Category: Design & Content

Posted on

Design & Content

MCBA offers in-person and virtual workshops in book arts—from letterpress printing to paper marbling and everything in between! Designed for adults looking to spark their creativity and professionals aiming to hone their technique, MCBA’s workshops feature intimate class sizes and hands-on experiences using process-specific equipment, including technology designed and built in the 19th and 20th centuries, and artisan-built equipment made today. Workshops focus on building skills in a specific process, which often leads to a physical takeaway like a bound book, a letterpress printed poster, a screen printed zine, or a sheet of paper made or marbled by hand.

Teaching artists bring a wide range of education and experience along with a mission to inspire connection and creativity. Workshops are designed to balance lecture, demonstration, work time, and group sharing.

Workshops are eligible for credit toward MCBA’s Certificate programs. Enrollees receive a 20% discount on tuition. MCBA members receive a 10% discount on tuition.

Have questions about registration or recording policies? Check out MCBA’s Workshop & Studio Lab Policies and FAQs. If you are a teaching artist, you can propose a workshop here. Add your name to a wait list if a workshop you’d like to take is full. You’ll be contacted if another section of the workshop is scheduled.

Posted on

Art Practice Circle: Summer Series

with Laura Brown
Tuesdays: June 6, July 11, August 8; 7–8:30pm CT

Would you like to attend all three Art Practice Circle meetings this summer? Register for them all at once and receive a discount!

Art Practice Circle meets virtually and offers a friendly community space to listen and share about artmaking. The benefits of connecting with fellow makers are multiple: to inspire and encourage one another, to be an audience for one another’s work and creative process, and to move our work forward by talking about it out loud. This monthly gathering will provide time for each person to share about their work—a particular work in progress, an idea that needs exploring, or a struggle with a specific work—as well as a conversation about what inspires us and strategies for tracking progress. Recommended for those who practice some form of book arts (book/paper/print) or related process (such as calligraphy, papercutting, marbling, etc.). Continue reading “Art Practice Circle: Summer Series”

Posted on

Art Practice Circle: June

with Laura Brown
Tuesday, June 6; 7–8:30pm CT

Art Practice Circle meets virtually and offers a friendly community space to listen and share about artmaking. The benefits of connecting with fellow makers are multiple: to inspire and encourage one another, to be an audience for one another’s work and creative process, and to move our work forward by talking about it out loud. This gathering will provide time for each person to share about their work—a particular work in progress, an idea that needs exploring, or a struggle with a specific work—as well as a conversation about what inspires us and strategies for tracking progress. Recommended for those who practice some form of book arts (book/paper/print) or related process (such as calligraphy, papercutting, marbling, etc.).
Continue reading “Art Practice Circle: June”

Posted on

Alternative Printmaking at Home

with Rosae Reeder
Wednesdays: July 5, 12, 19; 5–8pm CT

This virtual printmaking workshop focuses on using accessible materials to make prints and embellish existing art projects. Explore several techniques including packing tape transfer, Matte Medium transfer, watercolor monoprint, and Gelli plate printing. All of these processes can be done safely at home without caustic materials, chemicals, or printing presses. After learning printing techniques, participants will construct a single-page book structure to experiment with creating simple artist’s books from prints. No prior bookbinding or printmaking experience is needed. Continue reading “Alternative Printmaking at Home”

Posted on

Art Practice Circle: July

with Laura Brown
Tuesday, July 11; 7–8:30pm CT

Art Practice Circle meets virtually and offers a friendly community space to listen and share about artmaking. The benefits of connecting with fellow makers are multiple: to inspire and encourage one another, to be an audience for one another’s work and creative process, and to move our work forward by talking about it out loud. This gathering will provide time for each person to share about their work—a particular work in progress, an idea that needs exploring, or a struggle with a specific work—as well as a conversation about what inspires us and strategies for tracking progress. Recommended for those who practice some form of book arts (book/paper/print) or related process (such as calligraphy, papercutting, marbling, etc.). Continue reading “Art Practice Circle: July”

Posted on

Illustration: Characters, Spaces & Style

moderated by Camilo Aguirre
Saturdays: July 22, 29, August 5; 1–3pm CT

In this virtual workshop, learn the basics of illustration and drawing for prints, artist’s books, and comics! Each session will feature a topic—characters, spaces, and style—and will begin with a short presentation followed by exercises designed to help participants build their illustration and drawing skills. Sessions two and three will begin with friendly group conversation about work in-progress. As this is a virtual workshop, demonstrations will be taught digitally but participants are welcome to draw in any format they choose, from digital drawing on a tablet to pen/pencil on paper. This workshop is designed for those who would like instruction and guided practice in illustration and drawing. Intermediate-level illustrators are welcome as well. Continue reading “Illustration: Characters, Spaces & Style”

