Crow Timber Frame Barn Art Retreats

Petra Fallaux

Dutch native Petra Fallaux is an artist, writer, teacher, and curator, based in Pittsburgh. As an artist, her approach embodies her credo of “color, shape, and simplicity.” Her artwork has been described as “complex, but not complicated.” Contemporary painting, graphic design, and architecture are major influences. Her recent series of printed textiles has been widely exhibited: whole cloth monoprints, screen and paper lamination prints are layered with additional dyes to evoke the color depth of both the coastal and polder landscapes of her home country, the Netherlands.

Petra received degrees in psychology and film studies and taught at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. She earned a Master of Arts Management degree from Carnegie Mellon University and subsequently directed its art gallery for over a decade, while teaching elective classes in the School of Design. Her recent essay writing focuses on individual textile artists for catalogues and other publications. Petra has juried many well-known art quilt exhibitions including Artist as Quiltmaker 2024, Visions 2022, Quilt=Art=Quilt 2019, and Quilt National 2017, as well as statewide exhibitions, and local ones in Pittsburgh.

Since 2003, Petra has helped direct Springboard Design, an architecture, planning and design firm whose work includes museum, exhibition, and public interest design.

For more information about Petra and her work, visit her website: petrafallaux.com.

Registration form

Petra’s 2-week class

• October 4-9 & October 11-16, 2026 | Retreat into Your Art Practice - Independent Study in Textile Surface Design
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Retreat into Your Art Practice - Independent Study in Textile Surface Design
• Only 14 students accepted since each person will have their own work table.
• Level: Intermediate to advanced - participants must be comfortable working independently with their chosen media. NOT suitable for beginners.
• Sewing machine: No
• Materials fee: $30 payable in cash to Petra
• Facility usage fee: $60

• 6 spaces available

Tuition & Meal plan for 2-week class with Petra (limited to 14 students):
• $4125 | paid in full before April 1, 2026 | 10-day Tuition ($3425) & Meal plan ($700)
• $4175 | paid in full before June 1, 2026 | 10-day Tuition ($3475) & Meal plan ($700)

DESCRIPTION
In this hands-on workshop students will work independently on furthering their approach to surface design. Through concentrated exploration and improvisation, students will be given an opportunity to focus on existing paths or discover new directions. Petra will facilitate and mentor, bringing greater awareness to intention, composition, and growth. The goal during the retreat is to advance each student’s work in ways that provide fertile grounds to build on when they return home. Besides one-on-one mentoring and individual conferences, Petra will offer short presentations, as well as class wide discussions to elicit additional feedback from fellow classmates.
STUDENT REQUIREMENTS – WHAT TO BRING
A Plan. Curiosity. An Open Mind.

“Planning is important, but the plan is not important.”

Before coming to the retreat, take some time to imagine what you might do in the two weeks during the retreat. Take notes, draw, and/or gather images or objects that inspire you and could serve as springboards for your work. Finished work or work-in-progress could also help you get started. Bring the tools you plan on using, but also ones you might be using. Planning is important. However, a plan should not limit you. It should not be restrictive to your process of discovery. Your plan may, should, and probably will change when you start working.

Patience. Pauses. Breath.

“Learning is a journey, not a race.”

Allow ample time for observation, contemplation, and reflection while working.

Textiles. Tools. Media.

“Art is not in the tools, but in the eye.”

Bring fabric that is prepped in advance to save time: soda soak at home. While there will be a vat for on-going soda soaking throughout the two weeks, please bring prepared fabric. Bring enough fabric. Better to have to take some back home than to run out of fabric before the end of the retreat. Bring finished work or work in progress as resources. While exploring new work and directions, they make great references for reflection and feedback. Please refer to the lists of tools and media that will be on hand to determine the ones you should bring to the retreat.

Intentions.

“Art is too important not to share.”

Students will be offered an opportunity to individually share their intentions, inspirations, or chosen media with Petra two weeks before the retreat via email. This will prepare Petra and enable a more expeditious start of the workshop. Intentions will then be shared in the group gathering on Sunday afternoon at 5 pm before dinner at 6 pm.

Presentations.

“Tell what you are going to tell, tell it, then tell what you just told.”

Students are encouraged to bring and present finished work to the group or do a slide presentation about their artwork during the retreat. Aim for a presentation of ten minutes that you fully prepare in advance. Organize your thoughts: introduce, discuss, and conclude. No need to be comprehensive but rather focus on an in-depth recent aspect of your artwork or your discoveries. This is a great opportunity to practice presenting your work in a concise manner as if you were presenting to a prospective gallery or collector.

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS – TOOLS AND SUPPLIES TO BRING
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 color 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!
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 colors 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 colors 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 color range - if acrylics are your primary media, please bring the colors 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 rotation 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.

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

Images of Petra Fallaux, student work and classes at the Crow Timber Frame Barn

Petra Fallaux

Petra’s 2-week class

• October 4-9 & October 11-16, 2026 | Retreat into Your Art Practice - Independent Study in Textile Surface Design

Retreat into Your Art Practice - Independent Study in Textile Surface Design

DESCRIPTION

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS – WHAT TO BRING

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS – TOOLS AND SUPPLIES TO BRING

ON-SITE SUPPLIES