Another online workshop launches and some FAQ

Next post I promise to share images of my wonderful holiday in Portugal followed by a super two day private class in Lisbon.

for now though I’m very excited to announce that the second six week intensive online eco printing workshop launched today! If you’re interested in joining me or learning more please click this link to see what it’s all about. In response to many of the questions I’ve been asked over the last month or so below are some FAQ with answers that I hope will be helpful.

‘Eco printing, an intensive foundation for successful results’ Winter 2016

FAQ and answers

How does this online eco printing workshop differ from a hands on experience in a classroom?

Online workshops are to eco printing what slow food is to the culinary world! Over an extended period of time participants will get the opportunity to engage with me (and fellow students) to discover techniques, tips and processing methods which will form the basis of all their eco printing into the future. Everyone will get an equal opportunity to ask as many or as few questions as they like and students may complete the assignments as and when they have the time to do so.

Who is this workshop particularly aimed at?

This workshop is aimed at anyone interested in learning the methods I use to achieve consistent and substantive prints on protein based fabric (silk, wool etc.) using a selection of local or easy to find natural vegetation. These prints will be achieved without the use of traditional powdered mordants and done in as simple and environmentally friendly a way as possible.  It is an extremely cost effective way to participate in a workshop and very well suited to people who may not have the time to travel or attend workshops in person.

Is this workshop suitable for both beginners and/or improving and experienced eco printers?

Absolutely! This workshop will empower the total beginner to have confidence in the process and be able to repeat their results when working by themselves. There should also be plenty of ‘ah ha’ moments for the more experienced eco printer too!

How is the workshop content delivered?

The workshop content is primarily delivered through a series of written modules, each module is like a chapter in a conventional book and the text may be downloaded as a PDF and printed for future reference if wanted. That’s where the similarities to a book end though! In addition to written text and images modules 4 to 6 contain video footage which clearly demonstrates specific tips and techniques. Each week discussion prompts are initiated by me relevant to the particular topics covered in the module. Participants are encouraged to ask questions, post pictures and learn much in the way they would in a classroom situation but a big difference is the length of time in which it will be possible for us to engage with each other. Internet connections allowing, I will also answer questions via a live video webinar once we are several modules into the workshop.

How long will participants have access to class content?

Class content will be available for a total of 6 months from the start date of the workshop.

Is there ongoing daily support from Nicola?

Definitely! I’m available to answer all of your questions relating to the class content as the weeks progress, daily via the Ruzuku platform for the first 12 weeks and then as frequently as I can for the full 6 months that the content is online.

What other way may participants engage with each other and with Nicola?

I have set up a private Facebook group for all the participants in this session of the workshop. This has been a very popular forum for the first batch of workshop participants and access to this group will be indefinitely!

What happens if I am not very confident using a computer? Will I be able to follow along with the class?

Ruzuku is pretty simple to navigate, if you can write an email or open a website I think that you will have no problems with the course. However, in order to ease everyone into the class gradually I’ll release a short module on Monday 31st October with tips to help guide you through the workshop. This way we can all be confident that it will be as stress free as possible for everyone concerned, I’ll be very happy to help anyone who needs a bit of extra support. From Friday 4th November a new module will be released each week.

When and how do participants get notification that a new module is available for them to view?

Once we’ve got underway participants will receive an email every Friday morning letting them know that the new module is available to view.

Is it possible to view class content on a tablet or mobile device?

Yes, tablets and mobile devices work well with Ruzuku.

How much does this workshop cost?

This 6 week class costs a total of $220 or €200.

How do I pay for the workshop?

When you visit the enrolment page and sign up for the workshop you will be given two options for payment, both will be processed via PayPal. US dollars is the default choice for payment but if you would prefer to be billed in Euros select that option and I will invoice you immediately. Please note, your class place is not confirmed until you have paid the invoice in full. Thanks!

