HANDMADE MATTERS:
BLOCK PRINTING & PLANT DYE WORKSHOP
HANDMADE MATTERS:
Block Printing & Plant Dye Workshop
July 12-14, 2024 in Katrina’s Barn Studio
Join artists and authors, Jen Hewett and Katrina Rodabaugh, for a very special weekend workshop focused on block printing and plant-dyeing. Jen and Katrina will gather with students in Katrina’s barn studio in the Hudson Valley. This workshop is an immersion in handcraft that embraces printmaking and plant dyes; values a thoughtful, inspired design process; follows creative intuition; and honors an intimate relationship to materials to make one-of-a-kind textiles. Jen and Katrina will share their processes in plant dyeing, block printing, and original design to lead participants through a heartfelt exploration of creating objects that express a love of place, people, plants, and process. This promises to be a special weekend for textile lovers.
UPDATE: The retreat is soldout. Please join the event wait list and Jen & Katrina’s newsletters for upcoming classes. Thank you!
Let’s Make Things.
The workshop will be divided into two parts—plant-dyeing with Katrina in the dye studio and blockprinting with Jen in the barn studio. Students will experiment in making original, one-of-a-kind, hand-carved, block prints that can be printed on bags, bandannas, or a muslin fabric. Students will also harvest, forage, and create original plant dyes on-site. Students will leave with various plant-dyed samples, an original printing block project, and resources to continue at home.
Jen and Katrina both live full-time in the Hudson Valley of NY and draw inspiration from the surrounding landscape. They are thrilled to share their towns with you and to work collaboratively in Katrina’s private studio. The workshop includes block printing and plant-dye instruction; various textile materials; shared and personal tools; individual feedback; thoughtful vegetarian lunches, snacks and tea; and a rural setting to connect with other creatives in the heart of the Hudson Valley’s farming landscape.
More details...
This workshop is an immersive textile workshop great for ALL levels of experience. Jen and Katrina will start with the basics for beginners, share ways to deepen processes for intermediate dyers and printers, and offer insights from over 20+ years of working closely with art and design to any advanced makers. To allow for maximum participation, there will be a minimum of 8 students and a maximum of 12 students in this retreat—this will allow Jen and Katrina to customize the class to best support the individuals present.
The workshop offers an in-depth learning experience for anyone looking to deepen their natural dyeing and hand-printing knowledge in a pastoral setting with access to Jen and Katrina’s instruction and textile resources. The workshops will be held during daytime hours and Katrina will provide all shared tools, materials, plants, and printed booklets for students to keep. Participants will need to secure housing, transportation, and meals outside of the workshop. Jen and Katrina will share several examples of their original work as inspiration.
RETREAT SCHEDULE: Friday, July 12 from 4-6pm; Saturday, July 13 from 10-5pm; Sunday, July 14 from 10-4pm
PLEASE NOTE: There are no refunds for this event. Thank you!
Workshop Includes…
-Over 12 hours of thoughtful textile instruction in a small group setting
-Several examples of finished, original work for in-depth, hands-on learning.
-Various workshop materials including blockprinting tools (lino cutter set, carving block, printing inks, etc), various fabric samples for printing and dyeing, and all necessary dye materials such as mordants, modifiers, plants, stainless steel tools to share, etc.
-Printed workshop pamphlets with written insights, tips, resources, and more
-Two thoughtful vegetarian lunches, sourced locally when possible
-Snacks, coffee, and tea throughout the weekend
-A lovely, intimate, all-weather space to gather
-A special gift to keep
-Value: $825 USD
Studio, Location, & More...
BARN STUDIO: The workshop will take place on Katrina’s personal property—the barn is just a stone’s throw across the driveway from her family farmhouse. The studio is the original carriage barn, now fully-renovated and temperature controlled while maintaining so much original charm. The studio has an uneven concrete floor, surrounding gravel driveway, and relatively-level surrounding yard and gardens. Parking is onsite. To access the bathroom, students will go up three stairs into the family farmhouse.
HUDSON VALLEY REGION: The studio is located in a rural region of Upstate NY. There are a handful of small inns, hotels, and rentals on Airbnb or Vrbo. There is no housing on-site. If you are looking for housing, the studio is 30 minutes east of Kingston, 20 minutes south of Hudson, and 20 minutes north of Rhinebeck, NY. Once you register, Katrina can provide more details on surrounding accommodations, restaurants, etc. There is no public transportation near the studio so students will need to drive—even Ubers are unreliable. The nearest airport is Albany, NY; nearest train is Amtrak to Hudson, NY; and nearest bus is to the station in Kingston, NY but all require additional car travel to reach the studio.
Meet Jen…
Jen Hewett is a printmaker, surface designer, textile artist, and author based in the Hudson Valley. Jen’s work combines her love of loud prints, 1970s maximalism, and saturated colors with the textures and light of the landscapes that surround her. In addition to creating her own products, Jen designs fabric for the quilting and home sewing market, and home collections for national manufacturers and retailers. Her clients include: Moda Fabrics, World Market, Anthropologie, Blue Sky Planners, and Brewster Home Fashions. She is the author of Print, Pattern, Sew, and This Long Thread: Women of Color on Craft, Community and Connection.
You can see more of Jen’s work on her website and on Instagram.
Accommodations
Here’s a selection of places to stay within 30 miles of the studio. This is just a sample list and you can find many more options including on Airbnb or Vrbo:
Hotel Tivoli, Tivoli, NY
Reclaimed Motel, Red Hook, NY
Central House, Germantown, NY
Gatherwild Ranch, Germantown, NY
Rivertown Lodge, Hudson, NY
The Wick Hotel, Hudson, NY
Beekman Arms, Rhinebeck, NY
Camptown, Catskill, NY
Hutton Brickyards, Kingston, NY
Hotel Kinsley, Kingston, NY
HV Mag Guide List (check the distances to Germantown)
If you’re looking to rent through Airbnb or Vrbo check in the nearby towns of Germantown, Clermont, Tivoli, Red Hook, Rhinebeck, Hudson, Kingston, or anywhere within 30 minutes of Germantown, NY.
There are many wonderful eateries in our region—it’s an incredible intersection of farms and food. For restaurants, checkout the nearby towns of Hudson, Tivoli, Rhinebeck, or Kingston. One of my favorite restaurants, Gaskins, is very nearby in Germantown, NY but it fills quickly in the summer so checkout other towns too.
“When I started working with local plants to make natural color on fibers my connection to the earth deepened. I entered into a relationship with plants that felt reciprocal, nuanced, and healing. Through this connection I’ve learned about foraging, gardening, plant medicine, and so much more.”
— Katrina Rodabaugh