TOUCHSTONE CENTER FOR CRAFTS 
The natural setting for your creative nature
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  • Touchstone Gift Certificate

    • 01 Jan 2013
    • 31 Dec 2013
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    Register

    Give the Gift of Craft!


    Do you have a significant other in your life that is looking to expand their artistic horizons? Are you looking for the ultimate gift for the serious maker in your life? As you know, Touchstone is the only residential craft school in Pennsylvania offering an unparalleled creative experience for aspiring amateurs and professional artisans alike. Give the gift certificate that will enable them to pursue their passion. 


    Gift certificates can be applied to all workshop related fees, lodging and meals packages, and/or purchases in our Bea Campbell Gallery Store and the Iron Gate Gallery.


    Terms and Conditions of Touchstone Gift Certificates


    Contact Touchstone at info@touchstonecrafts.org or call 724.329.1370 if you have any questions about this wonderful gift opportunity. 

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  • Jazzed About Art VIII: Artwork Donation Online Form

    • 08 May 2013
    • 10 Sep 2013
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    Register
    Jazzed About Art VIII will be held on Saturday, October 5, at the Touchstone Center for Crafts campus. All works included in the auction will be previewed on our website several weeks before the event, and all donors will be acknowledged in the event program and on the Touchstone website. A wide range of media coverage, including news articles and video reports, is expected, making this a great opportunity to have your work further recognized as you demonstrate your support of Touchstone. Monies raised will continue to underwrite our programs and improvements to our campus.

    Please complete this Artwork Donation Online Form by clicking the "Register" button at the left side of the screen. We must receive your piece(s) by September 10th for inclusion on the website and in the program. If you plan to be on campus before September 10th, you can drop your piece(s) off at the Blaney Lodge office, or you can arrange a pickup by contacting one of the people listed below. You will receive a complimentary admission to Jazzed About Art VIII in appreciation of your donation, and we hope that you will join us for the event.

    > Adrienne Heinrich: 724.327.0547 | adrienneart@windstream.net
    > Terry Seya: 412.952.0107 | teruyo@verizon.net
    > Adam Kenney: 724.329.1370 | akenney@touchstonecrafts.org
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  • Jazzed About Art VIII Sponsorship Form

    • 21 May 2013
    • 30 Sep 2013
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    Register

    Jazzed About Art VIII Sponsorship


    Jazzed About Art VIII is an afternoon of visual, musical, and culinary creativity. Arts enthusiasts will find myriad original artworks for bid during the event’s live and silent auctions. Our auction provides one of the best offerings of original artworks, from oil paintings to iron work to ceramic vessels. Imaginative and delicious hors d’oeuvres by Chef Roger Clatterbuck are provided, along with complimentary wine and beer. The event unfolds in Touchstone’s beautiful Blaney Lodge amidst the stunning seasonal foliage that makes autumn in the Laurel Highlands so celebrated.

     

    If you would like to sponsor Jazzed About Art VIII, please complete the online form. If you have any questions, please contact me by phone at 615.275.9234 or by email at akenney@touchstonecrafts.org.

     

    We invite you to deepen your relationship with Pennsylvania’s only residential craft school, and help Touchstone generate the financial support needed to remain one of the region’s most dynamic arts and cultural assets. 
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  • Legs + Top = Table?

    • 17 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 21 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    June 17–24
    Legs + Top = Table?
    Instructor: Greg Gehner
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    A table may simply be straight legs supporting a flat surface, but this class aims at transcending that austere definition. While exploring forging and fabricating techniques, the goal will be to design and build a unique small table with some repeating element. We will investigate both making and simulating connections and transitions utilizing forged and fabricated parts, as well as building jigs to produce nearly exact multiples. Looking at examples of historic and contemporary designs, we will work to integrate each student’s tabletop and “legs” into a cohesive aesthetic expression. Materials will be available for tabletops, but students may bring their own if so inclined.

    Greg Gehner grew up on a farm in central Illinois where his first metals experience was straightening old nails to fix fences and build tree houses. The broken-nosed anvil that was on the farm was only really used as a step-stool for exploring bolt bins in a soggy old machine shed. Experimenting with welding with a high school art project later led Greg into a sculpture program and eventually to metalsmithing and blacksmithing at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He continues to explore his own sculptural and functional metalwork for exhibition and sale. Encouraged by some substantial metalwork opportunities, Greg transitioned into a full-time metalsmith. In 2005, he established Transit Forge with a move to northwestern Pennsylvania, where he continues to forge and fabricate a variety of sculptural, functional, and architectural metalwork from his shop in Cambridge Springs.
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  • Glass Beadmaking Basics

    • 17 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 21 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    This workshop has been closed and is no longer open for enrollment.

    June 17–21

    Glass Beadmaking Basics

    Instructor: Joy Knepp

    Beginner–Intermediate | $500

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    Using glass rods and a torch as our paintbrush, we will create miniature works of art: glass beads. Basic techniques will be taught, from lighting the torch safely to making a variety of bead shapes. Designs that will be covered over the week include round beads, bicones, and lentils, as well as more free-form sculptural shapes. Students will explore the magic of color in glass by encasing colors with transparent glass, and using metals such as copper and silver in the glass. At week’s end, students will have a treasure trove of beads and sculptural glass forms with which to make one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces. In this dynamic workshop, we will use 104 COE glass (such as Meretti and Vetrofond), a variety of tools, copper and silver leaf, reduction frits, and enamels.

     

    Joy Knepp has been working in glass since 2003. She is a member of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB) and the 3 Rivers Glass Beadmakers. She has a visual art and arts education degree from Pennsylvania State University, and has been an art teacher for 22 years in the Shanksville–Stonycreek School District.

     

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  • Pouring Vessels and Cups: Atmospheric Effects for Electric Firing

    • 17 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 21 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 0

    This workshop is filled to capacity! 
    Please contact the office at 724.329.1370 to add your name to the waiting list for this workshop. No deposit is required to be placed on the waiting list. Should a space become available, waiting list students will be contacted in order by which they joined the list. Upon notification that a space is available, waiting list students must pay the $35 non-refundable processing fee, plus full tuition balance to guarantee their space in class; otherwise, the next person waiting will be contacted.


    June 17–21

    Pouring Vessels and Cups: Atmospheric Effects for Electric Firing

    Instructor: Steven Hill

    Intermediate –Advanced | $800

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    In this workshop, we will throw and alter pitchers and mugs, and will work with decorative slip. The instructor will discuss his philosophy of making pottery, while throwing, assembling, and decorating the forms and techniques for which he is well known. The focus will be on spouts, handles, forms, and surfaces, and the relationship between these elements. When glazing, we will address ways to achieve the kind of richness and surface variation in electric kilns that potters have come to associate with fuel-burning kilns and reduction firing. The goal is not to imitate reduction, but to set the stage so that multiple layered glazes can interact with each other in the firing. The basic techniques of spraying and the more advanced theories of layering and blending glazes will be addressed. We will fire at cone 6 oxidation. Demonstrations will be on throwing and assembly, but hand-builders are welcome as well.

