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:

• September 29-October 4 & October 6-11, 2024 | Iterations: Part II or Independent Study
Open or Close
Iterations: Part II or Independent Study
• Level: Advanced to very advanced
• Prerequisite: Improvisational Exercises: Parts I, II, III, IV - Must have free-hand cutting & construction skills/excellent 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 of the deposit will be issued.

Tuition & Meal plan for 2-week class with Nancy:
• $2640 | paid in full before April 1, 2024 | 10-day Tuition ($2000) & Meal plan ($640)
• $2690 | paid in full before June 1, 2024 | 10-day Tuition ($2050) & Meal plan ($640)
DESCRIPTION
This is a two-week class focused on understanding and working on very advanced compositions. It is intended only for those students who consider themselves serious artists and who have taken all of Nancy’s advanced composition classes but who want to push their skills in composition to a higher level.

However, in order to push these skills, participants must come to class totally prepared having worked through and completed all required homework. Design exercises presented during this class will incorporate and explore all or parts of the completed homework. Subject matter developed in the homework assignments should reflect the voice of the artist and yet show new experimentation with ideas.

Homework: Homework assignments will be emailed to each enrolled student.

Option: Students may choose to work as an Independent Student during this 2-week class and ask for critiques when needed.

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
- Thread (Aurifil is best - size 40 or 50)
- Several pairs of sharp scissors/Rulers
- Swing arm lamp or floor lamp
- 24” x 36” OLFA cutting mat (2 of these if driving)
- 8’ x 8’ Batting/Flannel (White) on which to pin work & several 40” X 60” batts
- Extra large rotary cutter and blades
- Clover ball-head pins - very fine (Clover #2507) and regular size (Clover #2501) - two boxes each
- Roll of blue painters’ tape (not masking tape)
- Spray water bottle for ironing
- Iron/Iron cleaner
- Your own ironing board if driving
- Short 5 1/2’ step ladder or step stool if driving
- Sketchbook/Pens/Other Supplies you want
- Digital camera/Printer (Canon SELPHY printer recommended)/Paper
- Glue to adhere snapshots into sketchbook
- Multiple outlet power strip/Adaptors/Heavy duty extension cords
- 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
Please concentrate on bringing a very good supply of FLATS in as many colors as possible.

6 yards or more each of:
- SOLID BLACK and SOLID WHITE
2-3 yards each of:
- BRIGHT COLORS - bright red, orange, acid yellow, lime, turquoise, blue, apple green, pink, lavender, etc. (very saturated bright colors … the brightest color that are never darker than medium value)
1-2 yards each of:
- 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, oranges, purples, maroons, turquoises, rusts, etc.
- GRAYS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark)
- OFF-WHITES (warm white, cold white, cream)
Note: The fabric shop at the Crow Timber Frame Barn will have a very large selection of solid colors in BRIGHTS, GLOWING, FLATS and RELATIVES, and GRAYS … and many medium darks and darks.
- Bring the GLOWING, the RELATIVE and the FLAT versions of as many of these colors as possible.
- We will use everything listed above so do not decide to leave anything out.
- Please wash and shrink all fabrics! No need to iron though if you fold at end of drying cycle!
- 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 the basic 5 steps in value:
- Light values
- Medium light values
- Medium values
- Medium dark values
- Dark values
Any color (except BRIGHTS) can be GLOWING or FLAT or RELATIVE but only a few colors can be BRIGHT:
• BRIGHTS are super saturated colors with such intensity that they literally stick out in a composition. They command attention. One can find BRIGHTS from light value to just above medium value.
• 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.
• RELATIVE tones are those colors that seem GLOWING when next to FLAT tones … OR … RELATIVE tones can seem FLAT when next to GLOWING tones or next to BRIGHTS. RELATIVE tones are chameleons but serve an important part of great composition.

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. Commercially dyed solids are equally acceptable.

I usually work with a combination of commercial solids and my own subtly dyed solids. My palette includes approximately 500 shades and as many different values as possible.

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. I recommend 2 yard cuts or larger because I feel happier with a minimum of 2 yard cuts. But please feel free to come with 1 yard cuts if this will facilitate having a much broader range of values. But please do not blame me if you run out of any color as I have no way of knowing which colors you will use up.
• October 13-18 & October 20-25, 2024 | Improvisational Exercises: Parts I & II
Open or Close
Improvisational Exercises: Parts I & II
• Level: Intermediate to advanced
• Prerequisite: Good machine-sewing skills and practiced in free-hand cutting
• 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 of the deposit will be issued.

Tuition & Meal plan for 2-week class with Nancy:
• $2640 | paid in full before April 1, 2024 | 10-day Tuition ($2000) & Meal plan ($640)
• $2690 | paid in full before June 1, 2024 | 10-day Tuition ($2050) & Meal plan ($640)
DESCRIPTION for Improvisational Exercises: Part I
This brand new 5-day class has been specifically developed for students desirous of being far more experimental using machine-piecing techniques. Students will be expected to work spontaneously and intuitively with nontraditional quilt-making techniques as they explore design exercises that promote improvisational approaches to composition without benefit of “pre-planning” and “intellectualizing.”

