2025 Workshops
Developing a Practice - Expanding Your Creative Self - Online
NEW - On Zoom Feb - Dec, Meets once a month on the first Tuesday 6:30 - 8:30 pm EST: Feb 4, Mar 4, Apr 1, May 6, June 3, July 1, Aug 5, Sept 2, Oct 7, Nov 4, and Dec 2, 2025
FULL - On Zoom Feb - Dec, Meets once a month on the first Wednesday 6:30 - 8:30 pm EST: Feb 5, Mar 5, Apr 2, May 7, June 4, July 2, Aug 6, Sept 3, Oct 1, Nov 5, and Dec 3, 2025
An 11-month class exploring your creative self thru visual journaling. This class is similar to the "Artist’s Way," but uses a daily practice that I developed over time. Doing a simple practice for just a few minutes each day, you will tap into your creative subconscious. The class is about being in the moment, in the process rather than focusing on the outcome or product. It is about developing a daily creative practice and will invigorate your creativity. A variety of techniques will be presented as possible techniques to use. All levels. The class meets 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Cost is $485. Each class limited to 8 participants. To register contact Heather at 828-782-8307 or email. I can take payment via mailed check or Venmo.
Cold Connections - Textile Techniques in Wire
Heather’s Studio in Asheville, NC
Fri - Sat April 25 & 26 - 10:00am - 5:00pm
This two day class will introduce wire as an artistic as well as a practical medium. You will learn how to work with wire and explore its linear qualities as well as creating three-dimensional forms. Using your hands, pliers, and cold connections you will discover the wonderful immediacy of wire working. Basic tinkering and fiber construction techniques, including coiling, stitching, and twining will be covered. Wire is a very versatile material and can be incorporated or combined with other materials. We will begin by making small studies and then explore larger forms or vessels. The workshop will cover the properties and qualities of different gauges and types of wire. The workshop will be held in my studio in Asheville, NC and limited to 8 students. Cost is $285 and includes wire and a set of ergonomic pliers with built in wire cutter. All levels. To register contact Heather at 828-782-8307 or email. I can take payment via mailed check or Venmo.
Add Another Layer - Playing with Texture
Mudflat Pottery School, Somerville, MA
Lecture Friday May 16, 2025
Workshop May 17 - 18, 2025
ExAdd Another Layer - Playing with Texture
Surface texture adds another layer of interest to ceramic forms. Using cloth and found objects, sgraffito, physical resists like shellac participants will develop visual interest on the clay before and also after they build forms. Yoy will learn how to piece and collage the clay and use bisque molds to assist us in turning your wonderful textured slabs into sculptural forms and functional bowls, cups, and plates. Students will master simple hand building techniques and create one of a kind pieces in this fun and lively class. All levels.
Cold Connections - Textile Techniques in Wire
Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft, Columbia, MC
July 7 - 11, 2025
Explore the artistic and practical uses of wire and create three-dimensional forms. Using your hands, pliers, and cold connections you will discover the wonderful immediacy of wire working. Basic tinkering and fiber construction techniques, including coiling, sewing, lashing, wrapping, shaping and twining will be covered. Wire is a very versatile material and can be incorporated or combined with other materials. We will begin by making small studies and then explore larger forms. Click here to register.
Tinkering Around - Textile Techniques in Wire
Sanborn Mills Farm, Loudon, NH
August 13 - 17, 2025
Explore the artistic and practical uses of wire and create three-dimensional forms. Using your hands, pliers, and cold connections you will discover the wonderful immediacy of wire working. Basic tinkering and fiber construction techniques, including coiling, sewing, lashing, wrapping, shaping and twining will be covered. Wire is a very versatile material and can be incorporated or combined with other materials. We will begin by making small studies and then explore larger forms.
All experience levels are invited to enroll although a bit of hand strength is required. Click to Register
The Unexpected Page - Exploring Your Creativity
Maine Media, Rockport, ME
August 25 - 29, 2025
This workshop is designed to invigorate and deepen your creative practice. Using a variety of techniques and media, including collage, stitching, walnut inks, tea dye, sumi, gesso and mark making, we will explore our creativity. Using primarily natural browns, white and black we will use additive, subtractive and repetitive processes to create surface depth and meaning, these marks become part of a personal language. We will focus on working in an intuitive and nonlinear approach, straddling the fence between cognitive and intuitive. Come explore the beauty of a limited palette and what marks, textures and stitching can create. Our creative explorations will be collected and bound into books for continued exploration. We'll connect through demonstrations, discussions, and hands on creative processes. Open to all skill levels and to students from all media who want to expand and enrich their creative practice. Click here to register.
Add Another Layer - Stitching on Paper
Pacific Northwest Art School, Whidbey Island, WA
September 24 - 28, 2025
Join Heather Hietala in learning how to bring new dimensions and unique tactile embellishments to your collages, photos, and prints. During this workshop held on two consecutive Saturdays, we will explore stitching on paper and how a variety of embroidery stitches can add a new tactile dimension to a collage, photograph or print. Stitching adds texture, mark making, pattern, delineation, a sense of embellishment, a color accent, and/or emphasis to a photograph or print after the act of printing. We will learn how to prepare and stitch on paper and how to dye thread so that you can customize the value and color of your thread to allow it to uniquely coordinate or provide contrast to your work. All Levels. Click here to Register.