During her residency at Constellation Studios September 12-17, Astrid Hilger Bennett invites community members to participate in indigo dyeing using her indigo vat. This engagement intends to complement her own work as a long time “printmaker” and also foster community and awareness. Bennett uses indigo dyed fabrics in a variety of ways, including book arts, where the fabric is stiffened with matte medium, adding India ink painting. She will be incorporating printing into her work with her residency. https://www.astridhilgerbennett.com/
By appointment, area residents will be able to experience the indigo vat, trying fabric or paper samples of their own with guidance from the artist. Samples can then be applied to book art projects and more. Appointment schedule TBD, registrants will be contacted to set up appointment times.
Join us for a low-key experience to draw and learn some handy tips about media, proportion, rhythm, and composition. All while looking closely at luscious foliage, drapery, patterns, details. A masterpiece is not the goal, but seeing and getting “into the zone” will be.
Make beautiful handmade paper with fun and experimental ways to add interest, designs, multi-colors. Learn about the beater and various kinds of pulp, and how these effect the paper sheets that inspire further drawing, calligraphy, printing, and bookmaking.
Experience the beautiful technique of Japanese style design and woodblock carving. Printing is by hand with the baren and gives delicate color effects and gradient blending. Multiple blocks are planned to line up with the kento registration system. Keeping it “simple” will give us an introduction and cultural engagement with a worldwide aesthetic phenomenon.
Another binding structure with historic precedent, that shows a chain stitch on the spine, and opens flat, with hard covers. Increase your experiences and skills with this classic and popular book for practical use and personalized decorative possibilities.
Join in the color and flora of summer with impressions from plants. Compose and design arrangements that yield unexpected results, earthy qualities, and a record of transient cycles. Prints are great for bookbinding, cardmaking, collage, and your own invention.
Make a tactile and practical journal with useful pages that open flat. This book feels nice in the hand, and shows off stitching up the spine. Interesting papers and covers will be selected.
If /when this workshop is full, please contact karen@constellation-studios.net for your interest, for waiting list, or possible additional workshop TBD.
Learn to screen print, beginning with how to design and make simple high contrast images for cut stencils, and more detailed line designs for photo emulsion exposures. Printing can be on card stock paper or onto fabric. Multiple color experiments are possible from different screens and collaborations.
Create hand carved relief blocks to print on fabric and paper in this introductory workshop. Learn about how simple shapes can tesselate to create unique patterned papers and fabrics. Suitable for all skill levels. Children five and up are welcome if accompanied by an adult.
Make beautiful handmade paper with inclusions of colored pulp wet into wet. Fluid squeeze-bottle drawing and designs can make the paper sheets inspiring when dry for further drawing, calligraphy, printing, and bookmaking.