New Design Exercises will be used as a basis for flexing muscle memory in developing a more fluid approach to cutting improvisationally all sorts of SHAPES and LINES. Emphasis will be placed on forming NEW CONFIGURATIONS that could be used as the MOTIF or SUBJECT MATTER of a figure/ground composition. Students will learn construction and engineering techniques. Color, and the values of color, from light to dark, will be emphasized in all exercises so a great selection of fabrics must be brought to this workshop. Students will be working in SOLID COLORS the entire 5-days so there is no need to bring any printed or marbled fabrics, only solids whether commercial or hand-dyed.

PLEASE concentrate on bringing 5 value ranges in neutrals and in other solid colors. You must have these 5 value ranges in all of the grays and all of the browns. Those values are: LIGHT, MEDIUM LIGHT, MEDIUM, MEDIUM DARK, DARK.

DESCRIPTION for Improvisational Exercises: Part II
A sewing machine and lots of fabric will be used in this fast-paced and intense workshop designed for students who no longer need "hand-holding" and who are desirous of being far more experimental using machine-piecing techniques. Students will be expected to work spontaneously and intuitively with nontraditional quilt making techniques as they explore design exercises that promote improvisational approaches to composition without benefit of "pre-planning" and "intellectualizing." Emphasis will be on the continuation of a stronger understanding of figure/ground composition and freeing up.

• Students will concentrate on three distinct compositions during this 5-day class:

1. The first will be done in black and white.

2. The second one will be done in a full range of neutrals including white, off-white, very light grey, light grey, medium light grey, medium grey, medium dark grey, dark grey and various shades of black. This exercise in composition will target the absolute importance of value in defining visual planes of depth.

3. The third one will be done in a full range of colors, as many as possible, in as many values as possible. Only solid colors will be used in this class. Color and the values of color, from light to dark, will be emphasized so a great selection of fabrics must be brought to this workshop.

At the end of this workshop, students will have completed three compositions in which they have learned a far wider use of value and color and very important technical construction techniques. As always, students will learn to work more effectively, more efficiently from "instincts" and "intuition" so come with an open mind and no agendas, ready for growth and for risk-taking!

PLEASE concentrate on bringing 5 value ranges in neutrals and in other solid colors. You must have these 5 value ranges in all of the grays and all of the browns. Those values are: LIGHT, MEDIUM LIGHT, MEDIUM, MEDIUM DARK, DARK.

Students will learn to work more effectively, more efficiently from "instincts" and "intuition" so 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 a digital presentation/laptop or 3-6 actual quilts and be prepared to make a short (3-5 minutes maximum) but articulate presentation about their work including future goals. The Crow Timber Frame Barn provides use of a digital projector connected to a laptop.
SUPPLIES
- 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
- 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 for 1st week:
6 yards each of:
- SOLID BLACK and SOLID WHITE
2 yards each of:
- BRIGHT COLORS - bright red, orange, acid yellow, lime, turquoise, blue, apple green, pink, lavender, etc. (very saturated bright colors … the brightest color that are never darker than medium value)
- GRAYS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark)
1 yard or more of each color:
- 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, oranges, purples, maroons, turquoises, rusts, etc.
- TANS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark)
- OFF-WHITES ...warm white, cold white, cream
FABRICS for 2nd week:
8 yards each of:
- SOLID BLACK and SOLID WHITE
3 yards each of:
- GRAYS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark)
1 yard or more of each color:
- 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, oranges, purples, maroons, turquoises, rusts, etc.
- BRIGHT COLORS - bright red, orange, acid yellow, lime, turquoise, blue, apple green, pink, lavender, etc. (very saturated bright colors … the brightest color that are never darker than medium value)
- TANS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark)
- OFF-WHITES ...warm white, cold white, cream
- Bring BOTH the GLOWING and the FLAT versions of as many of these colors as possible.
- You must wash and shrink all fabrics before class! 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.
- Do not bring marbled fabrics.
- 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:
- Light values
- Medium light values
- Medium values
- Medium dark values
- Dark values
• Please bring the glowing version… AND… the dull/flat version of as many colors as possible.

• Remember that ANY COLOR… AND… ANY VALUE of ANY COLOR can be glowing or dull/flat.

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 not splotchy with white splotches on all colors.

But solids (dyed commercially) are equally acceptable.

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

Regarding fabrics: I recommend 2 yard cuts or larger because I feel happier with a minimum of 2 yard cuts. But please feel free to come with 1 yard cuts if this will facilitate having a much broader range of values. But please do not blame me if you run out of any color as I have no way of knowing which colors you will use up.