Vines, leaves, and vegetables provide the basis for creating wonderful, evocative prints on fabric. This class features the use of colorful Versatex water-based printmaking ink, experimenting on cotton or cotton-blend fabrics. You will get the opportunity to hand print as well as use a portable walking press – so wear or bring a pair of favorite socks! Bring flat leaves, large and small, more will be provided.
You’ll learn the process and practice on muslin. After that, you can print on your own silk or cotton shirts, scarves or tote bags. The Versatex ink can be heat-set with an iron and washed, so the technique can be applied to other fabrics including linen and batik prints to make clothing, table runners, or fabric for quilts. If you would like a link to order your own good quality black cotton aprons (as in the image) or silk scarves, please email Sue at sue.fierston@gmail.com.
TERMS and CONDITIONS: This is an adult only class. Because materials are prepared for each participant, cancellations with refund minus the cost of the materials ($15) will be applied if cancelled outside of 7 days of the course. Cancellations not accepted within a week of the course date. Masks will be required. Food and drink inside the facility is prohibited.
INSTRUCTOR: Sue Fierston is a printmaker and current president of the international Nature Printing Society. a worldwide group of artists who are dedicated to nature printing in all forms. NPS members print real fish and leaves as well as tree bark and spiderwebs. Sue holds nature printmaking workshops in the spring and fall at the Smithsonian Associates and now for the Natural History Society of Maryland. When she’s not teaching, she’ss painting a series of antique microscopes for a show in October 2023 at the National Institutes of Health. Her prints and paintings can be seen on my website: suefierston.com and on Instagram at: @suefierston_leaves_three_ways.
In June 2020, Swinging Bridge Press published Sue Firestone’s book Into the Woods: Families Making Art With Nature.
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