     

    Steven Hill earned his BFA from Kansas State University in 1973 and has been a studio potter since 1975. His work is exhibited and sold in nationally juried shows, and featured in many ceramics books. He has conducted nearly 200 workshops throughout the United States and Canada, and has written many ceramics articles. In 1998, Steven co-founded Red Star Studios Ceramic Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and he co-founded Center Street Clay in Sandwich, Illinois, in 2006. He is currently doing what he does best: making pots, writing about ceramics, teaching workshops, and letting someone else take care of business!

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  • Powerful and Beautiful Imagery: Black and White Film Photography Film Intensive

    • 17 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 21 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    This workshop has been closed and is no longer open for enrollment.

    June 17–21
    Powerful and Beautiful Imagery: Black-and-White Film Photography Intensive
    Instructor: Richard Stoner
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    I love black-and-white, and you will too! Immerse yourself in the powerful and beautiful imagery of black-and-white film-based photography. Whether you have never tried the medium or would like to return to a lost love, this weeklong class will provide the complete experience, from the use of simple to advanced film cameras, film processing, printing on fine-art silver-based fiber paper, toning, and matting and mounting the finished photograph. This is a “soup to nuts” class in which amateur and experienced students will progress at their own pace. Cameras will be provided, from fun-filled medium format point-and-shoot types to advanced medium format and exceptional 8x10 view cameras, along with high-quality black-and-white film. A well-equipped darkroom and studio will allow the student to produce exceptional prints and learn museum-quality print presentation techniques. Off-campus field trips will provide varied creative venues for photography. Students need only bring enthusiasm. All materials will be supplied at a modest at-cost fee.

    Richard Stoner’s career has included more than 150 exhibitions nationally and internationally, including exhibits in New York, Rome, Spoleto, and Scotland. His work is in the permanent collections of the Allentown Art Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, as well as in numerous corporate and private collections. During this period, he has worked almost exclusively with medium and large format cameras, especially the 8x10 format. Richard teaches at Seton Hill University and at St. Vincent College.


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  • Fabric + Fabrication = Jewelry

    • 17 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 21 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    This workshop has been closed and is no longer open for enrollment.


    June 17–21
    Fabric + Fabrication = Jewelry
    Instructor: Renee Zettle-Sterling
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Within the last decade, there has been a growing resurgence of artists working with fiber. This revival has also influenced the jewelry/metalsmithing world in a profound way. This workshop will explore themes of nostalgia, recycle/reuse, and playfulness. The participants will be introduced to fiber techniques such as sewing, needle felting, and paper casting, along with metalsmithing techniques such as cold connection, soldering, piercing, and surface embellishment. There will also be a strong focus on how formal concerns such as scale, repetition, texture, asymmetry, and weight create meaning within a piece.

    Renee Zettle-Sterling earned her MA in jewelry metalsmithing and her MFA in sculpture/installation from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, and her BFA in papermaking/fibers from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Zettle-Sterling teaches Three-Dimensional Design, Jewelry/Metalsmithing, and Sculpture at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. Her studio practice and research explores the influence of everyday objects in transitioning through the difficult process of grief/mourning, and examines how mourning and commemoration are contained within objects and our constructed systems. She has shown her work widely, both nationally and internationally, and it has been published in many of the 500 Series published by Lark Books, Metalsmith magazine, and American Craft Magazine. Zettle-Sterling is president-elect of the Society of North American Goldsmiths, an international nonprofit organization that advances contemporary metalwork and jewelry.

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  • Around the World in Five Days: An Artful Tour of the Global Cultures

    • 17 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 21 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 11
    Register
    June 17–21
    Around the World in Five Days: An Artful Tour of the Global Cultures
    Instructor: Matt Yeomans
    $250
    Weeklong Workshop

    The workshop will be a creative survey of art making from a variety of cultures both nearby and far away. Activities might include outdoor Ikebana installations, Afghani kite making, or paper lanterns. This extremely fun and hands-on workshop will help students understand how a wide variety of peoples around the planetundefinedand down the streetundefinedinterpret their world through making.

    Matthew Yeomans     is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a degree in arts education. He has spent the last three years working as a studio resident at Touchstone Center for Crafts, and has used that time to hone his skills in the art of blacksmithing, a trade that he began at the age of 17. In 2012, Matt taught several youth workshops for a variety of school-age children and young adults, and received very positive feedback from participating children and parents alike. Touchstone is excited to bring Matt back to lead several more youth workshop in 2013.
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  • The Transparent World of Watercolor

    • 17 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 21 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 7
    Register
    June 17–21
    The Transparent World of Watercolor
    Instructor: Ron Thurston
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Explore the transparent world of watercolor. Learn to create exciting paintings by combining spontaneity with a few basic technical skills. Personal expression and a number of other fun and positive topics will be discussed and/or demonstrated in this weeklong workshop. This is not a demonstration/imitation workshop; rather, lessons will be designed to encourage new students to try new color and compositional approaches that will spark ordinary subjects into exciting paintings. A casual and friendly atmosphere makes this Touchstone workshop a rewarding experience.

    Ron Thurston is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society and a past president of the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society. He is a founding member of Pittsburgh Underwater, an exhibiting group of five who started Watercolors Gallery in the heart of Pittsburgh’s downtown Cultural District, a gallery that lasted for ten years. Ron has won three Aqueous Open Best of Shows and a Grumbacher Gold Medal. After selecting his painting in the 2008 Aqueous, Linda Doll of San Diego wrote, "The first-place award is one of the best I’ve ever juried undefined good design, good color, creativity, all in one fabulous painting." Ron has been accepted into this year's Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors. He also won an award and has been accepted into the first three Signature American Watercolor Exhibitions at Fallbrook Art Center, Fallbrook, California. Ron has a long career as a commercial artist, at design firms in the advertising market, and in the personal commission field, where his reputation as one of the area’s premier watercolor painters brings many buyers to his work. Ron’s favorite borrowed philosophy comes from artist Henry Koerner: "If you do something with love, love looks back at you." He has juried national shows and currently teaches watercolor workshops at Sweetwater Center for the Arts and Touchstone.

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  • Working Large and Small: Tool Making for the Metalsmith

    • 24 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 28 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 8
    Register
    June 24–28
    Working Large and Small: Tool Making for the Metalsmith
    Instructors: Bob Rupert and Jan Loney
    Intermediate–Advance | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Join metalsmiths Bob Rupert and Jan Loney for a creative adventure in practical and decorative tool making. This class is for metal artists whether they are working small or large-scale; students will learn basic tool making skills and how to use these tools to add decorative style to their artwork. Working in the blacksmith shop, students will begin by making their own punches, chisels, chasing tools, and stamps, as well as learning techniques such as forging, hardening, and tempering of tool steel. We will use these tools in small-scale wearable jewelry as well as in larger-scale two- and three-dimensional sculptural works. Demonstrations of techniques such as fold-forming, chasing and repousse, forge welding, and construction of a one-brick forge will round out our week.

