This past summer we had an unusual number of print and letterpress workshops that focused on posters — a classic format for sending short messages about anything from social justice to next week’s show at the music hall. Although the posters were not documented in any systematic way, we are happy to present a gallery with a somewhat random selection the broadcasts from these workshops.
Mere posters were not enough for Martin Mazzora (left) and his workshop students.
On July 4, between the parade and the fireworks, they set up an outdoor print studio, made a selection of their woodcuts available, in invited one and all to bring a T-shirt and have it turned into art.
Not to be outdone, the crew in Brad Vetter’s letterpress workshop stayed up very late the last night of Seventh Session and made a poster for everyone on campus.
It expressed a sentiment we can heartily endorse.
Skilled blacksmith, hardworking instructor, and expert napper Japheth Howard getting a wee bit of well-deserved rest during show-and-tell at the end of Sixth Session. Japheth had just finished up another excellent workshop in the Penland iron studio, which he co-taught with his wife and forging partner, Alice James.
Penland’s director of facilities and grounds, Dave Sommer, preparing to expose a glass-plate negative of the folks who have been working on the Craft House restoration. While he was putting in an incredible amount of work getting the new photo and papermaking studios ready for classes this summer, Dave decided he should to take a workshop in one of those studios. So he signed up for a photo class with perennial Penland instructor Dan Estabrook. He had some fun.
Here’s a scan made from Dave’s negative. The process involves a negative that is hand coated and has to be exposed before it’s completely dry. It also means exposure times that are measured in multiple seconds rather than fractions of a second. This one had a few problems, but creates a striking impression nonetheless.
Here’s a scan from another negative Dave did–a portrait of one of the guys who has been finishing up the Northlight building (which is the setting for this picture).
And speaking of the Craft House, here’s a little progress report. They are rebuilding on the porch now. A porch, we should add, that Our State Magazine said was one of the greatest porches in North Carolina.
