Printmaking

Featherstone's cozy Printmaking Studio has a variety of presses and other equipment necessary to work with linoleum block printing, etchings, monotypes, pochoirs (stencils), and mixed media processes. Screen printing, paper and fabric dying and paper making also take place in this studio.

Pre-registration is required for classes & workshops - please register online below or call 508-693-1850.
Minimum age requirement for all adult classes is 14 years old.
CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY:
Please read all class descriptions and be aware of age, skill level and materials requirements in ADVANCE of registering for any classes and workshops. Featherstone does not issue refunds unless we cancel the class due to low enrollment.

Previous 2024

Shibori Dyeing with Indigo Workshop with Rory Valentine
Date: Tuesday, August 6 // Saturday, September 21
Time: 10:00AM - 2:00PM
Location: outside of the Printmaking Studio
Fee: $100 for 4 hour workshop, includes materials

Shibori is the Japanese word for a method of dyeing that uses binding, stitching, folding, twisting, and compression to make marks on cloth. We will explore this technique using indigo a centuries-old traditional blue dye. Students will make a beautiful and unique set of four linen napkins to keep or gift.

Intro to Screen Printing with Anna Brody
Days: Fridays
Dates: June 28 // July 26 // August 23
Time: 2:00PM - 6:00PM
Location: Printmaking Studio
Fee: $90 per 4 hour workshop (bring fabrics to work on, additional and/or larger paper may be purchased in the studio as well as tote bags)

In this 4-hour intro course we will focus on the basics of traditional screen print process, as well as watercolor screen print and relief under-printing techniques that allow you to produce something beautiful and intuitive. You can choose to work on paper to create a small edition set, or you can bring in fabrics to print on. For this you can print on any flat-weave fabric such as shirts, canvas tote bags, and pillowcases, or create a one-of-a-kind beach picnic spread using an old bedsheet! For both paper and fabric printing you are encouraged to bring and/or gather your own textures such as lace or leaves for relief under-printing.

Block Printing on Fabric with Anna Brody
Days: Fridays
Dates: June 14 // July 12 // August 9
Time: 2:00PM - 5:00PM
Location: Printmaking Studio
Fee: $70 per 3 hour workshop (bring fabrics to work on, tote bags may be purchased in the studio)

In this 3-hour course for printing on fabrics, we will carve stamps out of linoleum blocks to create images and patterns for fabrics. Please bring fabrics to print on such as: tea towels, shirts, a denim jacket, tote bags, pillowcases, linen tablecloths, cotton sheets, or whatever flat-weave fabric you want! Any linoleum block stamps you create are yours to take home and continue printing with.

Exploring Printmaking with Allison Doherty
Days: Wednesdays
Dates: July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 / August 7
Time: 1:30PM - 4:30PM
Location: Printmaking Studio
Fee: $70 per 3 hour class, includes materials (larger paper additional)

These one day studio classes will introduce new practices to those who want to try something new, or can be taken to reinvigorate a previously learned skill that may have gotten rusty over time. Explore techniques such as linoleum block printing; dry-point etching; monotype; collography; working with stencils (pochoir); additive, subtractive and mixed-media processes. Ink options include both water-based and oil-based. The instructor will tailor these classes to individual interests and needs. The studio offers several press beds for both the experienced and the inexperienced printmaker.
MONOTYPE: A unique print is a one-of-a-kind transfer of an inked or painted image from a Plexiglas plate to paper pressure or by means of a press. Sometimes there is enough ink or paint residue left on the plate surface to pull a second, much lighter print. This is called a “ghost”. Each transfer is unique and cannot be exactly duplicated.
RELIEF BLOCK PRINTING: The transfer of drawings and compositions that are cut into soft linoleum using carving tools and run a proof.
DRY-POINT ETCHING: "Drawing" into Plexiglas sheets with a metal scribe, ink the sheets and print the results. This technique can be combined with other printmakingpossibilities, such as chine collé or with drawing to create a multi-layered final piece.

Fabric Collage Workshop with Rory Valentine
Date: Tuesday, July 23
Time: 3:00PM - 6:00PM
Location: Art Barn Painting Studio
Fee: $70 includes all materials

Come and play with color, line, texture and pattern using recycled fabric pieces, thread and paint. Learn to transfer an image of your choosing to a base fabric then cut, layer, stamp, and hand stitch your way to an original work of collage! No previous sewing experience required. All materials necessary to complete a 6"x6" square or round piece will be provided; however, please feel free to bring any fabrics or threads of your own to use. Incorporating elements from your life serve to imbue works with additional personal meaning.

