Week 1: August 2-8 

We all have a favorite color, a species of animal we relate to, food we prefer, clothes that are our trademark but more importantly experiences that shape us and weave our view of the world and how others see us. Artists will identify a few personal stories and make paintings about them enlivened by the colors and symbols unique to each of us.

Open Studio provides an opportunity to deepen one's studio practice and take risks in a safe environment, with extra eyes for feedback and support. Artists work with the art media of their choice. They can start new works or a series, finish old pieces, try different techniques, or some combination of all. Subject matter, be it representational or non-figurative, is completely up to each artist.  Where the workshop artist is, in their art journey, is where we will start with one-on-one personal guidance interspersed with brief class comments, all toward helping the artist achieve their intended expression through effective execution of the formal aspects of the work and having fun with the creative process. Recognizing and realizing the personal vision is the goal!

Learn illustrative decorating techniques using colored slips and underglazes on hand built pottery. We will start out on the first day making small slab dishes and tiles to experiment with sgraffito, slip transfer and stencil decoration. The rest of the week students will learn how to make free standing, hollow forms, using the slab and coil techniques-keeping in mind that the pieces will be decorated using what we all learned experimenting on the first day. Emphasis will be on using color, making  patterns and drawing on clay. 

Explore the fascinating process of multi-color woodcut reduction printing. This printmaking workshop will guide participants though the process of idea conceptualization, design exploration, and into a finished print.  We will cover the technical aspects of carving, block preparation, color mixing, ink application, and registration. By the end of the course, participants will have gained a thorough understanding of the multi-color woodcut reduction process and have created their own amazing hand-pulled prints.

Learn the art of fusing vitreous glass enamels on copper and silver for beautiful and colorful jewelry. Cut and shape metal, learn simple torch soldering, learn how to apply enamels and fire in a kiln, and gain skills in creating original jewelry designs.

Shaping Your Memoir will invite participants to experiment with various forms of memoir, including "flash" pieces, fragmented/episodic tellings, graphic/illustrated memoir, "hermit crab" pieces (memoirs in the form of recipes, want ads, instructional lists, etc) and pieces that use second- or third-person narration. We'll look at stunning examples of memoirs that tweak conventional form from a wide range of writers - Dagoberto Gilb, Naomi Shihab Nye, Tim O'Brien, Ross Gay, Judith Ortiz Cofer, Rebekah Taussig and others - learning what each of these writers does well, then applying their strategies in a spirit of risk-taking, playfulness and discovery. There will be opportunities to share work and receive thoughtful feedback. Open to beginning and seasoned writers of memoir.

Inkjet fabric print your photos and create a stitched cloth scroll to showcase some of your favorite memories. Search for sticks at Menucha (or bring some you've already found). In class you'll: print images directly onto fabric, learn basic hand embroidery stitches, try various fabric collage techniques and more!

Discover new ways of seeing and creating as we use Menucha’s landscape as inspiration for abstract expression. Through guided prompts and experimental methods, you’ll explore how to transform a variety of sketches into one cohesive drawing, layering mixed media to build depth, texture, and meaning. Together we’ll balance the real with the imagined, working intuitively to uncover unexpected directions in your art. Along the way, we’ll apply principles of design to strengthen and refine composition. This workshop welcomes anyone eager to deepen their creative process and expand their artistic voice.