Embroidery by Deborah Merrick-Wilson
Since Saxon times, the adornment of English finery with precious-metal materials has symbolized the wealth and status of its owner and the importance of the item itself. Whether seen in royal or ecclesiastical regalia, bookbindings, furnishings, or heraldic symbols, nothing else quite expresses the richness and exceptional quality of the work of embroiderers of the 9th through 17th centuries as the category of embellishment that came to be known simply as Opus Anglicanum or “English Work.”
Students in this 2-session workshop learn about the history of this lush art form and its influence on the English economy, culture, and politics of the medieval through early-modern period, and then create a gilded blossom using materials from the goldsmith purveyors to HM Queen Elizabeth II. Goldwork techniques are taught according to the standards of the Royal School of Needlework, Hampton Court Palace.
No previous embroidery experience is necessary. A supply fee of $100 payable to the instructor at the first session covers all materials.
Instructor: Deborah Merrick-Wilson
2 sessions; 7 hours each with lunch break (participants provide their own)
