Aya Fiber Studio

🌿 Gold Leaf Variations with Lisa Binkley
A three-day creative retreat exploring nature, texture, and luminous layers of stitch and surface

Bring your favorite plant to life — literally. In this hands-on retreat, Lisa Binkley guides you through a joyful exploration of the natural world as inspiration for richly layered, stitched, and embellished textiles. Using plants as both muse and material, you’ll learn to translate organic shapes, colors, and patterns into stunning compositions that shimmer with texture and meaning.

Over three inspiring days, Lisa will share her signature approach to layering fabrics, fibers, and embellishments to create depth, movement, and luminosity. We’ll combine surface design, stitch, and metallic leaf to reveal the quiet beauty found in nature’s details.

Retreat Flow

Day 1 – Observation & Inspiration
Begin with guided observation of plant forms and natural patterns. Create drawings, color studies, and layered fabric bases that will become the foundation for your stitched compositions.

Day 2 – Building Layers of Texture & Light
Dive into process and play:
• Layering fabrics, fibers, and transparent materials
• Exploring stitch as line, rhythm, and movement
• Applying metallic leaf and thread for luminous accents
• Combining eco-dyed and printed cloth for depth and variation

Day 3 – Refinement & Reflection
Add finishing details and consider composition, balance, and meaning. The retreat concludes with a supportive group share and discussion on continuing your work beyond the studio.

Studio Environment
Create in Aya’s spacious, light-filled fiber art studio in Stuart, Florida — a place designed for comfort, focus, and inspiration. Each participant enjoys ample personal workspace (never more than two per 4′×8′ table) with power, USB access, and full use of dye and stitching facilities.

Begin each morning with fresh coffee, tea, and pastries, and enjoy personalized lunch pickups from favorite local cafés. During retreat weeks, the group often gathers for an optional dinner at a waterfront restaurant, celebrating community and creativity by the sea.

Details
Instructor: Lisa Binkley
Dates: January 12–14, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuition: $860
Skill Level: All Levels
Materials Fee: Additional (details provided upon registration)
Class Size: Limited to 10 participants

Leave with a luminous, nature-inspired textile artwork — a piece that glows with color, stitch, and the quiet poetry of your own hand.