. In this workshop, a variety of sewn-together compositions will be created that will incorporate percentages of FLAT & GLOWING COLORS/VALUES making it very important that each student bring appropriate fabrics. Fabrics of choice will be a broad palette of hand-dyed or commercial solids and values. NOTE: Marbled fabrics are not appropriate for this class nor are splotchy hand-dyed fabrics. All sewing will be done in direct machine-piecing.

Students will be given TIMED EXERCISES that explore classical design concerns such as COLOR, VALUE, PROPORTION, SHAPE, CURVES and LINE RELATIONSHIPS. SEED IDEAS will be GENERATED that could be used for working-in-a-series. One-on-one and group critiques will be integrated into the class.
• MAKE SURE YOU BRING A GOOD SKETCHBOOK (not a yellow lined pad of paper), DIGITAL CAMERA and SMALL PRINTER!!!
• Do not come with an agenda! Be open to experimentation and working quickly!

PRESENTATION
- Optional but important: Each student should come prepared with 3-8 actual quilts and be prepared to make a short (5 minutes maximum) but articulate presentation about their work including future goals. If you would like to make a digital presentation, the Crow Timber Frame Barn provides use of a digital projector connected to a laptop (please bring a flash drive with your presentation/images or bring your own laptop/iPad). Please choose one option: actual quilts … OR … a digital presentation.
SUPPLIES
- Sewing Machine
- Size 10 & 12 Microtex sewing machine needles/Bobbins
- Digital Camera/Printer (Canon SELPHY printer recommended)/Paper
- Scissors/Thread/Rulers
- Swing Arm Lamp
- 24” x 36” Cutting Mat
- 7’ x 7’ Batting/Flannel (White) on which to pin work (optional)
- Extra Large Rotary Cutter and Blades
- Iron/Iron Cleaner (optional as Barn has irons)
- Ball-Head Pins (very fine and regular size)
- Small Water Spray Bottle for Ironing
- Glue to Adhere Snapshots into Sketchbook
- Multiple Outlet Power Strip/Adaptors/Heavy Duty Extension Cords
- Sketchbook/Pens/Other Supplies You Want
- Painter’s Blue Tape - 1” or 2” wide roll of tape for securing long strips of fabric when cutting
- Packing Tape if shipping boxes (plus return labels)
Optional Books:
- NANCY CROW | DRAWINGS: MONOPRINTS & RIFFS, 2020, University of Nebraska Press (catalog from Nancy’s exhibition at the International Quilt Museum) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
- COLOR IMPROVISATIONS 2 & CIRCULAR ABSTRACTIONS: BULL’S EYES QUILTS, 2016, (books from two exhibitions curated by Nancy) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
- CROSSROADS, 2007, Breckling Press (catalog from one of Nancy’s exhibitions) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
- NANCY CROW, 2006, Breckling Press (book covering Nancy's work from 1989-2005) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
- NANCY CROW, MONO-PRINTS: SELF-PORTRAITS: FOCUS, 2012 - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
FABRICS
8 yards or more each of:
- SOLID BLACK and SOLID WHITE
2-3 yards each of:
- BRIGHT COLORS - bright red, red-orange, orange, acid yellow, lime, turquoise, blue, apple green, pink, lavender, etc. (BRIGHTS are very saturated glowing colors … they are the brightest color and are never darker than medium value)
1 yard or more of each:
- SOLID OPAQUE COLORS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark values so you can be free to work) - reds, pinks, blues, teals, greens, limes, violets, browns, yellows, golds, red- oranges, oranges, purples, maroons, turquoises, rusts, etc.
- FLATS - it is absolutely necessary to bring along as many FLATS as possible in as many colors and values as possible.
- TANS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark) and FLATS
- OFF-WHITES (warm white, cold white, cream) and FLATS
- Bring BOTH the GLOWING and the FLAT versions of as many of these colors as possible.
- Please wash and shrink all fabrics! No need to iron though if you fold at end of drying cycle!
- We will use everything listed above so do not decide to leave anything out.
- DO NOT BRING FAT QUARTERS.
- Bring enough variety so you are not hamstrung!
NOTES REGARDING FABRIC SUPPLY LIST
Yes, the rumor is true!!! Yes, I do ask that each student bring lots of fabrics. My personal theory embraces the belief that one will be freer to be creative if one has many fabric choices available in class. After 35+ years of teaching, I consider each class I teach to be on a graduate level and therefore I expect students to arrive prepared with all necessary supplies. In that regard, I have outlined those fabrics we will use in this class. For some students, my fabric supply list will seem overwhelming in quantity and variety, while for other students, the selection they bring will never be good enough.