    Bob Rupert’s bio can be found under the workshop Knife Making 101.

    Jan Loney is a metal artist whose work takes on a variety of forms and scale. Her designs and work run the gamut from decorative to functional, and quite often embody both. Jan is skilled at teaching students to create jewelry and metalwork using varied skills and materials. Her students have created artwork ranging from traditional jewelry to large-scale murals, garden sculptures, found object works, and self-portraits.



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  • Covered Jars: Atmospheric Effects for Electric Firing

    • 24 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 28 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 0
    This workshop is filled to capacity! 
    Please contact the office at 724.329.1370 to add your name to the waiting list for this workshop. No deposit is required to be placed on the waiting list. Should a space become available, waiting list students will be contacted in order by which they joined the list. Upon notification that a space is available, waiting list students must pay the $35 non-refundable processing fee, plus full tuition balance to guarantee their space in class; otherwise, the next person waiting will be contacted. 


    June 24–28

    Covered Jars: Atmospheric Effects for Electric Firing

    Instructor: Steven Hill

    Intermediate –Advanced | $800

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    In this workshop, we will focus on lids, how to make them fit, and the visual relationship between the lid and the pot. Most thrown pots with lids are variations on two basic types. The gallery can either be located on the rim of the pot or on the edge of the lid. When glazing, we will address ways to achieve the kind of richness and surface variation in electric kilns that potters have come to associate with fuel-burning kilns and reduction firing. The goal is not to imitate reduction, but to set the stage so that multiple layered glazes can interact with each other in the firing. The basic techniques of spraying and the more advanced theories of layering and blending glazes will be addressed. We will fire at cone 6 oxidation. This will be an intermediate-to-advanced workshop. Demonstrations will be on throwing and assembly, but hand-builders are welcome as well.

     

    Steven Hill’s bio can be found under the workshop description for Pouring Vessels and Cups: Atmospheric Effects for Electric Firing.

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  • Wood & Soapstone Sculpture

    • 24 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 28 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 7
    Register
    June 24–28
    Wood and Soapstone Sculpture
    Instructor: Chris Pollins Shackelford
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Using a very organic and experiential approach, explore carving in your choice of wood or stoneundefinedor both! Discover abundant potential in subtractive sculpture. Transform a three- to four-foot hardwood log into a finished sculpture. Discover your voice inside a piece of soapstone. Simplify your vision by breaking through to the core of the material. In this class, you will develop efficient, proper, and safe use of a minimum number of hand tools. Learn how to choose your wood/stone, begin a dialogue with your chosen material, evolve your piece, and enhance the circularity of three-dimensional sculptures. History, finishes, bases, and multimedia options will be explored.

    Chris Shackelford, a sculptor since 1987, earned a BS in philosophy from the University of Michigan and a BFA in sculpture from the Virginia Commonwealth University. Chris also studied at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, D.C., and at Parsons Paris. She has taught at VCU, Corcoran, Touchstone, and Jacksonville Center, among others. Chris served as founding director of educational programming at the Jacksonville Center for the Arts from 2000 to 2007, and currently serves as founding director of Chestnut Creek School of the Arts in Galax, Virginia.
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  • Nature Printing: New and Traditional with Flora and Sun

    • 24 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 28 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 5
    Register
    June 24–28
    Nature Printing: New and Traditional with Flora and Sun
    Instructor: Gudrun Garkisch
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This workshop teaches traditional as well as new techniques for directly transferring the design of leaves, grasses, ferns, and feathers to paper and fabric. The traditional nature printing technique involves rolling ink or brushing paint on a natural object, placing it on a surface, and applying pressure with hands, feet, a rolling pin, or an etching press to transfer the image. As an alternative plate for hand printing, we will ink a gelatine plate. An inexpensive new technique has been added: solar exposure facilitated by acrylic paint. (Note: This is different from commercially available kits.) The techniques can be applied to scientific or imaginative illustrations, or used for decorative purposes. Using what you will learn in this class, you can illustrate a garden or travel log, your diary, children’s books, or poetry; print notecards; or decorate your walls, your clothing, or your table and bed linens. Materials fee is $15.00. A limited scholarship for this workshop is available through the Robert Little Scholarship Fund.

    Gudrun Garkisch studied with Robert Little and continues in his tradition of teaching at Touchstone, where he re-introduced the art of nature printing to America. Gudrun has been printing for 30 years and has participated in juried international exhibits and won statewide awards. She is a member of the international Nature Printing Society and the Pittsburgh Print Group, and has conducted classes for diverse civic centers, YWCAs, and workshops at the annual meeting of the Nature Printing Society. Gudrun was the 1996 Touchstone Artist of the Year.

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  • Casting Without Equipment

    • 24 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 28 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    This workshop has been closed and is no longer open for enrollment.


    June 24–28
    Casting without Equipment
    Instructor: Jennifer Townsend
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Lost wax casting is an ancient technology that is still a staple of the jewelry industry today. In lost wax casting, wax models are transformed into metal. Wax carving is very low-tech and can be done anywhere with limited tooling. This workshop is designed for people interested in using cast elements in their work, but who don’t have their own casting equipment. Primarily, we will work on wax carving, but we will discuss everything from finding a caster to finishing the metal casting. Casting houses are common and offer a terrific service for both professionals who want to outsource this part of their process and hobbyists who want to cast but don’t own the required equipment. We will cover everything from the creation of the original model to finding a caster, to finishing the metal part. This class is fun and informative for every skill level.

    Jen Townsend is a full-time studio jeweler living and working in Pittsford, New York. She specializes in custom jewelry and spends time pursuing her own designs, which range from the wearable to the sculptural. Her work can be seen in Art Jewelry Today 2 and 500 Gemstone Jewels, and is in the permanent collection of The Imperial War Museum.

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  • Experimental Watercolors

    • 24 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 28 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 4
    Register
    June 24–28
    Experimental Watercolors
    Instructor: Kathleen Zimbicki
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    The week will be varied and is guaranteed to be full of fun. Experiment with the wide variety of techniques available to the watercolor artist. Explore traditional and nontraditional methods like collage with watercolor, ink with watercolor, image resists, image stamping, carbon drawings with watercolor, and more. The work in black and white on the first day of the workshop will quickly blossom into an active laboratory of techniques and colors. Students will work in Touchstone’s Robert Little Studio, which cantilevers over McIntire Run stream, and/or they can engage in plein air painting on the woodland campus to take full advantage of the natural setting (weather permitting).

