Laura is the face behind Capstone Pattern Co., a small business striving to provide thoughtfully designed, timeless, easy-to-follow sewing patterns for modern-day makers. To her, sewing has served as an anchor in times of uncertainty and has been a steady friend through life’s ups and downs. Together, we explored sewing as reflection, empowerment, grounding and community building.
NURTURE RETREAT SPRING 2023
WORKSHOP 1 – RITUAL & ROUTINE
Facilitated by: Sarah Aranha (she/her) of Foray Craft
Found at: @sarah.aranha & @foray_craft
Working with: pencil, watercolour paint, paper
An artist and maker whose work draws from the patterns and routines of the everyday, Sarah has a background in painting and drawing, and works primarily with gouache, watercolour and textiles. A skilled arts facilitator; she has taught workshops with East End Arts, and hosts drawing nights at Northern Contemporary. Together, we explored our lives and patterns through the lens of still life drawing.
WORKSHOP 2 – PATTERN & PACE
Facilitated by: Laura Fullerton, founder of Capstone Pattern Co.
Found at: @fullertonlaura & @capstone_pattern_co
Working with: thread, fabric, patterns, patience
WORKSHOP 3 – RECIPE & MEMORY
Facilitated by: Sonja Seiler, Food Storyteller & founder of Nurture
Found at: @nurtureretreats & nurtureretreats.com
Working with: pantry ingredients, dough, reimagined recipes
Aside from her calling of ‘feeding people who create’, Sonja is equally passionate about finding ways to reimagine what’s in the fridge and pantry as a creative act and setting up kitchen spaces so they intentionally support the rhythms of daily life. To her, a recipe is a story as much as it is the method to bring food to one’s table. Together, we explored how to craft personal pot pies that tell our stories through food to create ‘edible memories’.
WORKSHOP 4 – ART & ACTIVISM
Facilitated by: Manchari Paranthahan aka Ari Para (she/they) of Ari Para ART
Found at: @nurtureretreats & nurtureretreats.com
Working with: beads, stories, thread
Ari is a second generation Sri-Lankan-Canadian, Hindu, non-binary, queer artivist based in Scarborough, Ontario. They are a jewelry designer, ESL teacher, theatre artist and a writer with a passion for reading, learning and unlearning. Together, we explored bead craft and adornment to make (quite literally) statement jewelry.
Gorgeous photos by Kate Watkinson
