Posted on September 2, 2015 by Penland

Printing with Silver & Iron | Fall Workshop with Heather F. Wetzel

black and white portrait of Heather F. Wetzel — Heather describes this self-portrait, taken in 2003, as “the beginning of [her] journey in wet-plate collodion and historic photographic processes.”

“Photographic prints and books are being replaced by intangible, transient digital files made of zeros and ones – no texture, no smell, no weight. ” So writes photographer Heather F. Wetzel in her artist statement. “I prefer a slower pace, where one takes time to notice and appreciate those little and often discarded things.”

Her photographs echo her assertion, examining forgotten everyday details like a safety pin or a jar of buttons with uncommon attention. Though lacking the saturated colors and extensive post-production possible with today’s digital photography, Heather’s images are warm and arresting. It’s their simplicity and directness that draw the viewer in and envelop them in a moment that can feel timeless.

portrait of a broken cup by Heather F. Wetzel — An image from Heather’s series of found-item photographs entitled “Lost. Broken. Found. Fixed.”

This fall, Heather will be traveling to Penland to share her expertise in historic photographic processes. Her 1-week course, scheduled for November 1-7, will focus on printing with silver and iron using cyanotype-, salt-, and albumen-printing. Space is still available in the workshop. Register here.

Printing with Silver & Iron

Heather F. Wetzel – Beginning with an introduction to digital negatives and other means of photographic contact printmaking, we’ll explore the possibilities of the cyanotype process and two closely-related silver printing processes: salt and albumen. In addition to learning how to mix chemicals, make digital negatives for optimal image making, and the practicalities of printing and toning, we’ll consider further manipulation and mark making as well as final presentation of the prints produced in this workshop. All levels. Code F03P

Heather is a studio artist who works in traditional photographic processes as well as other media such as books and hand papermaking. She is a lecturer in the art department and a book arts specialist at Logan Elm Press at Ohio State University, where she was the 2011-2012 Fergus Family Fellow in Photography.

heatherfwetzel.com

Salvage series by Heather F. Wetzel — Ferrotypes from Heather’s series “Salvage.” The prints are made using the tops and bottoms of recycled cans.

Screen Shot 2015-08-27 at 4.17.35 PM — An image from “Notion,” a series of hand-tinted, gold-toned salt prints exploring the ideas of domesticity and women’s work.

REGISTER NOW FOR FALL 1-WEEK WORKSHOPS
October 4 – 10 | October 18 – 24 | November 1 – 7

Posted on August 31, 2015September 3, 2015 by Penland

Paper & Place with Ann Marie Kennedy

Quick sketches and idea development, stencils and 3D sculpture, oversized letterpress posters and archival photo prints: paper can play an integral role in each. It is one of the most fundamental materials we use here at Penland. But how many people have taken the leap from using paper to create art to making paper as art?

Ann Marie Kennedy is certainly in that second group. Her handmade papers are delicate and speak of place, combining the immediacy of mixed media with the nostalgia of a photograph. She uses natural materials like seeds and leaves—often combined with textiles or clothing—to paint pictures of her landscapes not on paper, but within it. From October 4-10 this fall, her landscape will be Penland as she shares her craft with students. Space is still available to take part in the workshop and learn the art of papermaking for yourself. Register here.

Paper & Place

Ann Marie Kennedy – Students in this workshop will create art made from paper pulp, incorporating natural materials that will become part of the content of their work. Linen, flax, and abaca pulps will provide a neutral palette for mineral colors, natural dyes, and plant and seed textures. As students gain proficiency in making sheets of paper, engaging with the rich natural environment of Penland will allow them to create works that reflect the colors, shapes, and textures of the changing seasons. We’ll cover sheet forming, using a deckle box, processing plants for paper making, wet collage, and creating simple sculptural forms. All levels. Code F01PM

Ann Marie Kennedy is on the faculty at Wake Technical Community College. She has been a resident at Penland, the Oregon College of Arts and Crafts, and the Headlands Center for the Arts (CA) and has received a North Carolina Arts Council fellowship. Her exhibitions include the Cantor Art Gallery at Holy Cross College (MA), the Visual Art Exchange (NC), and the University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

annmariekennedy.net

handmade paper — “Disorder” by Ann Marie Kennedy. Abaca paper with lasercut paper and plants, 16 x 20″

When Ann Marie describes her work, she explains, “I combine natural and domestic elements to create narratives about connections to the landscape. These pieces are often a direct response to place, incorporating materials gathered directly from site.” And that’s good news for her students this fall, since Penland in October presents a pretty inspiring landscape. Come immortalize it in paper and take a little piece of Penland home with you.

REGISTER NOW FOR FALL 1-WEEK WORKSHOPS
October 4 – 10 | October 18 – 24 | November 1 – 7

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Penland

Printers in the Making | Fall Concentration with Phil Sanders

“Printmaking in and of itself is a very simple idea,” says Phil Sanders. “It’s the transfer of one image from one surface to another.” But this simple definition belies the true complexity and range of options available to the skilled printmaker—layers of ink and paper, levels of opacity, a myriad of textures and techniques. And if one thing is for sure, it’s that Phil Sanders is a skilled printmaker. Lucky for us, he’ll be coming to Penland this fall to teach an 8-week concentration on the ins and outs of his trade, including etching, aquatint, drypoint, and more. The course, as he says, “is a rare occasion to get an intaglio apprenticeship-style immersion.”

Space is still open in this print concentration, and some work-study scholarships are still available. Register here.

Printers in the Making

Phil Sanders – As a printer and a printmaker, I understand the difficulty of switching between “printer brain” and “artist brain.” The pull between “how to do” and “what to do” can leave you lost in the middle. Consider this class a technical apprenticeship combined with the creative space to experiment with your artistic voice. We’ll demystify all intaglio processes plus monotype, monoprint, and chine-collé. We’ll make ink, grounds, and drawing supplies, review tool maintenance, paper conservation, and more. We’ll tackle drawing, composition, design, and color theory through drawing calisthenics and composition exercises. This workshop is ideal for artists looking to hone their printmaking skills and artistic voice or working toward becoming professional printers. All levels. Code F00X

Phil Sanders is the director of PS Marlowe, a creative services consultancy firm. He is a former director and master printer at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop (NYC) and a former master printer for Universal Limited Art Editions (NY). Phil’s teaching experience includes Stanford University (CA), San Francisco State University (CA), and numerous courses at Penland.

phillipsanders.com

Two prints by Phil Sanders. At left, “Check Mate,” a lithograph with digital inkjet and watercolor. At right, “Black Star (IQ Test),” a six-color silkscreen.

Phil Sanders Print — “Presence of Another,” a four-color letterpress print by Phil Sanders.

In a 10-Minute Talk created for MoMA, Phil emphasizes that printmaking is a very old and diverse field—humans have been making prints ever since the first footprint in the sand. “One of the major reasons that printmaking has survived and continues to thrive is its collaborative nature. Printmaking is never done wholly within in a vacuum. It’s a cumulative knowledge process that we add to as participants in it.” If you want to be part of that rich history, eight weeks of instruction and experimentation with a master printer might just be your chance.

As for the rest of us, we can at least get a taste by watching Phil in this short video on intaglio processes!