    Kathleen Cochran Zimbicki is an artist, teacher, arts advocate, and gallery founder. She has received numerous honors and awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh’s Annual Exhibition Award from Laura Hoptman, and was chosen by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as "One of the 50 Cultural Leaders of Pittsburgh." Her work has also been exhibited regionally and internationally. Kathleen founded and directed Pittsburgh’s Z Gallery, which was named "Best Gallery" by City Paper and its Pittsburgh readers and staff. As a teacher, she has instructed both children and adults from Pittsburgh to Spain and France.

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  • Mobiles: Sculpture Up in the Air

    • 24 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 28 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 7
    Register
    June 24–28
    Mobiles: Sculpture Up in the Air
    Instructor: Anna Loney
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Learn the principles, as seen in the revolutionary work of Alexander Calder, that can lend motion to sculpture. Students will work with simple hand tools and processes to cut and form wire and sheet metal. Everyone will learn about the Beverly shear and the Whitney punch, and that all pliers are not created equal. Ultimately, we will begin building in mid-air, with lots of room for artistic interpretation. This is a balancing act, wind power not included. Warning: This class may be habit-forming, and your friends will be begging you to make mobiles for them.

    Anna Loney has been learning about metal and making metal objects, trifles, hardware, sculpture, utensils, jewelry, tools, and even a little art for long enough that she can’t quit now. See loneymetalworks.com for a portfolio of images. Her studies at the Cleveland Institute of Art, a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University, internships, and employment with metalsmiths provided her beginnings. A near obsession with the varied work of sculptor Alexander Calder, inventor of the mobile, is the inspiration for this year’s Touchstone class.

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  • Outsider Art: Making Artworks Using the Natural World

    • 24 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 28 Jun 2013
    • 4:30 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 5
    Register
    June 24–28
    Outsider Art: Making Artworks Using the Natural World
    Instructor: Matt Yeomans
    $250
    Weeklong Workshop

    This workshop will unfold both in Sarah’s Studio and out on Touchstone’s beautiful woodland campus. Beyond making art from natural materials found on campus, the student will create site-specific art installations that integrate the beauty of the 33-acre natural canvas. Twigs, rocks, leaves, and other flora are abundant on campus and will be the tools of the art trade in this imaginative journey.

    Matt Yeoman’s bio can be found with the workshop Around the World in Five Days: An Artful Tour of the Global Cultures    .
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  • Transforming the 2D Fabric Surface into 3D Sculpture

    • 24 Jun 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 28 Jun 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    This workshop has been closed and is no longer open for enrollment.


    June 24–28
    Transforming the 2D Fabric Surface into 3D Sculpture
    Instructor: Leisa Rich
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This is an exciting, exploratory, textile surface design class suitable for everyone… with a brand-new twist! We will experiment with a versatile material called Fosshape that just came out on the art/craft market, in addition to using traditional cottons and other fabrics, as the base for a variety of monoprinting methods that will inject rich color into the surfaces. Several manipulative techniques that will be demonstrated in the workshop, such as stamping, stenciling, and hand painting, will be added to heighten color, dimension, and contrast. We will use the Fosshape cloth, a steamer provided by the studio, and an inexpensive heat embossing gun that students will bring, to turn the Fosshape into a gorgeous, three-dimensional vessel. Basic hand embroidery stitches will further transform the flat to dimensional and the smooth to textural. Each student will leave with a fantastic length of cloth perfect for inspired projects to be completed at home, as well as a finished, sculptural vessel!

    Leisa Rich draws from art and fiber art techniques and includes an array of new materials, detritus, Free Motion machine embroidery, and sewing to form her dimensional 2D, sculptural, and installation works. She holds an MFA, a BFA, and a bachelor of education in art degree. Leisa has been featured on the PBS artist special In Context, and in many books, magazines, blog interviews, and more, and she exhibits internationally. She has won prestigious awards. Leisa teaches in colleges, arts centers, educational institutions, and her studio. Previous experience includes international fashion design, set design, a wearable art business, and serving as an art school director. Extreme medical challenges and growing up in rural Canada instilled in Leisa a passion for creating whimsical environments and dimensional artworks inspired by nature in which to escape from the demands of the frenetic life we lead. Leisa's Neo-Surrealist art quilts, massive installations and sculptures, fantastical gardens and morphed trash creatures, and interactive pieces create a wonderful world that draws viewers in to the experience. Much of Leisa’s current work is viewer-interactive; multiple pieces can be pulled off and placed on by viewers, giving them the satisfaction of entering Leisa’s world and altering it to create their own story. Leisa recently completed a permanent, viewer-interactive installation for the Dallas Museum of Art. See her work at www.monaleisa.com.
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  • Introduction to Making Jewelry with Iron

    • 08 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 12 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 11
    Register
    July 8–12
    Introduction to Making Jewelry with Iron
    Instructor: Dauvit Alexader
    Intermediate | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This workshop will explore the exciting potential of iron and steel as a jewelry material. We will cover all the technical issues arising from using iron and its alloys as a jewelry metal. The instructor will show makers how to create jewelry from iron, both as the primary construction material and in conjunction with precious metal, gemstones, and found objects. We will cover such diverse topics as micro-forging, soldering iron, combining iron and precious metals, cleaning and polishing iron, setting stones directly into iron, and making iron boxes.

    Dauvit Alexander is an experienced instructor from Glasgow, Scotland, who works primarily in iron. He combines it with silver, found objects, and precious stones to create works that combine contemporary values with traditional skills and forms. His work has been featured in Metalsmith magazine (August 2013), the SNAG Gothic Jewelry show at SOFA Chicago and the Metals Museum (2012), and the Ferrous exhibition at Velvet da Vinci (2013), as well as in many recent books on contemporary jewelry.
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  • Metal Fabrication for Sculpture and Assemblage

    • 08 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 12 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 7
    This workshop is filled to capacity! 

    Please contact the office at 724.329.1370 to add your name to the waiting list for this workshop. No deposit is required to be placed on the waiting list. Should a space become available, waiting list students will be contacted in order by which they joined the list. Upon notification that a space is available, waiting list students must pay the $35 non-refundable processing fee, plus full tuition balance to guarantee their space in class; otherwise, the next person waiting will be contacted.


    July 8–12
    Metal Fabrication for Sculpture and Assemblage
    Instructor: Eli Kessler
    Beginner–Intermediate | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    During this course, students will design and create a sculpture that implements basic skills of steel fabrication. Techniques will include metal cutting, bending, welding, and finishing. Students will incorporate found materials and investigate mixed-media approaches and will explore various sculpture traditions such as assemblage, site-specific installation, and traditional object-based sculpture.

