Discover the unexpected possibilities of shapes, patterns, and imagination at Fernweh Farm.
I’m excited to announce a new workshop I’ve been developing: Seeing New Possibilities: A Tessellation Workshop Inspired by Nature, taking place at Fernweh Farm near Chapel Hill.
Tessellations have fascinated me for years. There is something remarkable about the way a shape can repeat, fit together with other copies of itself, and gradually reveal an entirely new visual world. What begins as a simple form can become a repeating landscape or animal form, an intricate face pattern, or something that defies easy identification.
The process brings together geometry and imagination, structure and intuition. Sometimes you begin with an idea of what you want to create. Other times, the possibilities emerge as you look more closely and allow the pattern to suggest something you hadn’t anticipated.
Inspiration from the Natural World
Fernweh Farm offers a wonderful setting for this kind of exploration. Its animals, plants, buildings, and weathered objects provide a wealth of shapes, textures, and patterns to notice. The natural world is full of visual relationships waiting to be discovered, from the branching structure of a plant to the contours of an animal or the unexpected shapes formed by vines and leaves.
We’ll draw inspiration from our surroundings and bring that visual information into the creative process, exploring how shapes can be transformed into interlocking designs and developed in many different directions.
There is no single image everyone is expected to produce. One person might discover a recognizable creature or botanical form, while another might develop an abstract composition. Each approach offers its own possibilities.
Where Will Your Imagination Take You?
One of the things I love about working with tessellations is that they invite us to look beyond the obvious. A repeating shape can become a starting point for discovery, encouraging us to notice relationships, experiment with possibilities, and remain open to what emerges.
I’ve included examples of my tessellation work below to give you a sense of the range of visual possibilities this process can offer. Each design explores the relationship between a repeating form and the larger pattern it creates.
Whether you’re an experienced artist, an art student, or someone who simply wants to explore a new creative experience, I invite you to join me for an afternoon of artistic exploration at Fernweh Farm.
You don’t need formal art training to participate. Bring your curiosity and a willingness to see where the process leads.
Workshop Details
Seeing New Possibilities: A Tessellation Workshop Inspired by Nature
- Date: Thursday, November 12
- Time: 1–4 p.m.
- Location: Fernweh Farm, near Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Fee: $120 per person, all materials included
Space is limited. Please see the workshop flyer below for details and contact Fernweh Farm for registration information.
I look forward to sharing this exploration with you and seeing the unexpected directions your tessellations take!
