Teaching from her studio in the farm’s 150 year old barn, Kim offers the opportunity to create and connect through custom fiber art retreats and private classes in felting, fiber preparation, and natural dyeing. She works closely with her students prior to the class in order to plan a workshop specific to their needs and desires. Working one on one or in small groups, Kim is able to closely guide her students through learning new skills and techniques.
If you would like to learn new skills, or further your existing fiber art techniques in a one on one class, send Kim an email. She would love to discuss with you how she can take you on a new fiber art journey.
Kim has taught fiber art classes to a variety of people, across all professions. She has worked with:
- knitwear and fashion designers from New York City, who wanted to understand the “big picture” of wool production.
- professional milliners who wanted to understand the origin of wool felt-from sheep to hat.
- art teachers who desired to add fiber arts to their curriculum and wanted ideas for how to introduce fiber art to young children.
- parents on vacation with their children who saw the value in spending time with their child, creating, laughing, and exploring.
- homeschooling families who wanted to extend their art curriculum and learn how fiber art can teach skills in other curriculum areas.
- friends reuniting who desired to learn a new skill together.
- families and wedding parties wanting to decompress and participate in a “team building” farm activity.
- children who came to experience farm life and explore the creative process through wool and fiber arts.
Testimonials
Success Story-Jenny Hill
Jenny Hill came to our farm 4 years ago to work side-by-side with us. Jenny had enrolled in theWWOOFER (Worldwide Workers On Organic Farms) program, as she was seeking a radical change from her current career path. She came to VT Grand View Farm to learn about shepherding, homesteading, and fiber art. Jenny learned all aspects of farm life and fiber art from raising sheep, to skirting and washing fleeces, to spinning and dyeing yarn, to weaving and felting. It was felting that changed Jenny’s life. Take a peek at her story and how she became an amazing accomplished fashion designer and felt artist.
Private 4 Day Retreat-Linda Armstrong
Linda came to the farm for a felting retreat which would take her felting techniques to a higher level. She spent four days working in our barn studio learning how to use resists and learning new surface design techniques.
My felting retreat with Kim at VTGrand View Farm proved to be a very rewarding and personally inspiring experience. The Goodling family welcomed me to their beautiful b&b and working Gotland sheep farm by including me in several family activities which enriched my stay. I could go on forever about the farm and food, but it was the tailor made felting instruction that Kim personalized for my skill level at the time which made my stay so rewarding. As a newly retired art teacher from Canada, I knew very little about felting and fiber arts. Kim’s instruction and well thought out lesson plans were exactly what I needed to be able to continue my personal journey. After four full days in her studio space, I felt confident to return home to continue to build on the techniques she taught me. Kim’s lessons were geared to my individual needs and interests, yet challenging enough to push me in new directions. Almost a year later, I’ve developed my own fiber arts business @ecolamfibrearts culminating in a very successful group artisan show and sale in late 2016. I am currently working toward a gallery exhibition in March 2017 and a local city Artist Tour in April 2017. Thank you Kim for helping me with my journey! Linda A.