Pat explores using ferns as a resist with the silk screen
I taught a three day intensive last weekend at Pratt. We focused on layering by dyeing, discharging, and overdyeing fabric. It was a small but great group of really interesting women who were game to try everything I threw at them. It was also the first time I taught in the new Mixed Media Classroom at Pratt. I miss my old classroom a little, it was bigger and had a large outdoor covered work area but the new classroom has its own benefits. It’s in the same building as the Print Studio so it feels like we’re a little more connected to the school, a little less like we’re off in the hinterlands. I enjoyed walking through Teresa Neinas’ class and seeing the cool prints they were making over the weekend.
One of the disadvantages of the new building is that they haven’t built a covered outdoor work area yet (it’s in the plans). That was definitely a challenge given that the focus of my workshop was to use multiple layers of discharge using bleach and thiourea dioxide. I didn’t know anything about the change in the classroom situation six months ago when we scheduled the class. It ended up working out okay because we were really lucky with the weather and we were able to work with the garage door open. But by the end of the day Saturday I was feeling a little toxic. I woke up in the middle of the night worrying that I was poisoning my students. So Sunday I changed my syllabus and we explored printing with thickened dyes. It was still well within the description of the class and it didn’t keep me up at night worrying.
Beth's black fabrics that have been discharged and overdyed
It was good to get back to teaching. A lot of classes haven’t been filling lately. Art classes just aren’t a priority in this economy. Teaching is a lot of work but I enjoy it. I always joke that I teach so that I can steal from my students. Just continuing in a long line of educators, I guess, but there is something to it. Students approach methods and materials in a different way. Getting out of the studio and seeing what they do gives me a chance to rethink and reimagine. Plus it is nice to get a paycheck every now and then.
Teacher Cameron