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Online workshop update

The last few days have passed in a whirlwind, I can’t begin to explain how happy and excited I am that the new online workshop ‘Eco printing, an intensive foundation for successful results‘ sold out in just about 36 hours. I’m humbled by the response and wish to thank each and every one of you who helped make this exciting new adventure a reality! I also want to apologise to those of you who wanted to join but didn’t manage to sign up before the magic number of 50 was reached, sorry. As a result of the intense interest and volume of emails I’ve subsequently been dealing with I’ve set up a new mailing list specifically to keep people informed in advance of subsequent offerings. Here’s the link for those of you who are interested! I’ll also be writing up some frequently asked questions and post them to the website, these will help explain how the online workshops will be delivered.

 

 

Six week online eco printing workshop is launched!

Woo Hoo, it’s definitely a red letter day here at Clasheen!!! I’m delighted to announce that my first ever online workshop was officially launched on the web this morning, the title is ‘Eco printing, an intensive foundation for successful results‘. From gathering the necessary tools and equipment to experimenting with different processing methods, over the course of six weeks I hope to guide participants beyond the basics and encourage them to experiment for themselves.

Suitable for total beginners but hopefully with plenty of tips and ‘ah ha’ moments for the more experienced textile artist too, extras include printing on paper, an introduction to printing up-cycled clothing and one simple method for printing on cellulose fabric!

Please note, this first online workshop is offered at a once off reduced price of $160 and limited to 50 participants. This special offer is to say thanks in advance for optional feedback and the first group of participants will also have the opportunity to avail of a discount for the follow on workshop, eco printing on cellulose fabric and up-cycled clothing. Sign up has been wonderfully brisk already. Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the decision to put their faith in me, I hope you really enjoy our journey together! Please feel free to email me personally if you have any questions.

 

 

Felting and eco printing, announcing residential retreats in Ireland and Portugal

Recently I’ve been getting a lot of email queries and facebook messages asking about 2015 and 2016 felting and/or eco printing workshops. I had hoped to get dates and workshop descriptions sorted, written then uploaded to the website prior to heading off on my Canadian and Australian adventures, no such luck though as here I am writing from Lethbridge having already spent a wonderful few days in Fernie! Anyway, my big news is that I’ve decided to stick closer to home during the early part of 2016, I really need to get to grips with my garden before it gets totally out of hand and I’d also like to get a few more jobs sorted around the house and studio. I’m planning another extended trip to the U.S. in 2017 but for next year I intend to concentrate primarily on Irish workshops, our annual retreat at beautiful Vale do Mondego in Portugal plus investigate the possibility of another foray or two into mainland Europe if possible. I’m delighted to announce that I’ll be organising a really special residential eco printing retreat just down the road from Clasheen during July 2016!

Clasheen

I’m fine tuning details at the moment but suffice to say extremely comfortable accommodation at a beautiful rural Irish location, optional collection from the airport, delicious food, all tuition, on site access to amazing natural plant material, at least one group excursion including a trip to Cushendale Woollen Mill (more excursions depending on participant’s requirements) plus a celebration evening meal at Clasheen one night. These are the bare bones of the retreat, as soon as I can I’ll be confirming the dates and the cost but it’s definitely going to take place sometime during July, please let me know if you thInk you might be interested in attending! In addition to a group retreat I’ll also be available to accommodate individual or small group residential workshops at Clasheen from approx March onwards, the course material for these will be geared towards felting larger projects and/or intensive eco printing on protein and/or cellulose fabrics. I’m also happy to offer visits withIn the surrounding region to participants if they’d like a day or two off from the studio and non participating partners can avail of super hiking locally, the nearby coast, wood turning workshops, guided eco trails, kayaking, golf outings, visits to medieval Kilkenny etc., etc., all right on the doorstep of Clasheen!

 

Now for some early information about our next retreat at beautiful Dominio Vale do Mondego in Portugal!!!

Delicious food and wine at Dominio Vale do Mondego!

For 2016 we’re running it a little later than usual, it’ll be taking place from18th to 25th June and it’s also our first workshop exclusively devoted to eco printing. Eelco’s knowledge of the local vegetation coupled with an ever increasing quest for more eco printing has led to this decision, I’m really excited about the move because I really want to explore the use of local plants more thoroughly!