About solid colors - the more shades you have to work with, the more you will learn about how to work with color. Color is Joyous!!! Color does not cause pain!!! Take DELIGHT in color!!! Working in color does not mean only using BOLD colors or HOT colors; working in color means learning to be versatile in all types of colors.

I caution you to not bring mostly middle value solids, rather bring a wide variety, including these 5 steps in value:
- Light values
- Medium light values
- Medium values
- Medium dark values
- Dark values
Any color can be GLOWING or FLAT:
• GLOWING tones are any colors mixed with yellow and which have a glow coming off the surface.
• FLAT tones are those colors mixed with black and which emit a dullness, energy draining very subdued nature.

Many students arrive with their own hand-dyed solids or stacks they have purchased from other dyers. By all means, bring hand-dyed if you want but they need to be opaque and not have multiple values swimming across them ... meaning white or light splotches on dark colors.

However, flat solids (dyed commercially) are equally acceptable.

I usually work with flat colors or my own subtly dyed flat colors. My own palette includes approximately 500 shades.

I cannot specifically tell you to only bring 1 yard cuts of each color because I know we will be using at least a yard or more of some to many colors depending on each student’s color preferences. If you bring a yard of each – say 5 blues, 5 reds, 5 yellows, 5 greens, etc., but one each in light values, medium light values, medium values, medium dark values, & dark values, that would be better than not having enough. So bring 1 yard of as many colors as you can afford and shorter lengths for the rest.
• October 16-21 & October 23-28, 2022 | Improvisational Exercises: Parts III & IV
Open or Close
Improvisational Exercises: Parts III & IV
• Level: Advanced
• Prerequisite: Improvisational Exercises: Parts I & II workshops & free-hand cutting skills/good machine-sewing skills
• Sewing machine: Yes
• Materials fee: No

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

Tuition & Meal plan for 2-week classes with Nancy:
• $2530 | paid in full before June 1, 2022 | 10-day Tuition ($1950) & Meal plan ($580)
DESCRIPTION
• PLEASE NOTE These design exercises are not the same as those used in Part I or Part II of IMPROVISATIONAL EXERCISES.

This brand new 10-day class has been specifically developed to give students a more in-depth opportunity to experiment with IDEAS.

IDEAS for COMPOSITIONS will be derived from combining simple FIGURES, simple CONFIGURATIONS and complex CONFIGURATIONS.

New and challenging design exercises will be given each week in which students will use their own previously created configurations and possibly combining those with new configurations while stretching to be far more experimental.

HOMEWORK: Each student is expected to come to this 10-day class with a group of sketches sewn in solid black and solid white fabric.
• SIZE of each SKETCH: minimum of 20” x 20” - or - 20” x 24”
• BLACK Figure on WHITE ground
• 10-15 or more SKETCHES of FIGURES only
• 10-15 or more SKETCHES of SIMPLE CONFIGURATIONS only
• 10-15 or more SKETCHES of COMPLEX CONFIGURATIONS only

The HOMEWORK must be done before coming to this class. Students are expected to come totally prepared. No exceptions.

Colors, and the values of colors, from light to dark, will be emphasized in all exercises so a great selection of SOLID COLOR fabrics must be brought to this workshop.

If students want to learn to work more effectively, more efficiently from “instincts” and “intuition” they must come with an open mind and no agendas, ready for growth and for risk-taking!

