Two-Day Printmaking Workshop at Fifth Street Studio

Art Ladders: The Creative Climb with Valerie Allen and Armin Mersmann is an organization that includes a podcast for artists and creatives, workshops  and classes as well as motivational content on social media.

Art Ladders: The Creative Climb

Experiment with gel plates, collographs and monotypes in Val's studio space.

1406 E Pine St

Art Ladders Classes

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Join the Print-a-thon!Saturday June 28 and Sunday June 29. Both days 10am-4pm.Valerie is opening her studio space once again this summer inside Fifth Street Artists for a workshop with very limited spots available. Be prepared to create in a setting that is industrial and a bit rough around the edges and gives the vibe of a warehouse because it is! Wear your art aprons and dress for summer weather in Michigan. On the first day of the workshop, we will break for lunch where you can choose to join us at the 702 Bar which has a long history of serving the workers of our neighbor, Dow Chemical (great taco salads and burgers) and on the second day we will order pizza to have a round table art discussion while we eat. If this sounds like a different kind of workshop you are exactly right. If you can handle uneven floors and imperfect restrooms then please think about living like a bohemian artist for the weekend of June 28 and 29 from 10am-4pm.Immerse yourself in the world of printmaking, including monotypes, collagraphs, watercolor prints, and collage fodder, during this exciting two-day workshop led by artist Valerie Allen. This workshop offers a hands-on experience using Gelli-Arts Gel Printing Plates and an Italian mini-printing press, allowing you to create spontaneous monotypes and embossed collagraphs. Valerie Allen, a Certified Golden Working Artist, will guide you through the process of using stencils, cut and torn shapes, landscape references, and natural materials to create prints with slow-drying acrylic paints and watercolors on various printing papers. Workshop will be at Fifth Street Studio in Geisler Enterprises, 1406 Pine Street, Midland, MI behind the main building at Bay 11.Day One -- Valerie will kick off the day with demonstrations, as the class begins to explore monotypes and collagraphs. Each student will receive a Gelli-plate and brayer to use during the workshop. The Italian mini-press will be shared among participants.Collagraph plates will be crafted using textures like acrylic pastes and gels to allow for drying time in preparation for printing on Day Two. Mat board and gels will be provided.Watercolor and small plexiglass plate will be provided for Aqua Prints.Day Two -- We will start by preparing the printing papers with unique torn edges and soaking the collagraph paper for printing. We will learn a special registration technique for the Gelli-Plates to enhance your printing experience. The day will be filled with excitement as your images come to life during the printing process.All printing materials, including printing papers, acrylic and watercolor paints, gels, pastes, and brayers, and plates will be provided for the workshop. Just bring your curiosity and creative spirit for two days of experimentation and enjoyment. Check the supply list for additional materials to bring along.Supply List for PrintmakingBallpoint or felt tip pen for notes and pencil for sketching.Notebook or sketchbook and a newsprint pad 16x20 to slip leaf completed prints.Scissors, blue tape and baby wipes for clean-up.Two palette knives and/or painting knives. These can be plastic.Brushes: bring your favorites. Valerie likes to include a filbert #4 as the small brush and #8 filbert for the larger brush. If you have a fan brush, you can use it for blending. Less expensive synthetic and even foam brushes work best.Paper towels and 10 paper or Styrofoam plates.Water container -medium size- and spray bottle.Apron or paint shirt..Paper bag for trash.Each day there will be an hour lunch break from 1 - 2 pm.

Valerie Allen is a visual artist living in Michigan. She received her BFA from University of Cincinnati, associate degree in interior design from Delta College, and post-graduate studies at Central Michigan University. She was the curator of Studio 23 in Bay City, Michigan and is currently a certified working artist for Golden Artist Colors of New Berlin, New York. Allen is a podcast co-host of Art Ladders: The Creative Climb with Valerie Allen and Armin Mersmann.Allen has exhibited nationally including the Chicago Biennial, New American Drawing in Santa Fe, New Mexico and the National Collage Society in Massachusetts. Recently her work was shown at Site: Brooklyn in New York and her paintings were included in the American Abstract Painters exhibit for the 25th anniversary of the Lore Degenstein Gallery at Susquehanna University, Pennsylvania.Valerie Allen has lectured across Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana on painting with acrylics. These lectures are presented at art departments, art guilds, art stores and associations. She has taught art at Delta College, Kirtland Community College, Alpena Community College, Northwood University, Midland Center for the Arts, Studio 23, Bloomfield Birmingham Art Center, all in Michigan, and conducted workshops throughout the Midwest.Allen has juried exhibits in the Midwest, including Anton Art Center’s Michigan Annual XLVIII, Ann Arbor Women Artists Summer Show, Midwest National Abstract Art Exhibition by Indiana’s Southside Art League and was the juror for the 2021 Great Northern International Art Explosion. She has attended artists residencies at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Wave Pool Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio and Sam and Adele Golden Foundation in New Berlin, New York, Port Austin Residency program in Michigan, and Golden Apple Residency in Maine. In June 2022, she received Great Lakes Bay Region Artist of the Year from Saginaw Arts.Please email me with any questions or suggestions if you work in other mediums other than acrylic. valerieallenart@gmail.com

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