    Eli Kessler is a practicing sculptor and educator. He has exhibited his artwork at Kim Foster Gallery in New York City; Washington Projects for the Arts in Washington, D.C.; Franklin Institute Science Museum; University of Pennsylvania; and University of Virginia. He has taught fine art at Virginia Commonwealth University, Seton Hill University, Westmoreland County Community College, and California University of Pennsylvania.
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  • Baskets from Nature

    • 08 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 12 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 7
    Register
    July 8–12
    Baskets From Nature   
    Instructor: Judy Appleby
    All Levels | $500 | Materials Fee: TBD

    Come explore weaving baskets using antlers, driftwood, and other found objects. All students will begin the week by weaving a basket using a piece of driftwood as a handle. Each student will move forward into the week’s work guided by their individual passion, creativity, and skill. Rib basketry techniques will be taught, and students will learn the basics of basket setup, drilling techniques, and design and layout. Working with asymmetrical objects challenges both design and construction. Students will gain confidence and will be able to take pride in their one-of-a-kind baskets, and will end their week at Touchstone with a sense of accomplishment.

    Judy Appleby has been weaving baskets for over 25 years. She maintains a personal studio in her home. It has been her good fortune to participate in advanced basketry workshops along the East Coast with local, and nationally and internationally known, basketweavers. Early in her career, her weaving consisted of traditional forms of basketry. Recently, however, Judy has developed a style and an interest in adding antlers and branches to her free form basketry style. Natural materials and found objects add variety, color, and texture to the work. Her baskets reflect quality craftsmanship, strength and beauty while maintaining functionality and purpose, which are all important to Judy. She especially enjoys teaching and demonstrating, and sharing her years of experience freely. Her work has been juried and has won numerous awards.
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  • Crystalline Glazes for Cone 6

    • 08 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 12 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 7
    Register

    July 8–12

    Crystalline Glazes for Cone 6

    Instructor: William Schran

    Intermediate–Advanced | $500

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    Have you ever wondered how crystalline glazes are produced? This hands-on workshop will focus on the process of producing crystalline glazes at cone 6 with emphasis on wheel-thrown forms that are best suited to display this unique glaze. Students will learn how crystalline glazes are different from any other type of glaze, how to prepare pots for firing, how to apply the glaze, how to fire the glaze, and how to finish the pot post-firing. Students with intermediate wheel-throwing skills will be taught techniques to develop new skills, while those with advanced skills will be encouraged to refine their skills and develop their own style. Students should bring six to ten bisqued pots made from a smooth white clay body with a 3- to 4-inch foot diameter.

     

    Bill Schran is the Assistant Dean of Fine Arts at Northern Virginia Community College, where he developed the ceramics program and has taught ceramics for 35 years. He earned his BA at Frostburg University and his MFA from George Washington University. Bill has written three articles about his crystalline glaze process for national ceramics magazines, contributed a chapter to the book 21st Century Kilns by Mel Jacobson, and has had several solo shows of his pottery. He has participated in several international exhibitions, and has been invited to exhibit and give a workshop presentation at Cristalls 2013, an exhibit and conference on crystalline glazes held in Spain.

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  • Re-use, Re-cycle, Re-purpose: New Art from Old Stuff

    • 08 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 12 Jul 2013
    • 4:30 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 7
    Register
    July 8–12
    Re-use, Re-cycle, Re-purpose: New Art from Old Stuff
    Instructor: Bridget Mayak
    $250
    Weeklong Workshop

    Who would have thought that what we throw away can have a new life as interesting and beautiful art? Whether through making a sculptural basket from reclaimed newspaper, or a two-foot-tall chicken from cut up plastic bottles, kids (and adults) will explore how they can make a positive environmental impact through the creative process. Keep it out of the landfill and in the art gallery!

    Bridget Mayak has been the primary coordinator of youth programs at Touchstone for many years. Beyond her accomplishments as an experienced arts educator in the regional public education system, she is an accomplished ceramics artist who continues to develop her skill set and body of work. Bridget was Touchstone’s 2010 Artist of the Year, an honor that recognized her accomplishments as an artist and her service to the organization’s arts education outreach.
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  • Jolt Your Water Media Vocabulary

    • 08 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 12 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    July 8–12
    Jolt Your Water Media Vocabulary
    Instructor: Sue Pollins
    All Levels* | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This workshop will help you take your water media painting to another level. The week will encourage technical as well as aesthetic and philosophic sensibilities. Subject matter will vary from still life to woodland scenes to stream of consciousness: your choice. Experiments and demonstrations will abound as ways of putting paint down, lifting it up, and adding to it, including integrated surfaces as some collage is introduced. Instructor will provide materials needed beyond your usual paints and paper. Bring failed paintings as well as unused paper as starting places along with any water-soluble pencils, crayons, and pastels, markers you already own, plus curiosity about how to make new and different marks. Our goal is to expand ideas, correct weaknesses, and add content and excitement to our paintings. *Basic watercolor experience needed but all beyond beginners are welcome.

    Sue Pollins earned her BS in painting from the University of Michigan, and taught elementary and junior high art. She also taught workshops and/or classes at Seton Hill University, Penn State University, the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art in Ligonier, the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, and Chestnut Creek School of the Arts. She is an artist in the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Arts in Education Program, having completed 35+ such residencies in five counties. Sue is a member and past president of the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society, Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, and Associated Artists of Pittsburgh. Her work has been exhibited in juried regional exhibits as well as nationally and internationally, and she has paintings in the collections of the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art and the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, as well as in private and corporate collections. The Greensburg Area Cultural Council named her “Artist of the Year” in 1999, and the Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations awarded her “The Heart and Soul Award of Merit for Individual Achievement” in 2002 for her work with the Westmoreland. Touchstone named her “Artist of the Year” in 2009. As an arts advocate, she has served on Touchstone’s board of directors, as well as on the boards of several galleries, and as a museum docent for 22 years.


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  • Translucent Polymer Clay Inspirations

    • 08 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 12 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9

    This workshop has been closed and is no longer open for enrollment.
    July 8–12
    Translucent Polymer Clay Inspirations
    Instructor: Lindly Haunani
    All Levels | $500 | Materials Fee: TBD
    Weeklong Workshop

    Master the art of designing and mixing scintillating vibrant and clear color palettes using translucent polymer clay. You will begin by making your own personalized translucent mix color swatch deck that will be used as a reference to create your personalized palette. Lindly will guide you step by step as you make mokume gane with metal leaf, explore adding inclusions to the clay body, and design a set of color-coordinated canes that will feature both translucent clay blends and opaque accents. You will then explore folded bead forms, maximizing translucency, preparing multiple layered laminates, and combining surface effects. Come prepared to have fun, laugh, and learn new approaches to working with polymer clay while increasing your color confidence.

