7 January 2020
This term in Art ECA, we spent our afternoons designing and sewing cushions inspired by the colourful cut-outs of Henri Matisse.
We took our inspiration from the work of French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954), renown for his lively, playful and colourful compositions of cut paper, striking in their economy and contrast and which drew on decorative strategies. As a leading figure in Fauvism at the turn of the 20th century, Matisse and associated artists pioneered an expressive and intense approach to colour, which has influenced me in my own work and which I am always excited to share with students.
Working just under an hour each week, middle school students spent the Autumn 2019 semester making Matisse-inspired collages and applying textile fundamentals to produce their cushions. After looking at several of Matisse’s cutouts, students began the project with timed drawing exercises to produce a series of thumbnail images of original designs for a square-shaped cushion. They were asked to choose their favourite thumbnail and scale up their design on to a 45cm square cut-out. Like Matisse, they used scissors rather than a paintbrush to construct abstract and colourful decorative images, which would later serve as references for their cushions.
After producing their collages, the kids began cutting felt for their cushions, starting with the background and working their way through all the small pieces in their designs. Using Bondaweb, they adhered the pieces together, then learned how to do a running stitch so they could hand-stitch the panels together along the perimeter of the cushion. They learned how to sew buttons, and after filling their cushions with wadding completed the stitching to seal their cushions shut. My students have been very eager to take their cushions home, and I must say I’m very proud of every one of them for their hard work and dedication throughout the duration of the project!
