Teacher Mini-Grant Update: Pillow Keepsakes

Students in Mr. Benjamin Hoffman’s Drawing & Painting Studio course have been designing, painting, and sewing a series of original pillows that tell unique personal stories connected to friends and family, or rooted in special memories.

The creative process was both rich and rigorous. Students sketched designs inspired by their stories. Using a wax-resist technique, they transferred their designs onto silk fabric, carefully painting each section with vibrant color, then removing the wax. Next, students pinned their painted fabrics to matching silk backgrounds and used sewing machines to stitch three sides. After stuffing the pillows, they completed the final closure with either hand stitching or machine sewing.

Mr. Hoffman credits Mrs. Carol Schulley for supporting the students throughout the sewing process in this multidisciplinary project.

What a creative preservation of memories!

“We are also deeply grateful to the KASD Education Foundation for their generous support of this initiative. This project beautifully combined art-making, storytelling, and skill-building, and was truly an unforgettable experience for all involved.”

~Benjamin E. Hoffman, KAHS Visual Arts Teacher