LUKE will lead students on a two-day exploration of using fabric to render portraits and the human figure. Having created more than 300 quilts and taught his distinctive approach to students around the world, LUKE brings decades of experience translating the complexity of the human form into cloth.
Throughout the workshop, students will be guided through a series of hands-on exercises designed to build an understanding of shape, value, proportion, and composition. Rather than relying on traditional drawing or painting techniques, students will learn to look at a figure as a collection of shapes, colors, shadows, and relationships that can be interpreted through fabric.
LUKE will demonstrate techniques for selecting fabrics, simplifying imagery, building form through layering, and making thoughtful choices about where detail is necessary and where it can be left out. Students will explore how changes in color, scale, placement, and contrast can create dimension, expression, and personality.
The workshop will emphasize experimentation and individual interpretation rather than perfect replication. Students will have opportunities to work from photographic references and develop their own approach to constructing a portrait or figure in fabric.
By the end of the two days, students will have a stronger understanding of how to translate photographic imagery into fabric, a practical set of techniques they can continue using in their own work, and experience seeing the human figure through a new visual language.
Date
Saturday, February 20th, 2027
AND
Sunday, February 21st, 2027
Time
12:00 – 4:00 pm ET
Cost
$300
Location
Tatter Textile Library: 505 Carroll Street, #2B, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Class Materials
All materials will be provided.
Our Teacher
LUKE Haynes is an architect turned quilter who loves creating tactile objects with a history of utility. After surviving a childhood of poverty and an Autism diagnosis, Haynes values using recycled textiles in his work and is passionate about using quilts to convey comfort, systems of support, and accessibility for all. Luke is recognized as a core pillar of the “modern quilting movement” for his projects that bring quilting techniques into public art installations and community activations. His quilts have been shown in over 160 shows in 10 countries. They are in the private collections of multiple art museums, including the Brooklyn Museum, Newark Museum, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and The Norton Collection, plus many more.