Online contemporary textile art course | Learn with Shelley Rhodes

Finding Fragments students are encouraged to chop up work they’ve already made – by cutting into something finished, distressing it, then rebuilding it into something new. Nothing is too precious to take apart. Finding Fragments is unique in that brave, bold approach to art making, where failure is simply the next starting point.

The second half of the course brings in Boro and Kantha repair traditions – Japanese and South Asian mending philosophies that treat damage as creative material, not a problem to fix. Distress, then repair. Break down, then build back up.

Most technique-based courses give you something to add to what you already do. Finding Fragments is structured differently – it's a process course. It's built around how Shelley really works: going outside, gathering raw material, developing it through drawing and mark making, then transforming it through fragmentation, repair, and stitch. 

Here's what students say. Kim Saxe, who previously took the course: "I took your class a couple of years ago and continue to use what I learned and revisit it." While Roberta Wagner said, "It also provides a great framework for working in a series. I wish I had seen it ten years ago." That's the difference between a technique course and a process course.

Yes, and the way the course is structured makes it genuinely well-suited for this situation.

The first module starts with observation and gathering: going outside, noticing what draws your attention, recording it in whatever way feels natural. There's no assumed level of current practice. Shelley's instruction in the course introduction is direct: "Work will be inspired by your own environment, whether it's urban, rural, or coastal." 

You don't need to pick up where you left off. You start from wherever you are now – which might be a walk along the street with a sketchbook, or picking something up off the ground. That's enough to begin.

Finding Fragments is a process course, not an outcome course – and for students who struggle with confidence in their work, that distinction changes everything.

Shelley teaches students to be brave: to rip up work that is not working, rework it, and find that what comes out the other side is richer than what went in. Scraps are not failures. They are the next starting point. Play is not optional – it’s the method.

The meditative quality of slow stitch, the reflective practice of field notes, the freedom to deconstruct and reconstruct – all of these bring students back to the pleasure of making rather than the judgement of the made. Confidence follows from that shift, not from producing work you immediately love.

Boro is the Japanese tradition of repairing worn cloth – stitching and patching worn fabrics rather than discarding them, until the repairs become part of the surface's history and beauty. The word comes from the Japanese word for "tattered rags." In Boro work, mending is not a correction, it is the work.

In Finding Fragments, Shelley draws on the spirit of boro in Module five (Inspired by Boro). Students work with distressed and worn fabric, using stitch and patching to transform rather than discard. The approach also extends into Module six (Inspired by Kantha), where Shelley shares how the running stitch tradition of South Asia is brought into her work – another practice of slow, repetitive stitching that holds and transforms cloth.

Neither module teaches traditional Boro or Kantha as a technical reproduction. Both use the philosophy of repair as the conceptual engine for mixed media surface work.

There’s no dedicated space or expensive materials list required. The course begins with what you can find outside – and Shelley’s explicit about this from the beginning: she works with peeling walls, worn surfaces, broken things, and whatever her pockets can hold. The starting point is observation, not acquisition.

As the course progresses, you'll work with fabric, scraps, paper, stitch, and some coating materials (wax, plaster, clay slip) – but the guidance throughout encourages you to use what you have on hand first. A complete materials list with supplier recommendations by country is provided to enrolled students.

Enrolment in Finding Fragments is:
AUD $579 | USD $429 | GBP £319 | EUR €369 | NZD $699 | CAD $579

Payment plans of 2 or 5 months are available at checkout – no need to email us, just select your preferred option when you enrol.

A note on value: this is a course students describe going back to again and again. Lauren said she finds herself returning to the modules "over and over" and that lifetime access "is not a bonus – it is a necessity." You're not paying for eight weeks. You're paying for a resource that will keep working for you for years.

If you're a beginner wondering whether you're ready – you are. This course was designed to meet you exactly where you are.

The material guide is available to downloaded here. Complete material list will be available once you purchase the course


We encourage you to use what you already have first – you don't need to buy everything at once.

If the combined cost of course and materials is a concern, the payment plan option at checkout may help spread the overall investment. Any specific questions before you enrol? Reach us at support@taketwoart.com.

Enrolment closes on 10 August 2026

There is no fixed schedule, but there are two live Q&A sessions during your tutor’s live interaction period – on 12 August and 3 September. The course was built for people with full lives – you watch when you want, pause when you need to, and return to a module three times if that's what it takes.

As Wendy put it: The freedom to take your time and disappear down your own rabbit hole is such a joy.

Between 24 July - 18 September, Shelley is available in the private student community group on Facebook. This isn't a cursory presence – students consistently describe her feedback as detailed, personal, and genuinely engaged with their individual work. 

There are also two live Q&A sessions where you can submit questions in advance:
Live Q&A #1: 12 August Live Q&A #2: 3 September 2026

These are streamed via YouTube and later uploaded into the course portal so you can watch even if you can't join live.

After 18 September, your tutor steps back from the group – but the community stays open, and you have all the course content for life.

Yes we do. We offer closed captions in English, Spanish, German and French.

Yes. Our students regularly report – with visible relief – how straightforward the platform is to use. If you can watch a video on your phone or computer, you can do this.
And if anything doesn't work as expected, we're easy to reach. We're well known for our customer support – just email support@taketwoart.com  and a real person will help you.

Absolutely. The course is fully responsive and works across laptop, tablet, and phone. Switch between devices freely – all you need is an internet connection.

We've set up geolocation to display your local currency where possible and currently accept AUD, USD, GBP, EUR, CAD and NZD. If yours isn't listed, your bank will convert the charge automatically – you won't be blocked from enrolling.

Post in the student community group and someone will respond – whether that's your tutor during the live interaction period, a Take Two team member, or a fellow student. The group is active and genuinely supportive.

For technical questions, or if you'd prefer not to use the Facebook group, email support@taketwoart.com  directly.

Yes – and it's a beautiful gift. Email us at support@taketwoart.com with the details and we'll create a personalised digital voucher for you.