Photo Transfer + Embroidery & Painting Workshop

By La Chaise at Natural Law

Turn a memory into something you can hold.

A mountain you climbed. A person you miss. A family photograph. A place that changed you. A moment you do not want to disappear.

In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to transfer a photographic image onto fabric or paper and then reinterpret it through embroidery, acrylic paint and hand-drawn marks.

This is not about reproducing a photograph perfectly. It is about allowing it to become something else: tracing a route across a mountain, stitching into a shadow, painting over part of a landscape, highlighting a gesture, or letting certain details disappear completely.

The technique can be delicate, graphic, minimal, abstract or raw. You may work with portraits, landscapes, sport and mountain imagery, travel memories, family photographs or any image that carries meaning for you.

Part craft workshop, part visual storytelling exercise, this session invites you to slow down and transform a photograph through your own hands.

What you will learn

During the workshop, we will guide you through:

– Preparing an image for photo transfer
– Transferring a photograph onto fabric or paper, if you have a piece of wood at home you would like to recycle please bring it! 
– Choosing the most suitable base for your image
– Working with embroidery thread, line and texture
– Adding acrylic paint and drawn details
– Developing a personal composition without needing previous artistic experience

You can focus on embroidery, painting, add texture with mix media or combine all techniques.

What is included

All workshop materials are included:

– Photo-transfer medium and tools
– Fabric and heavyweight paper
– Embroidery thread
– Needles and embroidery hoops
– Acrylic paints and brushes
– Drawing and mark-making materials
– Step-by-step guidance throughout the process
– Snacks and drinks

You will also receive the knowledge needed to continue experimenting with the technique at home.

Choosing your photograph

Please send us before the workshop a photograph that you would like to transform. Subject your name and "PHOTO TRANSFER WORKSHOP" to our email: contact@lachaise.community

It could be:

– A portrait or family photograph
– Someone you miss
– A mountain, landscape or journey
– A sporting or outdoor memory
– A place that feels important to you
– An image from your personal archive

Black-and-white images with clear contrast and a relatively simple background generally produce the strongest results.

After booking, we will send you practical guidance on the best format and preparation for your image. Please send the photograph before the workshop.

Who is it for?

This workshop is open to complete beginners as well as people with previous experience in photography, painting or drawing.

The recommended age is 12 years and above, making it suitable for teenagers and adults. It is a thoughtful adult activity to attend alone, as a couple, with a friend or as a way of meeting new people in the local community. You do not need to consider yourself an artist. Curiosity and a willingness to experiment are enough.

The workshop can be guided in English, French, Spanish and Italian, adapting explanations when needed so that everyone can participate comfortably.

What to bring

Please wear clothes and shoes that can get marked or stained. Acrylic paint can be difficult to remove once dry, so this is not the evening for your favourite white shirt.

Aprons may be available, but we strongly recommend arriving in comfortable clothes that you do not mind getting dirty.

Pets are welcome at Natural Law when kept under supervision and provided they are comfortable in a shared workshop environment.

Accessibility

Natural Law is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us before the workshop with any specific access requirements so that we can prepare the space and make the experience as comfortable as possible.

Location

Natural Law
Chemin de la Barmète 1
1936 Verbier, Switzerland

Why we create these workshops

La Chaise creates spaces where people can slow down, work with their hands and meet one another through the process of making.

We believe creativity is not reserved for professional artists. It is an action, a method and a physical process that everyone is capable of exploring. Our workshops are designed to make creative practices feel accessible while still treating them with artistic intention.

The aim is not only to leave with an object. It is to spend time differently: away from screens, expectations and daily routines, while connecting with yourself and the people working beside you.

Follow La Chaise

Instagram: @lachaise.community
Website: lachaise.community
Email: contact@lachaise.community

Photography and creative direction: Lucia Harrison — @luciaharrison
Workshop guidance: Lucia Harrison and Paula Palacios