Posted on

Postcard Embroidery

with Hope Amico
Wednesday, August 2; 5–8pm CT

Let’s embellish photos with colorful thread! Learn the basics of sewing on paper to transform photographs and postcards, or design your own. We’ll start with the basics of embroidering on paper—thinking about drawing, linework, and simple fills—while practicing with a found image or our own design. Learn techniques for using the following sewing techniques on paper: the running stitch and back stitch along with French knots and couching (a method of stitching one thread to the surface of fabric or paper with another thread). Come away with helpful techniques to continue building your skills independently after the workshop. Continue reading “Postcard Embroidery”

Posted on

Erasure Poetry

with grace (ge) gilbert
Tuesdays: August 8, 15, 22; 5–6:30pm CT

Erasure poetry involves using a source document, or source text, to create a work of your own. It’s a contentious practice, but one that allows the maker to re-contextualize history, or the present, as they want it to be seen. In this virtual workshop, participants of all experience levels will learn simple, low-cost techniques in digital and mixed media erasure, and how to sustain a book-length project of erasure poetry. Each week, learn from model theorists and artists to really attune yourself to the language of the source text, and to understand your role in manipulating it. Learn from step-by-step demos, and complete a generative prompt with the option of sharing and receiving feedback. Come away from the workshop with the beginnings of a book-length project idea, simple erasure techniques, and a deeper understanding of text and image relationships.  Continue reading “Erasure Poetry”

Posted on

Art Practice Circle: August

with Laura Brown
Tuesday, August 8; 7–8:30pm CT

Art Practice Circle meets virtually and offers a friendly community space to listen and share about artmaking. The benefits of connecting with fellow makers are multiple: to inspire and encourage one another, to be an audience for one another’s work and creative process, and to move our work forward by talking about it out loud. This gathering will provide time for each person to share about their work—a particular work in progress, an idea that needs exploring, or a struggle with a specific work—as well as a conversation about what inspires us and strategies for tracking progress. Recommended for those who practice some form of book arts (book/paper/print) or related process (such as calligraphy, papercutting, marbling, etc.). Continue reading “Art Practice Circle: August”

Posted on

Imagery In, On, and Of Paper

with Bridget O’Malley
Saturdays: August 12 & 19; 10am–4pm CT

The connection between paper and print is obvious. What is often overlooked are the many possibilities of working imagery into the paper itself! In this in-person workshop, explore techniques of incorporating imagery into sheets of paper: watermarking, drawing, painting, dye coating, screen printing with colored pulps, low-relief casting onto linoleum blocks, resists, and more. Learn techniques for several processes in this two-day intensive papermaking workshop and come away with many, many samples, notes, and ideas for future projects and experimentations with imagery in, on, and with paper. Continue reading “Imagery In, On, and Of Paper”

Posted on

Engaging with Your Visual & Poetic Notebook

with Susan Niz
Saturdays: August 12 & 19; 1–4pm CT

One part poetry practice (images, metaphor, words, lines), one part notebook practice (fun and doable!), and one part creative expression (playful and purposeful). The focus is authentic, sustained engagement with a personal notebook that incorporates both words and visual elements. In this in-person workshop, experiment with nature journaling, but let metaphor take over for scientific study; engage in basic collage and multimedia, but prioritize expression over artistic mastery; and try ekphrastic drawing and writing in response to other pieces of art (paintings or sculpture). On day one, we’ll discuss and share basic materials, see examples of many prompts and exercises, and begin several types of entries. On day two, we’ll share our developed entries, gain inspiration from the directions we each have taken, and plan next steps. You’ll receive encouragement and guidance for a fulfilling and creative notebook practice. A notebook will be provided. Continue reading “Engaging with Your Visual & Poetic Notebook”

Posted on

Mystery Box Artist’s Book

with Yuka Petz
Wednesday, August 23; 5–7:30pm CT

It’s time to break out of your material comfort zone and think with your hands! Participants will be mailed a Mini-But-Mighty Mystery Box of Materials, which must not be opened until the virtual workshop. After a brief discussion of what defines a book and “bookness,” participants will open their boxes and make an artist’s book following three simple rules:

    1. You must complete your artist’s book in 60 minutes.
    2. You must use all materials in the box.
    3. You may only use the materials in the box.

After our intuitive creation time is up, we will show and share our finished artist’s books. This workshop is designed for all levels of book artists, from beginners to advanced practitioners. Please note: Materials in the workshop image are representative. Actual mystery box contents will differ. Continue reading “Mystery Box Artist’s Book”