March 19 and 20, 2011 new class
Saturday and Sunday, 10 – 5 PM
$343 includes a $40 materials fee to cover all printing and encaustic supplies

Instructors: Celia Gray and Laurie Corral

This is another special class combining two mediums for a goldmine of potential.  In the first portion of the class, we will make screen prints on thin papers specifically designed for collage into the transparent encaustic wax material. In the second portion of the class will cover many methods of encaustic painting beginning with the basics, including tools and safety, making the encaustic medium and paints, and fusing layers.  From there, we will focus on methods with a printmaking sensibility like incising, transferring, and wax monoprints.  We will work between the printing and painting methods and explore the possibilities of the combination. There will be demonstrations, time to work and experiment, and plenty of time to learn from each other’s results.  All levels welcome.

March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29,  2011
Tuesdays: 6:00 – 9:00 pm
For beginners and those with some experience.

Instructor: Tracie Pouliot
$205 + materials fee for copper plates, art guard barrier cream, burnishing oil, inks, blotter paper and maintenance of presses and equipment.

If you are interested in multiples, creating atmospheric images, and detailed mark making, get ready to get your hands dirty. In this class you will learn the basics of dry point printmaking: mark-making on a copper plate, printing, and editioning. We will first explore the many ways you can create imagery on copper plates– from traditional to experimental: mezzotint rocker, dry point needle, sandpaper, dragging the plate across the parking lot. Then we will print these experiments on the Takach etching press. From there we will go back and re-work our plates, modifying and controlling the imagery. You will also learn the basics of editioning and make enough prints to trade with everyone in the class. Also recommended for people who have some experience and wish to continue with this medium.

Please bring the following items:

• 2-4 large sheets 100% cotton paper (Rives, Stonehenge, Hahnemuhle, Domestic
• Etch, Pescia will all work) True Blue Art Supply has a selection of suitable
• papers. If you ask for paper you can use for etching the staff will help make
• sure you walk out with something that will work. I recommend starting with
• white or off white.
• Sketchbook if you are so inclined
• charcoal or soft pencil

March 5 and 6, 2011
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Instructor: Frank Brannon
$228 – a $25 materials fee is included to cover materials and equipment maintenance.

Weekend papermaking classes for the novice and those with some previous experience. You’ll learn techniques for forming sheets of handmade paper using pulp prepared in our Reina beater. The distinctive quality of handmade paper inspires many uses. We’ll look at examples of how handmade papers are used in artwork, book arts, printmaking, cards and envelopes. This is a hands-on weekend geared to familiarizing you with our new papermaking facility.

Please bring the following items:

• For class, wear rubber-soled shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting wet.

March 5-6, 2011 new class
Saturday & Sunday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm
$205 + materials fee
Instructor: Bridget Elmer

The case bound codex is central to our modern understanding of the book and essential to any bookmakers repertoire. In this class, students will make two flat-back, case-bound books. We will begin by creating a two-section codex using the double pamphlet stitch, moving on to codex of five or more sections, sewn with the link stitch. We will then learn to create custom cases for both of our books, moving through consolidation, two variations of endsheet attachments, case construction, full and quarter-cloth case covering and finally, casing in. Students are welcome to bring in previously bound double pamphlets or link stitch books from which to build cases. The class also welcomes newcomers to the book, as we will start from scratch and end with a case-bound codex book!

March 18, 19 and 20, 2011
Friday, 6 – 8 PM, Saturday, 9 – 4 PM, Sunday 9 – 1 PM
$165 + $10 materials fee
Instructor, Gwen Diehn

We all reach a point in our lives when we finally realize that we know better than anyone else just what it is that we need and want. What would happen, then, if we designed our own journals, and designed them from the inside out? Designing-from-the-inside-out is design that is driven by a specific, personal purpose. The future content of the journal, the processes you want the journal to allow and facilitate—these are the drivers of the design. Only you know how you want to use your journal and what you want it to do for you.

In this workshop, therefore, you are going to learn how to:

• Imagine in detail the perfect journal, the one that will be best for you in your particular and possibly exotic or loopy project or activity or interests.
• Develop a design in reference to your preferences, one  that will yield the perfect journal for you at this time.
• Choose materials (many of them recycled) and book forms based on your unique design.
• Build a journal using your own design
• Learn and practice different ways of using your journal that will deepen, broaden, enhance, enrich, and transform your travels, including sketching in pen, pencil, and watercolor (that you will make from local clay), collaging, writing, and mapping.

The workshop is based on principles developed in Gwen Diehn’s new book, Real Life Journals, published by Sterling/Lark, and due for release in August.

Please bring the following items:

• Basic bookbinding kit (bone folder, awl, knife, needles (two each curved and straight), metal ruler, glue brush, small container of PVA such as Sobo or Talas Jade, glue stick, old telephone book, rags
• In addition, after the first class period, people should bring watercolors, pens, pencils, and other mediums that they would like to use in keeping the journal.  They should also bring any recycled materials they might want to use—cookie boxes, beer cartons, etc.  We will talk about these supplies at the first class period.
• $10 materials fee for materials such as binder’s tape, thread, Davey board, leather, paper  (since everybody will make a slightly different book, it’s hard to be exact about the materials and fee, but in general this list should suffice.)