Olga and Marta happy with their fabulous eco printed leggings

If any participants do want to felt though of course they’ll be free to do so in their own time and print what they make during the group classes every day! Please contact Karin directly if you’d like to reserve a place for this retreat, non participating workshop partners are welcome to join for a slightly reduced fee so don’t feel like yu have to leave anyone behind.

So, it’s been a manic couple of months. FORM had a fantastic ten days at the Kilkenny Arts Festival and I also participated in two separate events for Heritage Week, the Carlow Made collective exhibition in Carlow Library and a local craft fair at the John F. Kennedy Arboretum in Co. Wexford. I don’t usually do craft fairs anymore where the participants are not juried in, the arboretum is such a fantastic resource however and I was really delighted that I made the effort to attend as many people were really interested in seeing what I was doing.

Next post Fernie and Lethbridge workshop pictures!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eco printing highlights from an intensive week of study and experimentation!

Last week was super fun and super intensive, a whole week facilitating eco orinting through discussion, plotting and planning as well as actually spending hands on time in the outdoor printing studio, aka the garage! It all kicked off on Saturday when I picked up friend and fellow fabric enthusiast Caroline from Dublin Airport. We’d met in Portugal while participating in a Joan Morris residential workshop and almost immediately started planning for Caroline to come over here to study one to one, we also wanted to spend some time together experimenting. The main focus of our time together was to achieve clarity of prints and play with different ways in which to achieve good results on cellulose fabrics, the whole week was an absolute blast, many bottles of wine were consumed too!!!

Here are just a few of Caroline’s highlights in pictures………..

Caroline's eucalyptus prints on linen

Caroline's geranium and cranesbill on linen

A big smile from Caroline and a beautiful linen dress!

The shadowing around the neckline of this linen too printed through two layers of paper resist, another wonderful linen top from Caroline!!!

…… and a couple of my own results I’m particularly happy with!

Satin mordanted with Symplocos printed with eucalyptus

Symplocos mordant has helped achieve amazingly copper like tones on satin

Alder leaves and female catkins on satin

Contrasting colours from the same dye pot, don’t they just sing together?

Caroline's eucalyptus printed linen and my cotinus and rosebay willow herb seed pod printed cotton blend

On Tuesday while Caroline worked away bundling in the indoor studio I spent a lovely time with mother and daughter duo Cristina and Morgan, it was their first time eco printing. After a little discussion about what we would be doing we all headed off to gather our vegetation. Unfortunately the weather was not great early. In the day, the fields were really wet so we stuck to the lane and garden instead. Before lunch Cristina and Morgan got 4 satin scarves in the pot and in the afternoon we all made a stack of paper to print. Their results were super and isn’t Morgan a fab model?

Congratulations Cristina and Morgan, great job!

Morgan in front of the rose she used to print this scarf!

Finally for today, congratulations go to Margaret Hennessey who guessed correctly that dock leaves were used to print this experimental felt wrap.
I’m afraid that I forgot to bring it with me to town today Margaret but promise it’ll be in the post on Wednesday so it should be with you by the end of this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Felting and eco printing in Portugal, week 3 in pictures!

Bye, bye Portugal, tomorrow morning I fly home to enjoy the rest of the summer at Clasheen. If the weather’s been anything similar to last year while I’ve been away I’m guessing I’ll be weeding most evenings for the foreseeable future, a big change from dry and arid Faia!

Clasheen, June 2014

The second 2015 residential felting and eco printing workshop at Dominio Vale do Mondego was a delight, wonderful students, superb hosts as always and amazing fun, food, friends and weather for the whole of the week. Below are a selection of images from the wrap up exhibition for you to enjoy.
I’ve also posted a short video clip online of friend Carla playing traditional accordion music at the opening, thank you so much Carla! Tchau to all in Faia and obrigada until 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

Life, Kentucky and Michigan updates!

