I have had the pleasure to teach at a number of summer festivals, crafts schools and community organizations. Below are a few sample course descriptions:
Connecting experimental process in pinhole photography, printmaking and book structures. (Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, 3-week session, Summer 1999)
This workshop will encourage individual experimentation, developing a personal language of two-dimensional images in the darkroom and at a press, and working them into a third dimension with innovative binding techniques. In some cases, the images will speak for themselves and, in sequence, create an evocative narrative. In others, written texts may be added to correspond with the poetry of the images. Instruction will be offered in building box cameras with humble materials, handcoloring with photo oils and pencils, monoprinting and blind relief, paper decoration, paper engineering, and sewn and sculptural books. These processes should be as enjoyable to beginners in photography and bookmaking as to those who have experience in these fields.
Story Mural: Deep Down in the Sea (Schoodic Arts Summer Festival, Winter Harbor ME, 2007)
For children ages 8-15: We'll begin by drawing from life--sea creatures and beachcombing treasures. We'll zero in on the details with a variety of media and materials. And then we'll blow them up much bigger than life in a mural full of color and mystery. The mural will wrap around the balcony at Hammond Hall but we'll have our sketches in small books to take home.
Fans, Tunnels, Carousels: Facts, Functions and Fantastic Forms of Handmade Books (Maine Alliance for Arts Education Fall Conference, Portland ME, 1995)
A practical approach to incorporating the book arts in the classroom curriculum while combining a variety of creative processes. We will join in group activities to create spontaneous texts and images, and produce a series of book structures to take back to the classroom. The workshop will include a slide talk, a display of artists' books, models and materials, and tips on how to fit book projects within constraints of time, space and budgets.
Star Books for the Solstice (Blue Hill Public Library, 1999; Castine Public Library, 2006))
Listen to stories celebrating the winter solstice and make small books in the shape of stars. The books will have pop-up pages like little theaters for creating scenes with festive materials for the holidays. Closed, they are books with sturdy covers and ribbon ties. But when they are stretched open, they form a star and can be hung to sparkle in a tree or window.