    Lindly Haunani’s passion for food and cooking provide a basis for her inspiration when making things. This is often expressed via the color, construction techniques, and form in her designs. She began teaching polymer in 1990 and has presented more than 100 workshops. Her work appears in 15 books. In addition to being in many private collections, her work is part of the permanent collections of the Racine Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Newark Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Mingei International Museum in San Diego. She has a BFA in printmaking from Carnegie Mellon University.
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  • Felt Your World

    • 08 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 PM
    • 12 Jul 2013
    • 4:30 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 8
    Register
    July 8 – 12
    Felt Your World
    Instructor: Karen Page
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Explore the wonderful world of feltmaking in this class as we focus on traditional and contemporary processes such as wet-felting, needle-felting, nuno-felting, and pre-felt. The use of specific tools (felting board, orbital sander and the Babylock Embellisher) will be demonstrated. Selection of fibers, addition of other materials, and variations of the layout process will be addressed as a means to create texture and color in your unique pieces of handmade felt. There will be project suggestions but each individual will be encouraged to explore their area of interest. Discussions will include the presentation of historic and contemporary work from around the world for inspiration. Use your imagination to discover an entire “wool” world!

    Karen Page has been a practicing artist and educator for more than three decades. She began her love of textiles when sewing and knitting doll clothes then advancing to sewing her own clothes in high school to spinning and knitting one-of- kind sweaters. Karen continued her love of “all things fiber” in college where she discovered her passion for feltmaking. Exhibitions and study have led her to Denmark, Turkey, and Kyrgyzstan – where she conducted feltmaking workshops over four summers to various women’s co-ops. Karen teaches the textile studies classes (and occasionally costume) at The Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. BFA Syracuse University, NY, MFA Kent State University, OH (both degrees in Fibers). Her work has been recognized with regional, national, and international awards including a  PCA (Pennsylvania Council on the Arts) Individual Artistic Fellowship Grant and a NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) Individual Artistic Fellowship grant.
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  • Re-cycle to Re-style

    • 15 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 19 Jul 2013
    • 4:30 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    Register
    July 15 – 19
    Re-cycle to Re-style
    Instructor: Karen Page
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    What to do with old jeans and unwanted clothing, linens, beads and buttons? Let’s explore the potential to remake these materials into new and unique pieces such as quilts, wearables, or accessories. Begin by learning various Shibori (bound-resist) techniques to prepare your fabric for direct application or immersion dyeing. Dyed and recycled materials will be combined to create a collaged fabric base for your up-styled piece. Embellishing will be the final step to individualizing your work; such as paint, embroidery, and the additional of beads, buttons, ribbon, and other found objects to create unique textures and surface treatments. Create an absolutely fantastic one-of-a-kind piece!

    Karen Page’s bio can be found with the workshop Felt Your World.
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  • Oil and Acrylic Painting Potpourri

    • 15 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 19 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    July 15–19
    Oil and Acrylic Painting Potpourri
    Instructor: Harold Frontz
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This workshop is suitable for oil and acrylic painters of all levels who are unfamiliar with, or would like to learn more about, painting a variety of subjects using traditional methods. The course emphasizes five important principles in creating a painting, including how to:
        •    design a painting using the Golden Mean and Steelyard techniques
        •    quickly and accurately sketch in the major elements of the composition with attention to correct perspective, shape, and proportion
        •    create strong tonal qualities that provide substance to the painting
        •    mix and apply clean colors using the color properties of hue, value, temperature, and intensity
        •    apply the paint with a variety of brush strokes that indicate direction, shape, and form

    A portion of each workshop day is devoted to demonstrating these important techniques, and handouts are designed to illustrate methods for gaining personal competence. The workshop will focus on and provide participants with ample opportunities to paint a variety of themes, including landscapes, seascapes, skies and clouds, ships and water, man-made structures, and floral still life subjects.

    Harold Frontz considers himself a contemporary impressionist painter with an interest in landscapes, seascapes, and still life subjects. He has been strongly influenced by artists of the Massachusetts Cape Ann School, and also received instruction at the Mounts Bay Art Centre in Newlyn, the birthplace of outdoor painting in England. Harold’s paintings are best described as impressionistic, featuring an interesting variety of color temperature, intensity, and value. Harold uses only archival products in his works of art, including professional-grade paints on oil-primed linen canvas. He divides his time between painting and working as a consultant in behavioral healthcare. He holds a master’s degree in social work, and a doctorate in counseling. Please visit     www.frontzstudio.com to learn more.


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  • Silk Glorious Silk: Paint It, Crimp It, Dye It, Wear It

    • 15 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 19 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    Register
    July 15–19
    Silk Glorious Silk: Paint It, Crimp It, Dye It, Wear It
    Instructor: Janice Patrignani
    All Levels | $500 | Materials Fee: TBD
    Weeklong Workshop

    Create glorious, one-of-a-kind scarves, garments, bags, and gifts from the most luxurious and durable of natural fabrics. In this class, we will learn how easily color, texture, and pattern are seduced by the flow of paint and dye when silk is the canvas. We will explore centuries-old Chinese silk painting techniques and Shibori, the ancient Japanese fiber art of bound-resist dyeing. Participants will leave with an assortment of exquisite artworks (that are surprisingly easy to create!) and an appreciation for the rich history and modern potential for wearable silk art.

    Janice Patrignani is a design professional, visual artist, and art educator. She holds a BS from the University of Cincinnati’s School of Design, Architecture, and Art. Since 1995, she has been developing and teaching workshops in her many areas of media expertise, which include watercolor, acrylic, and silk painting; Shibori; fiber arts; bookmaking; paper transformations; and ceramic sculpture. Janice’s mixed-media sculpture has been exhibited throughout New York. She received third place for the sculpture in The Best of New York Artists & Artisans 2005 book series. Recently, she was awarded honorable mention for ceramic sculpture in Art Buzz, The 2009 Collection.
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  • Rings! Rings! Rings!

    • 15 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 19 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 3
    Register
    July 15–19
    RINGS! RINGS! RINGS!
    Instructor: John Cogswell
    Intermediate–Advanced | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Flex your creative muscles, and let your imagination soar in this ring-focused workshop. Come explore the many aspects of ring design. Innovation, originality, and individuality will be the primary goals. A wide variety of technical tips and bench tricks will be covered along the way to make sure that you can realize your future ring designs. Competent basic jewelry-making and soldering skills required. The workshop will include the following ring formats: rings to dazzle, rings to charm, rings of all sizes, rings of all shapes, rings for all fingers, and rings for all tastes. Fabricate all manner of rings, including stone rings, hollow rings, ladies’ rings, men’s rings, wedding rings, bishop’s rings, lovers’ rings, friendship rings, engagement rings, magic rings, big rings, little rings, bold rings, and simple rings.