Important events have unavoidably taken over in recent days and weeks so I'm way behind updating things here, many apologies if you've been waiting for a blog post. It's hard to believe but after only three full days at home I'm now sitting at the boarding gate in Dublin Airport awaiting my flight to Portugal. Tomorrow I meet the other participants for a wonderful week of shibori under the tutelage of Joan Morris (my first non working holiday for a long while!) and then next Saturday my own felting and eco printing workshops start at Dominio Vale do Mondego. Please excuse me if I upload a selection of pictures from both the Kentucky and Michigan workshops in the same post, I feel that if I don't I am never, ever going to catch up!!! Thanks a thousand times to great buddies Jan Durham and Dawn Edwards respectively for hosting me once again, it was a pleasure visiting you as always! I also really enjoyed teaching at the Kentucky Sheep & Fiber Festival in KY, it was my fourth year on the trot and thanks a million to master dyer Roo Kline of Moonwood Farm for sponsoring the gorgeous fibre we used in class. Now for a selection of pictures………

KSFF

Jan's two day workshop in Lexington
Day one with Dawn in Plainwell MI
Day two in MI, the rain had stopped by then and I was able to take a photo of each participant with a piece of their work. Great job ladies!
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

Houston eco printing workshop in pictures and Portugal calling!

Apologies for the delay in posting pictures from Houston TX, my U.S. trip to date has been a whirlwind of activity and I don't want to miss one second of the fun! Thanks Barbara and Ed for another wonderful visit, I really enjoyed myself and loved spending time with four legged friends Maggie and Lucy too.

Our one day intensive eco printing workshop was really productive, a lovely group of ladies and some super results from the printing pot. Below are a selection of pictures of participant's work, it's only a small representation of what was achieved on the day but it's impossible to post everything and when I'm working it's also difficult to take as many shots as I'd like. All the rest of my U.S. workshops are sold out but if you'd like to join me for a fantastic residential week or two of felting and eco printing in Portugal now is the time to contact Karin and grab one of the last remaining places. Non felting partners are welcome too!

Next post, Kentucky Sheep & Fiber Festival update.

 

 

Lake Tahoe felting, eco printing and dyeing retreat in pictures!

Merride, Keith and I had a busy but wonderful time preparing for and co-hosting our second felting, eco printing and dyeing retreat at Lake Tahoe. Keith was on top form preparing delicious lunches for us yet again and was instrumental in getting everything brought to the cabin and installed before our guests arrived! It was great to spend creative time with returning participants Julie and Tina as well as meet Shelly and Virgina for the first time. Here are some of the highlights in picture form………..

Virginia, Julie and Shelly. having fun and showing off some of their beautiful eco printing!

Virginia, Julie and Shelly. having fun and showing off some of their beautiful eco printing!

Wonderful detail on Virginia's Eco printed wool, we've no idea what this big leaf is but thanks Virginia for bringing it with you!!!

Wonderful detail on Virginia’s Eco printed wool, we’ve no idea what this big leaf is but thanks Virginia for bringing it with you!!!

Tina, Keith and Merridee working the acid dye pot

Meridee relaxing before the off.......

Meridee relaxing before the off…….

I love beautiful Lake Tahoe

Shelly  with her stunning first nuno felt wrap

Shelly with her stunning first nuno felt wrap

Watch out Tucson, eco printing is coming to town!

It's hard to believe looking out the window at Clasheen that in exactly two weeks time I'll be getting ready for the first of three fantastic days eco printing in Tucson AZ. In 2009 I visited this stunning part of the world and totally fell in love with the desert, I'm really hoping that I'll get to see some of the plants in bloom and know that it is going to be spectacular!!!

Felt bundled and ready for the pot

The first two days (17th and 18th April) are devoted to printing on protein fabrics, felt, silk and wool, I've got so much to share and I know that the time will fly! The third day (19th April) is for people who have already taken an eco printing workshop with me (in either 2014 or 2015), this day we'll be printing on cellulose fabrics such as linen or cotton and learning how to get strong, clear prints.

I just got word that unexpectedly a couple of participants have had to pull out of class at almost the last minute, if you'd like to join us please email Karen asap and make sure to put 'Nicola's eco printing class' in the subject line. See you soon!