Workshops
The art of the book thrives on paper made from plants. At Flight Path Press, each studio workshop provides participants an opportunity to transform plants into the visual and printed language of drawing, paper, and books. To sign up for a tailored workshop or to discuss a partnership or collaboration please contact Chelsea Herman at flightpathpress@gmail.com.
Upcoming
PLANT FORAGING FOR ART & CRAFT
Sat September 27, 2-4 at Iowa Western Community College
An array of fibers, dyes, and other art materials can be found growing here in our backyard. We'll practice techniques for identifying useful plants and students will create their own handmade sheet of paper using locally foraged plant fibers. Historical and contemporary examples of artists using foraged materials will be presented.
FREE BOOKBINDING WORKSHOP SERIES: PAMPHLET STITCH
This hand-stitched binding is well suited for poetry chapbooks, imagery, and short texts or for creating elegant handbound catalogues, menus, and event keepsakes. Learn different variations of this binding and how each offers unique opportunities for presenting content. Patrons will bind their own pamphlet stitch booklet to take home. Suitable for all experience levels.
Wednesday, September 17, 5:30pm, W. Clarke Swanson Branch
9101 W. Dodge Rd, Omaha, NE 68114
Branch Phone: 402-444-4852
Thursday, November 6th, 5:30 PM Saddlebrook Branch
14850 Laurel Ave, Omaha, NE68116
Branch Phone: 402-444-5780
Saturday, November 15, 2PM Genealogy & Local History Room
8020 S 84th St, Omaha, NE 68124
Branch Phone: 402-444-4800, extension #3
November 19, 5:30PM, Bess Johnson Elkhorn Branch
2100 Reading Plz, Elkhorn, NE 68022
Branch Phone: 402-289-4367
November 22, 10AM, Downton Branch
1401 Jones St, Omaha, NE 68102
Branch Phone: 402-444-4828
HAND PAPERMAKING: COLLAGE & LAMINATION
October 4th 9:30am-11:30am at Lauritzen Gardens
Lamination is the technique of sealing objects between two sheets of
handmade paper while the paper is being formed. Create sheets embedded with string, colorful paper, petals, and more.
November 9th 9:30am-11:30am at Lauritzen Gardens
Read examples of found poetry and be guided through a brief poetry prompt for inspiration. Create a handmade sheet of paper embedded with your own text from collaged words and phrases.
December 7th 1:30pm-3:30pm at Lauritzen Gardens
Watermarks are designs set into a sheet of paper while the sheets are being formed. These hidden images are revealed when light shines through the thinner parts of the sheet. Learn techniques for creating watermarks and form your own watermarked sheets of paper to take home.
DRAWING ON THE 5 SENSES
Date TBD at Flight Path Press
This workshop leads participants in a series of short exercises designed for beginning and seasoned artists alike. We’ll generate line, value, shape, volume, space, texture, and color in response to touch, taste, smell, sound, and vision. Flowers, herbs, and fruit will serve as our muse. Participants will gain techniques for expressing sensory and emotional observations through color and mark making.
Date TBD at Flight Path Press
Fumage is the technique of drawing with smoke or soot. This workshop reviews which materials are well suited for fumage drawing and introduces additive, subtractive, and stenciling methods that work well with this particular media. Participants will have a chance to explore the unique capacity of this medium to evoke meaning through hands-on practice and considering examples of artwork done using fumage.
Tailored
Tailored workshop offerings suit the interests and schedules of small groups made up of three to six people. All workshops are scheduled and priced in two-hour increments. Workshops are suitable for beginning and experienced artists alike unless otherwise noted. Tools and materials included.
All workshops over two hours can be designed to include an outdoor component! Whether your group is interested in gardening, foraging, ecology, or simply responding to inspiring or thought provoking outdoor spaces, workshops at Flight Path Press are designed to connect the artistic process to nature.
Contact Chelsea Herman by email at flightpathpress@gmail.com or by phone at
(831) 588-6661 to schedule a tailored workshop.
BOOKBINDING workshops introduce structures that make beautiful journals, sketchbooks, or enclosures for drawings, text, photographs or watercolor paintings.
