Workshops/Teaching/Education

Teaching art, craft, and design to others is an almost daily activity in my life.  I have been a dedicated educator since 2007.   I enjoy bringing educational programming to galleries, arts institutions, and their communities as well as teaching at the post-secondary level.

  • I’m taking a little break during summer of 22. If you are interested in bringing me into your school or community in the future please be in touch!

  • Scratch Drawings with Kate Jackson and Sarah Slean, Art Gallery of Burlington

    Part of the AGB Variety Show, Programmed by Tara Bursey, this workshop was geared towards kids and delivered live via zoom. It combined tactile scratch drawing demos and live music.

    Textiles: Stitching, MAAD-2017-001, Material Art & Design, OCADU

    This course will introduce students to basic sewing construction techniques and a variety of hand and machine embroidery processes. Projects and exercises will include material research and experimentation, sampling, prototyping and production. An emphasis will be placed on the functional and expressive potential of stitching.

    Alternate Media: Textiles TXTL 14907, Bachelor of Craft & Design, Sheridan College

    Students from outside the Textiles specialty learn about the basic materials and processes of Textile design and production. Health and safety protocols and practices play a significant role in this studio centered curriculum. Techniques covered: Embroidery & hand stitching, wet felting, block printing, tapestry weaving

    Textiles: Surface TXTL14741, Bachelor of Interior Design, Sheridan College

    Students learn the fundamentals of fabric printing. Starting with traditional block printing and stencil making techniques, students progress to basic photo silk-screen printing on fabric to build a strong foundational knowledge and technical base. Students explore different approaches to the design and making of textile works through technical demonstrations, field trips, lectures, hands-on projects and collaborative and independent research. Studies include traditional and contemporary sources of art and design. They complete several projects and samples throughout an intensive hands-on studio experience. Health and safety protocols and practices play a significant role in this studio centered curriculum

    Capstone Project Seminar 1 RDES43610, Bachelor of Craft & Design, Sheridan College

    Students engage in reflective learning and research relevant to a self-directed capstone project. This project forms the main element of the students’ production throughout the final year of the program. Students participate in interactive lectures, critical group discussions, and consult with faculty and peers in order to assist with the creation and refinement of both concepts and personal expression. Emphasis is placed on individuality of both content and design development. Students synthesize their learning from the previous three years of the program. External mentors, faculty, and fellow students provide advice on a project of specific personal and professional interest. Students determine a scope of work that forms an integral element of their personal portfolio.

    Capstone Project Seminar 2 RDES49860, Bachelor of Craft & Design, Sheridan College

    Students continue to engage in reflective learning and research relevant to a self-directed project that forms the main element of their production throughout the final term. Emphasis is placed on individuality of both content and design development. Through lectures, discussions, personal reflection and advice from faculty and external mentors, students refine a scope of work that forms an integral element of their personal portfolio, integrating prior learning and conceptual development.

    Intro to Surface Design DESN10587, Visual and Creative Arts Program, Sheridan College

    Students study the elements and principles of design in more depth in this intermediate level course based on an experimental, mixed-media approach to design. Techniques and processes will be directly related to drawing and painting methods. Students explore connections between their design work on paper and their work in other related disciplines. Through lectures, demonstrations and a series of exercises based on various surface design forms students are introduced to a broad range of media while giving them the opportunity to experiment and learn about colour, shape, line, form, texture and scale. Assignments are introduced and begun in class and then are completed independently.

    Introduction to 3D Design DESN18081, Visual and Creative Arts, Sheridan College

    Students learn the fundamental elements of 3D design: mass/volume, space and line. They apply the principles of 3D design, symmetrical and asymmetrical balance, rhythm and repetition, continuity and harmony while manipulating various materials. Through a series of exercises designed to build, cut away and enclose space and mass students learn three dimensional ideation. Three dimensional ideation is realized through a series of exercises designed to build, cut away and enclose space and mass. Through lectures, demonstrations, research and assignments students engage in the four basic methods for creating three-dimensional form.

    Craft & Design: Textiles DESN13199 3D:, Art Fundamental Program, Sheridan College

    Students explore their capacity to ideate with materials to create more opportunities to address content and conceptualization. Delivered in the Craft and Design studios, this elective course engages students with materials and processes common to ceramics, glass, wood, textiles or industrial design. Every project uses hands-on design processes to plan and fabricate with materials. Students learn the relevance of following the stages of the design process, to explore, create, and communicate their ideas in physical form, all essential to 3-dimensional design learning. Through interactive lectures, discussion, studio work and collaborative activities, students acquire and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in the exploration of 3D design while accessing and learning more about the Craft and Design studios.

    Introduction to 3D Design DESN15039, Art Fundamental Program, Sheridan College

    In this course, students explore the use of basic materials, using the elements and principles of design to create actual three-dimensional constructions. They create hand-built forms in learning cycles designed to increase their capacity to think with materials. In addition, students use techniques involving proportion and measurement in order to construct objects/forms/figures that are built to scale. Through interactive lecture, discussion, studio work and collaborative activities, students acquire and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they explore the design potential of composition-in-the- round.

    3D Design DESN18999, Art Fundamental Program, Sheridan College

    In this course, students explore their capacity to think with materials including opportunities to address content, concepts and meaningful-making in art and design. Every project uses hands-on design processes to plan and fabricate in a combination of materials. Students learn the relevance of following each stage of the design process, to explore, create, and communicate their ideas in physical form, all essential to 3- dimensional design. Through interactive lectures, discussions, studio work and collaborative activities, students acquire and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills to refine their designs and explore the potential of compositions-in-the-round.

    Introduction to Hand Embroidery – Let’s get Started, Contemporary Textile Studio Co-op

    This class is an introduction to hand embroidery techniques. Participants will learn about the materials and helpful tools most often used in embroidery. They will learn how to transfer images to cloth and 5-10 different and fundamental stitches. These stitches make up the perfect mark making vocabulary for drawing with stitch. Participants will come away from the workshop with an embroidery sampler, their own set of embroidery tools and the power to draw with thread.

    Memory and Mark-making, New Brunswick College of Craft & Design

    This workshop will encourage mark-making with both open screen printing techniques and hand stitching. Participants will be guided through a variety of exercises that draw on memories and strengthen the muscles used during intuitive mark making. New compositions, imagery and directions in each participants artistic practice will take shape over this three day workshop.

This is why I teach.

So many of my students continue on in the arts and build their own practices.   Here are some amazing links to the websites and socials of people that I am so amazed by now  - artists, designers and craftspeople  that once spent some time in one or more of my classes or workshops.

Olivia Mae Sinclair

Check out more of Olivia's Work