Ink and Identity: Teen Ink Drawing Workshop w/ artist Ashley Norman

We believe that by creating a space for the intersection of art and contemporary issues, we can inspire each other to stay curious, foster empathy, and fuel creativity.Learn more about ticketing policies for 3S Artspace.

3S Artspace

Ink and Identity: Teen Ink Drawing Workshop w/ Artist Ashley Norman Location: Performance Space 10:30am-12:30pm Registration: Member $40 / Non-Member $50 Ages 12 - 18

Stuck on what to draw? Start here.This hands-on workshop helps teens break through creative blocks using prompts, quick exercises, and brainstorming strategies that turn ideas into bold ink drawings.Working within the constraints of pen, ink, and paper, participants will experiment with both new and familiar approaches while creating a series of drawings that reflect their interests, identities, and inner worlds.Through short, fast, low-pressure prompts and brief brainstorming exercises, including mind mapping, students will practice generating ideas quickly, letting go of perfection, and simply getting started.All skill levels are welcome, from beginners to students looking to refresh their process or build their portfolios. Inspired by the ExhibitionThis workshop is inspired by Of All the Worlds We Could Have Dreamed by Sam Modder, currently on view at 3S Artspace.In Modder’s work, detailed pen drawings expand into large-scale, immersive environments filled with repeating forms, shifting characters, and layered stories.Participants will take a similar approach, starting small and building outward. Using simple materials, students will explore how drawings can evolve into characters, patterns, and imagined worlds that feel personal and unexpected. Sample PromptsParticipants may explore prompts such as:<ul><li>The Ghost of My Friends (Surrealist Game)</li><li>Suminagashi</li><li>Marble drawings (letting chance and motion guide the image)</li><li>Artist Trading Cards (ATCs): small works, big ideas</li><li>Meditative marks: explore repetition, rhythm, and flow</li></ul>Each prompt is a starting point. You decide where it goes. What Participants Do<ul><li>Generate ideas through prompt-based drawing exercises</li><li>Use mind mapping and quick brainstorming techniques</li><li>Experiment with line, pattern, and mark-making</li><li>Create multiple drawings instead of focusing on one</li><li>Explore both structured and open-ended approaches </li></ul>What Participants Leave With<ul><li>A series of finished ink drawings</li><li>A personal list of prompts to continue at home</li><li>New strategies for starting and sustaining creative work</li><li>Increased confidence in your ideas and process</li><li>Works-in-progress to revisit and develop further </li></ul>What to BringOptional: a sketchbook or reference images. Phones may be used for image references if needed, but this is also a great opportunity to work from your imagination and disconnect.

About Ashley Norman:Ashley Norman is an artist, educator, and community builder working under the pseudonym Ashley Normal. Her work explores connection, beauty hidden in the bizarre, and perfectly imperfect moments of everyday life through drawing, collage, and interdisciplinary practices.With over 18 years of experience across public, community, and higher education, she creates supportive environments where students can experiment, take risks, and build confidence. Her teaching centers on play, curiosity, and the belief that creativity grows through practice and the power of yet.

----3S Artspace is supported in part by grants from the <a href="https://www.nhcf.org/" title="https://www.nhcf.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">New Hampshire Charitable Foundation </a>and NHCF's Geoffrey E. Clark and Martha Fuller Clark Fund; and Little Bay Fund.Thank you to our lead sponsors: <a href="https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/psmac-ac-hotel-portsmouth-downtown-waterfront/overview/" title="https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/psmac-ac-hotel-portsmouth-downtown-waterfront/overview/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">AC Hotel Portsmouth</a>, <a href="https://www.livefreeandplay.com/" title="https://www.livefreeandplay.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">The Brook</a>, <a href="https://www.kane.co/" title="https://www.kane.co/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">The Kane Company</a>/<a href="https://www.tdmrk.com/" title="https://www.tdmrk.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Tidemark</a>, <a href="https://www.katzmancontemporaryprojects.com/" title="https://www.katzmancontemporaryprojects.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Katzman Contemporary Projects</a>, <a href="https://www.rakacreative.com/" title="https://www.rakacreative.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Raka</a>, <a href="https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/psmsi-sheraton-portsmouth-harborside-hotel/overview/" title="https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/psmsi-sheraton-portsmouth-harborside-hotel/overview/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel</a> and <a href="https://www.stirlingbrandworks.com/" title="https://www.stirlingbrandworks.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Stirling Brandworks</a>.

Agenda

Sign up or renew your Membership:  3sarts.org/membership

3S Artspace Members get discounted tickets! 

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

Ink and Identity: Teen Ink Drawing Workshop w/ artist Ashley Norman

More events from 3S Artspace

Discover more events from 3S Artspace, from Hobbies to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Portsmouth and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.

Ink and Identity: Teen Ink Drawing Workshop w/ artist Ashley Norman

More events from 3S Artspace

Discover more events from 3S Artspace, from Hobbies to other experiences you might love.

You might also like...

Browse more events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Portsmouth and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.