DRAWING workshops lead participants in exercises that employ all five senses to practice using visual elements such as line, value, shape, volume, space, texture, and color to convey observations. The sprouting and drying, leafing and fruiting, branching and rooted plant world serve as muse.
PAPERMAKING workshops provide an opportunity to learn how different plants produce paper with different characteristics. Workshop offerings in sheet forming and sculptural techniques provide hands-on experience exploring the expressive potential of cotton, abaca, and hemp.
Past Offerings
Plant, Pulp, Paper: PAPER EDITIONS
This workshop focuses on editioning 11” X 14” sheets of handmade paper using a blend of cotton and hemp pulp and European-style sheet forming technique. Working in pairs or teams of three, we will produce enough paper for each participant to take home a small edition of twenty sheets ideal for bookbinding, letterpress, printmaking or drawing. A slide presentation of historical and contemporary examples hemp and cotton fiber in hand papermaking is included.
Papermaking: FLAX & LINEN
Session One
10AM - Noon
Processing flax; sheet forming with flax pulp.
Session Two
Noon - 2PM
Sheet forming and sculptural techniques with overbeaten raw flax.
Session Three
10AM - Noon
Processing linen rag; sheet forming with rag pulp.
Linen rag is made from the flax plant and is found in some of the earliest examples of papermaking. Both raw flax and linen cloth continue to be sought after papermaking materials for the crisp, durable sheets these produce. Papermaking: Flax & Linen workshop sessions will present historical and contemporary examples of making paper from flax and linen whilst transforming both raw flax and second hand linen cloth into quality paper to take home. Workshop sessions complement one another yet may be taken individually.
Papermaking: HEMP
Session One
Session Two
Session 1 focuses on processing hemp half stuff; sheet forming with hemp pulp.
Session 2 focuses on processing raw cut hemp; Sheet forming with raw cut hemp; sculptural techniques.
Hemp fiber yields a strong, even paper. Handmade paper from hemp is excellent for drawing, watercolor, stationary, and book arts. Papermaking: Hemp workshop sessions will present historical and contemporary examples of using hemp fiber here in the Midwest for cordage, textiles, and papermaking. Participants will learn how to prepare hemp for papermaking, practice Western-style sheet forming, and explore creative techniques while making a small edition of paper to take home.
Workshop sessions complement one another yet may be taken individually.
Papermaking: COTTON
Session 1 focuses on sheet forming with rag pulp; Incorporating watermarks.
Session 2 focuses on sheet forming with rag pulp; Incorporating color.
For centuries, cotton rag paper has been used for drawing, watercolor, stationary, and book arts. Papermaking: Cotton workshop sessions will explore historical and contemporary examples of making paper from rags and byproducts of the textile industry while transforming second hand cotton cloth into high quality paper to take home.
Workshop sessions complement one another yet may be taken individually.
Plant, Pulp, Paper: PULP PAINTING
Session 1 focuses on preparing a range of pulps for pulp painting. Participants will learn techniques for incorporating colorful pulps into handmade paper.
Session 2 focuses on creating poured sheets and large scale pulp paintings.
Plant, Pulp, Paper: PULP PAINTING introduces methods for preparing a range of colorful pulps using earth pigments, the natural hues of locally sourced plant fibers, recycled paper, and rag pulp. Participants will learn techniques for incorporating colorful pulps into handmade paper as the sheet is being formed and create their own pulp painting to take home.
Workshop sessions complement one another yet may be taken individually.
Plant, Pulp, Paper: CATTAIL
Session 1 focuses on collecting and preparing Cattail seed fiber; Sheet forming with Cattail seed fiber pulp
Session 2 focuses on collecting and preparing Cattail leaf fiber; Sheet forming with Cattail leaf fiber pulp
Plant, Pulp, Paper: CATTAIL workshop sessions begin outdoors learning about the life cyle of cattail and its many uses! We'll explore a few examples of this plant's significance within cultural and ecological contexts as well as where, when, and how to collect cattail suitable for papermaking. Participants will learn how to process cattail fiber and create a small edition of cattail paper to take home. Workshop sessions complement one another yet may be taken individually.