Cyanotype: Sun Printed Fabric Workshop with Rory Valentine
Date: Tuesday, July 16
Time: 3:00PM - 6:00PM
Location: Printmaking Studio
Fee: $70 for 3 hour workshop, includes materials

Cyanotype is an antique photographic printing process well known for its deep blue color and where the term “blueprint” originated. In this class we will use found objects to block sunlight from the photosensitive fabric to create beautiful surface designs. I will have items on hand to work with however feel free to bring your favorite beach combed treasures or other objects of interest to experiment with. You will take home several cyanotype fabric image samples that can be made into bags, placemats, pillows, napkins, mending patches, quilt squares and more.

Marbling on Fabric Workshop with Rory Valentine
Date: Tuesday, July 2
Time: 3:00PM - 6:00PM
Location: Printmaking Studio
Fee: $70 for 3 hour workshop, includes materials

Marbling is a technique of surface design where colorful paints are floated and decoratively swirled on a gel medium then transferred to cotton fabric (or paper) creating a beautiful and complex pattern. In this class, you will learn and practice this technique and take home 4 unique marbleized cotton cloth napkins.

Visiting Artist Workshop: Eco Printing with Plants with Katama Murray
Date: Wednesday, April 3
Time: 4:00PM - 7:00PM
Location: Printmaking Studio
Fee: $80, includes all materials

Hidden color exists all around us, waiting to be transformed into works of art. Have you ever wondered how to utilize local plant species and food compost in a sustainable, creative way? Eco printing is the process of bundling and steaming both plants and food waste onto either fabric or paper, allowing the natural pigments to transfer to the prepared substrate. All of the colors, shapes, and textures that bond with the fiber come from the materials themselves. Eco printing offers unique variations and a world of possibilities that allow for full exploration, while mindfully collaborating with the natural world! Participants will print onto a set of mordanted fabric samples, including a cotton bandana, tote bag, and linen cloth. Create beautiful, one of a kind pieces that can be admired forever, while taking time to slow down and appreciate the richness and diversity of color dwelling alongside us.

Learn more about Katama here.

Visiting Artist Workshop: Dyeing & Painting with Natural Inks with Katama Murray
Dates: Tuesday March 19
Time: 3:00PM - 6:00PM
Location: Printmaking Studio
Fee: $75, includes all materials

In this hands-on workshop, learn the process of creating handmade dye and ink using plant pigments from natural dye baths! Students will learn the basics of natural dyeing with shibori resist methods to dye a cotton bandana, as well as methods for extracting pigments to create a palette of liquid inks. These inks will be employed to experiment with mark making, pattern, and visual color stories on paper and fiber to connect with local flora throughout the season.

Learn more about Katama here.

Visiting Artist Workshop: Experimental Monotypes with Katama Murray
Dates: Wednesday, March 6th
Time: 3:00PM - 6:00PM
Location: Printmaking Studio
Fee: $75 for 3 hour workshop, includes all materials

Learn the basics of creating monotype prints using a variety of materials! In this experimental workshop, participants will understand the process of using water-based inks to create one of a kind monoprints on paper through a press. Utilizing a plexiglass plate as the image matrix, elements of print and painting are combined to produce unique pieces. Unlike most printmaking processes which employ replication of a repeated image, monotypes encourage loose, imaginative making! Using a combination of added materials and expressive mark-making, students will create a series of monoprints and ‘ghost’ prints on paper which explore the creative potential within this print process.

Learn more about Katama here.

Visiting Artist Workshop: Intro to Cyanotype Printing with Katama Murray
Dates: Wednesday, January 24th
Time: 4:00PM - 7:00PM
Location: Printmaking Studio
Fee: $75 for 3 hour workshop, includes all materials

Experiment with natural patterns through cyanotypes! This class will focus on various cyanotype printing techniques on fabric and paper to create prints on both paper and fabric. Dive into the realm of this photographic printmaking process in this hands-on class as a way to connect to the season and objects around us. Participants will learn the basics of cyanotype printing on different coated materials, and be encouraged to utilize an array of collected and foraged objects.

Learn more about Katama here.