CURIOUS COLLECTIONS HAND-PRINTED BOOKS WITH GILLIAN LEE SMITH
May 18-21, 2024 Port Orchard, WA
So excited to share that Gillian Lee Smith will be hopping the pond to join us for two workshops.
“The humble book form is so familiar to us. Yet, books can be art, sculpture, a container to record what we see and experience, and all we can imagine.”
Paper lithography or ‘gum arabic’ printing is an accessible but effective printmaking process without needing a printing press or harsh chemicals.
Put paper lithography and the book form together, and we can create pages of beautifully unique and layered imagery using printed drawings and photographs, amongst other mixed media.
Starting with found and gathered items from nature and other imagery, we will be using the method of paper lithography and oil-based inks to create layered prints of our own drawings and photographs, text and patterns.
Using repetition, layers, shifts in scale, and finely drawn imagery, we will create pages akin to natural specimen books of Victorian times. This will be the foundation of our book pages which will then be added to and built up with mixed media.
Folding our pages into a couple of variations of book form and adding book covers and fastenings will finish our projects.
ITINERARY
Day One, May 18 — Class will start at 9:30 a.m. We will break for lunch around 12:30 and class will be over at 4:30 p.m.
Gillian will share her printed books and her inspiration. We will spend a little time gathering from nature. Gillian will then show how we can create detailed drawings that will then be photocopied and used for the printmaking process.
Day Two, May 19 — Class starts at 9:30 a.m., with a break for lunch and class over at 4:30 p.m.
Gillian will demonstrate the paper lithography process before we spend the rest of the day printing onto our paper sheets, which will become our book projects. You will use photocopies of your drawings to create the book pages, but we will also have other photocopies to incorporate into our work to create richly layered imagery.
Day Three, May 20 - Class starts at 9:30 with more printmaking!
Gillian will also demonstrate ways to work into your pages with mixed media to build up textures and layers. We will continue working on our pages, and make our book covers. Lunch and dinner will be provided today.
Day Four, May 21 — fastenings and any other details to complete our books.
Bellissima Art Studio
This Art Escape includes
Four days instruction from Gillian
A beautiful studio to create in
4 lunches, 1 dinner
Some supplies
New tribe
The cost for this Escape is $1100. A $600 nonrefundable deposit is due upon registering. The remaining $500 dollars is due Feb. 17, 2024.
Port Orchard is the site for the workshop. The location is 9 miles north of Gig Harbor, WA which is listed as one of the most desirable cities in the US to visit (or live). It is located south of Seattle, across the Narrows Bridge on Hwy 16.
The Bremerton-Kitsap Airporter stops in Gig Harbor and in Port Orchard.
There are many Arbnbs and B&Bs in the area. A list of accommodations will be provided if requested
We will provide
Spray bottles
Oil-based ink
Gum arabic
Linseed oil
Deli paper
Paper
Book Board
Cutting mats and rulers
Glue
Glossy magazines (if any student has a couple they can bring please do as we will need a pile of them)
Copy paper
Chip brushes for glue
Cloth rags
Student Supply List
Camera or phone camera
Micron pens in black
A sheet of blotting paper - at least 12 inches
A printing roller - 4 inches wide or so
A palette knife and/or plastic card
A wooden spoon or barren
Letter-sized plastic sheet or file
Knife (like an Exacto or Stanley knife)
A couple of paint brushes - Gillian’s suggestion is a 1-inch brush and a couple of others in various sizes
White or buff titanium acrylic paint
Acrylic ink for glazing - e.g. burnt umber - Gillian likes Liquitex transparent inks
Handmade paper to cover your book covers with
Some ribbon to go with your handmade paper and a few buttons
Sewing needle and some waxed thread
Dip pen
Pencil
Embossing tool
Optional extras
A couple of pieces of lace - preferably one with a defined pattern
Letter or number stamps or stencils
Gillian Lee Smith is a Scottish artist living in the beautiful, historic North-East coast of England that daily influences her work. As a teacher, Gillian is inspired to bring her love of people and place to each workshop using a wealth of techniques to make new discoveries along with her students. She has several very successful online courses and a mentoring program.
Kathie Vezzani, who is hosting the workshop, also is an artist who paints, rusts and waxes. She organizes trips for other artists and in a former life was a caterer. She has over three decades of experience organizing trips for foodies and artists.