PRESENTATION
- Optional but important: Each student should come prepared with 3-8 actual quilts and be prepared to make a short (5 minutes maximum) but articulate presentation about their work including future goals. If you would like to make a digital presentation, the Crow Timber Frame Barn provides use of a digital projector connected to a laptop (please bring a flash drive with your presentation/images or bring your own laptop/iPad). Please choose one option: actual quilts … OR … a digital presentation.
SUPPLIES
- Sewing Machine
- Size 10 & 12 Microtex sewing machine needles/Bobbins
- Digital Camera/Printer (Canon SELPHY printer recommended)/Paper
- Scissors/Thread/Rulers
- Swing Arm Lamp
- 24” x 36” Cutting Mat
- 7’ x 7’ Batting/Flannel (White) on which to pin work (optional)
- Extra Large Rotary Cutter and Blades
- Iron/Iron Cleaner (optional as Barn has irons)
- Ball-Head Pins (very fine and regular size)
- Small Water Spray Bottle for Ironing
- Glue to Adhere Snapshots into Sketchbook
- Multiple Outlet Power Strip/Adaptors/Heavy Duty Extension Cords
- Sketchbook/Pens/Other Supplies You Want
- Painter’s Blue Tape - 1” or 2” wide roll of tape for securing long strips of fabric when cutting
- Packing Tape if shipping boxes (plus return labels)
Optional Books:
- NANCY CROW | DRAWINGS: MONOPRINTS & RIFFS, 2020, University of Nebraska Press (catalog from Nancy’s exhibition at the International Quilt Museum) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
- COLOR IMPROVISATIONS 2 & CIRCULAR ABSTRACTIONS: BULL’S EYES QUILTS, 2016, (books from two exhibitions curated by Nancy) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
- CROSSROADS, 2007, Breckling Press (catalog from one of Nancy’s exhibitions) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
- NANCY CROW, 2006, Breckling Press (book covering Nancy's work from 1989-2005) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
- NANCY CROW, MONO-PRINTS: SELF-PORTRAITS: FOCUS, 2012 - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
Unfortunately, the following titles are out of print, but your local library may have them or order on Amazon.com.
- GRADATIONS: FROM THE STUDIO OF NANCY CROW, Quilt House Publishing
- NANCY CROW: WORK IN TRANSITION, American Quilters’ Society
- NANCY CROW: QUILTS AND INFLUENCES, American Quilters’ Society
- NANCY CROW: IMPROVISATIONAL QUILTS, C&T Publishing
FABRICS
8 yards or more each of:
- SOLID BLACK and SOLID WHITE
2-3 yards each of:
- BRIGHT COLORS - bright red, red-orange, orange, acid yellow, lime, turquoise, blue, apple green, pink, lavender, etc. (BRIGHTS are very saturated glowing colors … they are the brightest color and are never darker than medium value)
1 yard or more of each:
- SOLID OPAQUE COLORS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark values so you can be free to work) - reds, pinks, blues, teals, greens, limes, violets, browns, yellows, golds, red- oranges, oranges, purples, maroons, turquoises, rusts, etc.
- FLATS - it is absolutely necessary to bring along as many FLATS as possible in as many colors and values as possible.
- TANS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark) and FLATS
- OFF-WHITES (warm white, cold white, cream) and FLATS
- Bring BOTH the GLOWING and the FLAT versions of as many of these colors as possible.
- Please wash and shrink all fabrics! No need to iron though if you fold at end of drying cycle!
- We will use everything listed above so do not decide to leave anything out.
- DO NOT BRING FAT QUARTERS.
- Bring enough variety so you are not hamstrung!
NOTES REGARDING FABRIC SUPPLY LIST
Yes, the rumor is true!!! Yes, I do ask that each student bring lots of fabrics. My personal theory embraces the belief that one will be freer to be creative if one has many fabric choices available in class. After 35+ years of teaching, I consider each class I teach to be on a graduate level and therefore I expect students to arrive prepared with all necessary supplies. In that regard, I have outlined those fabrics we will use in this class. For some students, my fabric supply list will seem overwhelming in quantity and variety, while for other students, the selection they bring will never be good enough.

About solid colors - the more shades you have to work with, the more you will learn about how to work with color. Color is Joyous!!! Color does not cause pain!!! Take DELIGHT in color!!! Working in color does not mean only using BOLD colors or HOT colors; working in color means learning to be versatile in all types of colors.

I caution you to not bring mostly middle value solids, rather bring a wide variety, including these 5 steps in value:
- Light values
- Medium light values
- Medium values
- Medium dark values
- Dark values
Any color can be GLOWING or FLAT:
• GLOWING tones are any colors mixed with yellow and which have a glow coming off the surface.
• FLAT tones are those colors mixed with black and which emit a dullness, energy draining very subdued nature.

Many students arrive with their own hand-dyed solids or stacks they have purchased from other dyers. By all means, bring hand-dyed if you want but they need to be opaque and not have multiple values swimming across them ... meaning white or light splotches on dark colors.

However, flat solids (dyed commercially) are equally acceptable.

I usually work with flat colors or my own subtly dyed flat colors. My own palette includes approximately 500 shades.

I cannot specifically tell you to only bring 1 yard cuts of each color because I know we will be using at least a yard or more of some to many colors depending on each student’s color preferences. If you bring a yard of each – say 5 blues, 5 reds, 5 yellows, 5 greens, etc., but one each in light values, medium light values, medium values, medium dark values, & dark values, that would be better than not having enough. So bring 1 yard of as many colors as you can afford and shorter lengths for the rest.