    John Cogswell is a jeweler, silversmith, educator, and author/illustrator. He currently teaches at SUNY New Paltz, New York, and previously taught at Parsons School of Design in New York City; Pratt Institute in Brooklyn; and Hofstra University on Long Island. He is also former director of the Jewelry and Metalsmithing Department at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, and has has conducted numerous workshops at such locations as Arrowmont, Brookfield, Haystack, Penland, Appalachian Center, Peters Valley, and Touchstone. He was the 2006 inductee into the National Metalsmiths’ Hall of Fame and was selected as Touchstone Center for Crafts’ 2007 Artist of the Year. He is the author and illustrator of Creative Stonesetting, and has served as a technical consultant and contributing author for several contemporary jewelry texts, including Metals Technic, Contemporary Silver, and The Penland Book of Jewelry. His work has appeared in numerous exhibitions and publications, and is included in many public and private collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London; the Jewish Museum in New York City; and the Ackland Art Museum in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

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  • Making and Finishing a Tomahawk

    • 15 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 19 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 8
    Register
    July 15–July 19
    Making and Finishing a Tomahawk
    Instructor: Marc Yanko
    Intermediate–Advanced | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    In this class, students will learn various techniques and processes used in forging and finishing a variety of types of tomahawks. History of the tomahawk will be discussed, including types and usage. The course will focus on the types of tomahawks that would have been produced by an American blacksmith in the 1800s. All aspects of making a finished tomahawk will be covered, including forging the head, hand-finishing techniques, and making and using specialty tools. Shaping and fitting the haft (handle) and other components, final finishing, assembly, and ornamentation will also be covered.

    Marc Yanko began working with metal while in elementary school, working in his father’s shop. His interest has expanded over the years to include fabrication, casting, and forging, and he has been an active blacksmith for over 20 years. His work has included knife making, tomahawks, architectural work, metal sculpture, and furniture created from recycled materials. Marc has demonstrated and taught at many venues, including art shows, Buton Century Village, SOFA Quad State Roundup, and other conferences. Marc is a long-standing member of ABANA, and a member and past president of WRABA (Western Reserve Artist Blacksmith Association). His education includes art, architecture, and engineering. He is owner and operator of Creek Bottom Forge in Chardon, Ohio. In addition to working in his forge, Marc also works as a freelance artist for Cleveland Art and as an engineering consultant.
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  • Light, Color, and Luminescence in Glass Beads

    • 15 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 19 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    July 15–19

    Light, Color, and Luminescence in Glass Beads

    Instructor: Joy Knepp

    Beginner–Intermediate | $500

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    In this workshop, we will make glass beads at the torch and will focus on encasing designs with transparent glass. A variety of techniques will be taught, including implosion beads, encased florals, and landscape beads. We will explore the endless possibilities of how light and colors in our designs are brought to life as we manipulate rods of glass into miniature works of art.

     

    Joy Knepp’s bio can be found under Glass Beadmaking Basics.

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  • Beginning-to-Intermediate Wheel Throwing and Alternative Firings

    • 15 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 19 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 6
    Register

    July 15–19

    Beginning-to-Intermediate Wheel Throwing and Alternative Firings

    Instructor: Sharif Bey

    Beginning–Intermediate | $500

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    This session will provide wheel-throwing instruction at various levels. In addition to firing functional wares in conventional gas kilns, participants will experiment with various alternative methods, including sawdust (open pit), faux foil, low-temperature salt, and sagger-firings. Participants will further develop unique surfaces by layering non-ceramic materials, such as nail and shoe polishes, paste wax, permanent markers, and acrylic and spray paint, in addition to glazes, oxides, slips, and terra sigillatas.

     

    Sharif Bey is an Assistant Professor of Art Education at Syracuse University. He began his career in ceramics as a high school student at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild in Pittsburgh, and has since earned a BFA in ceramics from Slippery Rock University, an MFA from the University of North Carolina, and a PhD in art education from Penn State University. In addition to his active teaching career, Bey continues to exhibit nationally and internationally. In 2010, he completed a commission of three large-scale wall sculptures for the United States Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, and also represented the United States in Vendsyssel, Denmark’s SCANCEM international ceramics exhibition. In 2003–2004, Bey was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research in sculpture as an artist-in-residence at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia. He has additionally taken residence as an artist at the McColl Center for Visual Art in Charlotte, North Carolina; Hunter College in New York City; and the Vermont Studio Center.
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  • Rural TALL Informational Workshop RSVP

    • 18 Jul 2013
    • 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    Register
    Rural TALL Informational Workshop

    Want to learn more about the Teaching Artist Learning Lab (TALL) from Gateway to the Arts? Gateway to the Arts would like to extend their professional development efforts to reach those rural artists who might like to learn more about this dynamic program. Click here to learn more about Gateway to the Arts, and their other exciting efforts to get more teaching artists into Pennsylvania's classrooms. 

    Touchstone is excited to be working with Gateway to the Arts to host a three hour workshop and networking event for artists interested in the Rural TALL Program from Washington, Greene, and/or Fayette County. Attendance is free and lunch will be provided. See below for the workshop objectives:

    > Engage visual, performing, literary and media artists in interactive art-making and in arts-integrated learning experiences
    > Provide information about working in school settings
    > Inform artists about the TALL program and GTA opportunities
    > Appraise the needs and practices of rural artists

    Just fill out this quick RSVP form, and you will be registered for the workshop. We hope that you can join us to learn more about the Rural TALL initiative, and other ways artists and arts and cultural organizations can work more collaboratively.  
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  • The Painter's Experience

    • 22 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 26 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 7
    Please contact the office at 724-329-1370 for availability.

    July 22–26
    The Painter’s Experience
    Instructor: Patrick Daugherty
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Take part in a painting course designed for all levels, from beginners wanting to learn the basics to advanced artists seeking individual instruction. Emphasis is on understanding color and traditional painting techniques. All school styles and approaches are welcome. A step-by-step program is included for those new to painting. Painters are encouraged to take advantage of Touchstone’s setting by engaging in plein air painting. One session with a model is scheduled. Students are expected to arrive with necessary materials. A list of recommended materials is available upon request or registration.

    Patrick Daugherty is a professional artist, curator, and educator. He earned his MFA from the University of Wisconsin, and his BFA from Penn State University. Patrick has taught painting at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts for over 25 years, and first taught at Touchstone in 1983. Since 1991, he has been on the faculty of Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. Primarily known for his portraits, Patrick has produced detailed and realistic oil paintings that are in numerous corporate, private, and museum collections. A member of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Patrick is also director of the Frank L. Melega Art Museum, which he co-founded in 1998. 
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  • Handmade Books

    • 22 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 26 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 8
    Register
    July 22–26
    Handmade Books
    Instructor: Janice Patrignani
    All Levels | $500 | Materials Fee:
    Weeklong Workshop

    Create original scrapbooks, artist books to uniquely display your portfolio, or a one-of-a-kind chat bookundefinedthe possibilities are endless. This workshop will concentrate on formal and informal book structures. We will also explore several paper-embellishing methods such as paste paper, papermaking, and printmaking. Using our decorative papers, we will cut, fold, assemble, personalize, and bind many books. By the end of the week, you will have amassed a treasure trove of amazing, personalized, one-of-a-kind handmade multi-use books and journals. Handmade books make wonderful gifts. This class is a great resource for teachers!

