Plein Watercolor – Belinda Beccue (2 hours)
Immerse yourself in the beauty and nature of Allerton Park by experimenting with a plein watercolor workshop. Learn the techniques of how to paint nature while you are out in it and experiencing it fully. Belinda Beccue will lead you in how to work with watercolor to create a beautiful piece.
Folded Book Structures – Peter Bushell (2 hours)
There are a variety of book structures that can be made by folding and sometimes cutting a single piece of paper. In this breakout session, we’ll begin with one of the simplest – the accordion book. This will quickly develop skill in controlling the paper while learning some book vocabulary along the way. The accordion structure is a foundation for many other types of single-sheet books and we will produce two more of them. In addition, several professional samples will be available for study. Together, these should provide an exciting experience with the creative potential of folded artist’s books.
Flower Pounding Bandanas — Delight Flower Farm (2 hours)
Learn a no-fuss technique for printing flowers on cloth. Participants will learn a brief history and science of using flowers to create ink before using mallets to pound flowers to print onto a cotton bandana.
Photography 101 — Al Wehrmann (2 hours)
Whether you have a fancy digital camera or a smartphone only, learn the basics of photography techniques from Al Wehrmann, a professional photographer and avid member of the Allerton Park Photography Group. This session will include time in the Formal Gardens to learn more about composition, lighting and other helpful techniques for your next photo shoot.
Ceramic Mugs – Meghan Conatser (2 hours)
Students will either roll slabs with rolling pins or I may provide pre-rolled slabs, depending on the timing of the session. The clay slabs will be decorated with the student’s choice of texturing mats, stamps, or textured rollers. Students will then use templates to cut a shape for their mug and handle, and use a slip and scoring technique to bid all the edges together, creating their finished piece. Each student will complete two mugs.
Macrame Wall Art – Macy McCall (2 hours)
Join Macy McCall of TwinFringe for a macrame wall-hanging workshop! Learn beginner macrame knots, incorporate beads into your work, and leave with your own wall hanging to take home. A variety of colors are available to customize your piece. All skill levels are welcome; all materials are included.
Painting + Jewelry – Billie Theide (2 hours)
Students will respond to botanicals in the gardens at Allerton and create a quick watercolor and ink painting on Strathmore watercolor paper. We will deconstruct the painting to make identical shapes that will be joined to produce a wearable “pearl” necklace. Samples will be shared so that students can further explore this approach to jewelry making at home. Students should bring a smartphone or iPad to capture photos of the flowers at Allerton.
Eco Print Silk Scarves – Jenny Knavel (2 hours)
Students will explore eco-printing, a dyeing technique that utilizes leaves, flowers, and plant materials to create unique patterns, colors, and marks on silk scarves. This creative process involves bundling organic materials, such as leaves, bark, berries, and flowers with scarves. The bundles are bound with string and simmered in water and/or steamed in a pot. Afterward, the bundles are opened, and the designs are revealed. Artists are encouraged to engage with the environment, experiment with the processes, and use materials that are found, shared, grown, and upcycled.
Indigo Dyeing Scarves – Jennifer Anderson-Cruz (3 hours)
During this class students will design and dye two scarves using resist techniques and indigo dye. Indigo is one of the oldest dyes used for textiles and printing. People from many different countries have utilized this organic compound to create a distinctive blue. This workshop will familiarize you with a creative, multicultural practice that utilizes prominently plant-based materials.
We will prepare an organic dye vat utilizing indigo powder, an extract prepared from the plant Indigofera tinctoria. The indigo vat-making method is safe for (supervised) children to use. Shibori, a Japanese, manual, resist dyeing technique will be discussed. Utilizing basic shibori-inspired techniques, students will be able to create unique patterns on scarves.
Soft Pastel Painting — Mandy Roeing (3 hours)
Learn what soft pastels are and ways to use them through basic mark-making techniques. Put these skills to work painting along with instructor Mandy Roeing to create a simple still life that will be yours to keep! More than just a one-time painting project, this class is intended to give you basic pastel painting skills and knowledge that you can build on to continue creating.
LATE NIGHT ACTIVITIES
Focaccia Art – Leah Bodine
Learn the making of focaccia bread from scratch then ‘paint’ it with vegetables and herbs to make stunning yet edible designs.
Night Hike – Nate Beccue/Alex Lourash
Join Allerton Natural Areas Managers on a night hike through one of Allerton’s hiking trails. Listen for the sounds of native nocturnal animals and enjoy the park in a different light.
Open Studio
Relax at the Mansion and finish up a project you couldn’t complete during class, work on your art, or enjoy some quiet with a good book.
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