Workshops

 
Join Matt Brown and co-leaders Todd Binzen, Matthew Daniell , and Maureen Burford for a camp-style workshop at a beautiful location in western MA, the sweet 100 year-old Rowe Center below Adams Mtn. near the VT border.
Structured around a group art-making project, the weekend explores spiritual implications of making art as part of a team. We'll investigate relationships of color and form, mind and body, Taoism and Buddhism, craft and art. 

To find out costs, schedule, and other details.

Before I read the info page link above, can you describe this more?
During this retreat we explore aspects of working together as a team to make a set of prints. We'll do carving and printing and learn of the basics of the technique. Our focus will be on the communicative potential of making art as part of a group. We'll use the Japanese hanga method, which is printing by hand with wood and water. Hanga was the printing method used to make the ukiyo-e and shin hanga prints of Japan. It was printmaking done collaboratively by a team, and in this workshop we emulate that team approach. Our starting point is imagery developed by artist Todd Binzen. We'll pursue other activities during the weekend to build meaning around our group project. Our goal will be to make prints suitable for framing that each participant can take home.



Other activities?
Friday night talk by Matthew Daniell, likely his Reflections on the Eight Worldy Winds 
Saturday morning Qigong movement class led by Todd Binzen
Saturday evening Music-making time with Maureen Burford
Sunday morning fellowship, likely a nature walk, and organizing, signing, and blessing the prints, followed by a farewell lunch.

Explain that printmaking part, the activity for Saturday, one more time?
Todd and I will bring to the class blocks and papers already carved and partially printed. We'll also have blank blocks, and papers will be unfinished with printing work left to do. Plenty of papers and colors, lots to play with. The art part of the weekend will be bringing these prints to completion.  

Built into the weekend are some happy aspirations:
- an aspiration to work with painter Todd Binzen in his explorations of mind/body/art connection. Todd is a long-time T'ai-Chi teacher currently studying Taoism. He has worked in schools and arts organzations with group-making art activities. On Saturday, the art-making day of the workshop, Todd leads us in a Qigong movement time. Todd also plays the role of the artist, launching us in our print project.
- an aspiration to learn from teacher and former Buddhist monk, Matthew Daniell, whose approach to working with our minds is, well, Matthew has made a career of his spiritual practice and teaching. Matt spent years living and studying in Zen monasteries in Japan, India and elsewhere; he worked for years alongside Larry Rosenberg (founder of Cambridge Center for Insight Meditation and author of Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation). Matt D. has taught at Omega Institute, the Kripalu Institute, and numerous Buddhist centers.  Matt is the founder of the North Shore Insight Meditation Center (Newburyport, MA) and seems onto something excellent. 
- an aspiration to work with Maureen Burford in a group music-making activity. Maureen joined 
Todd and I at the MBFA gallery in Lyme earlier this Spring. It was wonderful to sing, chant, and explore sound with her.
- an aspiration to explore the spirit, physical set-up, and potential of the Rowe Center, a story which dates back to 1924 when visionary Unitarian preacher Anita Trueman Pickett first set up a summer camp at this location.

view looking up King's Highway to the entrance of the Rowe Center:

 

Classes the Way I used to Teach Them?

Feel free to email with inquiries about color woodblock printmaking workshops further in the future.
For 2025? Know the above offering includes a full offering of the hanga color woodblock printmaking basics.

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 Class description of workshops I have taught in the past and may again in 2026.

Introduction to Japanese Color Woodblock Printmaking
The Japanese developed a woodblock printing method using water as a medium, brushes to apply colors to the blocks, and use of a hand-held baren instead of a press to transfer colors from multiple carved blocks to printing papers. This is a low carbon-footprint, non-toxic printing method.

Workshops are organized to offer a comprehensive introduction to the tools, techniques, and materials    of this printing method. In each class everyone completes a multi-color print and engages with aspects of design, carving, and printing. The workshop includes sharings of tricks and techniques adaptable  to other art-making approaches (watercolor painting, western-style printmaking). All experience levels are welcome.  

Each 3-day workshop is taught in six three-hour sessions.  To find out more, and to see prints made by past class participants, visit the Studio, or send me a note.

On the work by students page you can see prints and photos from past workshops and see images of prints made in classes. Below are links to web-sites of some who have gone on to make hanga prints of their own after taking the class. 

Annie Bissett
Mary Graham
Richard Sabin
Sandy Wadlington
Jennifer Worsley

Matt