    Janice Patrignani’s bio can be found under Silk Glorious Silk.
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  • Steel Yourself

    • 22 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 26 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register
    July 22–26
    Steel Yourself
    Instructor: Marlene True
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Want to incorporate steel into your jewelry but aren’t sure where to begin? In this class, we will learn how to repurpose steel found in everyday objects such as tin cans, serving trays, toys, etc., for use in our work. Incorporation of color, imagery, and surface found on these materials will also be part of the process and discussion. Fabrication skills will include cutting, forming, die forming, forging, and soldering with wire and sheet.

    Marlene True’s jewelry using repurposed steel has been published and exhibited widely, including in a recent solo show at the National Ornamental Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, and forthcoming in the Focus Gallery at Penland School of Crafts. She has taught and lectured at colleges, universities, and art schools, including Haystack, Penland, and Arrowmont. She maintains her home and studio in Columbia, North Carolina, where she also serves as executive director at Pocosin Arts Folk School.

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  • Hat Making 101

    • 22 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 26 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    July 22–26     
    Hat Making 101
    Instructor: Tatiana Rakhmanina
    All Levels | $500 | Materials Fee: TBD
    Weeklong Workshop

    Beautiful couture hats can be yours for the making! In this class, you will learn to create cut-and-sew soft-style hats, or you may choose to learn the construction of fascinators (ever wondered how in the world they stay on?!). Learn tricks of the millinery trade, shortcuts, and uncommon use of materials such as found objects, vintage pieces, sticks, cloth pins, wire, etc. You will also learn to make hat decoration pieces, such as flowers and hat pins.

    Tatiana Rakhmanina is a Russian milliner born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia. She has been living in West Virginia since 1990. Tatiana learned the basics of the millinery craft from her grandmother Larissa, who was a hat maker and couturier in Russia in the first half of the 20th century. Tatiana’s company, Hats by Tatiana Rakhmanina, has been operational since 1995. She has won numerous awards at various exhibitions and design competitions, and her hats have been featured in museums and runway shows in the U.S. and abroad. Twice she received a Professional Development Grant from the WV Department of Culture and History in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2008, Tatiana studied hat making in London, England, under Mrs. Rose Cory, formerly a milliner by appointment to Her Majesty the Queen Mother. Tatiana has been teaching millinery trade for the past six years.

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  • The Character of Porcelain

    • 22 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 26 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 8
    Register

    July 22–26

    The Character of Porcelain

    Instructor: Antoinette Badenhorst

    Intermediate–Advanced | $500

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    Understand the character of porcelain and you will be able to push your own limits. Improve clay skills as you throw and press-mold thin, well-crafted pots, discovering how to adjust them into beautiful, sculptural vessels. Even if you don't continue working with porcelain in the future, the principles and approaches learned in this weeklong workshop will refresh and energize your approach to clay. For potters or for students of intermediate to advanced levels. No porcelain experience is needed.

     

    Antoinette Badenhorst started her pottery career in South Africa in 1981, and began to specialize in porcelain in 1995. Her work is internationally exhibited in South Africa, the United States, Japan, and Europe. Her passion for pottery spills over into teaching and writing about clay in Pottery Making Illustrated, Ceramics Monthly, Ceramics Art & Perception and Ceramics TECHNICAL, and Clay Times. Her own ceramic work is widely published.



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  • Time Machine: Exploring American History through Arts and Crafts

    • 22 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 26 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 14
    Register
    July 22–26
    Time Machine: Exploring American History through Arts and Crafts
    Instructor: Matt Yeomans
    $250
    Weeklong Workshop

    Touchstone was originally established in 1972 as the Pioneer Crafts Council with the goal of preserving the craft forms that helped people thrive in what was once wilderness. Back then, art objects often had a functional use in daily life, and this exciting workshop will be an exploration of activities that enable students to incorporate both beauty and utility in their own creations.

    Matt Yeoman’s bio can be found with the workshop Around the World in Five Days: An Artful Tour of the Global Cultures.
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  • Forging an Ornate Fire Poker from Start to Finish

    • 22 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 26 Jul 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    Register
    July 22–26
    Forging an Ornate Fire Poker from Start to Finish
    Instructor: Jonathan Nedbor
    Beginner–Intermediate | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This workshop will cover a variety of useful blacksmithing techniques that, with some work, can be mastered by blacksmiths relatively new to the forge. The focus of the workshop will be the fire poker as a functional object and a great canvas for many interesting textures and finishes. We will learn the fundamental techniques of blacksmithing with the goal of making a hand-forged fire poker from the technical processes covered. Techniques will include tapering, upsetting, chiseling, twisting, punching, swaging, fullering, splitting, forge welding, and the heat treatment of tool steel. This is a comprehensive program that will give the participants a good working knowledge of hot forging steel. While it’s great to leave the workshop with a beautiful and finished object(s), the students will also be much better equipped to make a range of implements at the forge.

    Jonathan Nedbor has been a full-time blacksmith for over 35 years. He is a popular teacher and demonstrator due to his ability to share his insights into the forging process. He specializes in historic forged ironwork, focusing on the early hardware of New York’s Hudson Valley. Much of his work is used on historic houses and museums, many of which are listed on the National Register. He also designs and produces contemporary furniture and household ironwork.
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  • Exploring Pastel as a Viable Painting Medium

    • 29 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 02 Aug 2013
    • 4:30 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register
    July 29 – August 2
    Exploring Pastel as a Viable Painting Medium
    Instructor: Brian McDermott
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    The workshop will cover various approaches to handling pastel.  Pastel is regarded as the most difficult medium to use.  However, the workshop will give beginning and advanced artists ways to create and experience more successes in their paintings with better results.  Topics covered will include: full-color applications, composition, and types of expression in paintings and style. Both "still-life" and "landscape" types of imagery will be covered in the workshop. The beauty of it will be an experience of "individual creation" that is different to every aspiring artist, at any level.

    Brian McDermott is a nationally recognized award winning pastel artist who has exhibited on a regional and national level.  He has a masters degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology.  He also holds active memberships to:  The Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Society of Artists and has signature status to the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League.
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  • Enamel Lab

    • 29 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 02 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    July 29–August 02
    Instructor: Melissa Manley
    Beginner–Intermediate | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Experiment with applying vibrant color to your work through enameling. Enamel has become increasingly popular due to its ease of use and subsequent instant gratification. You will learn application and firing techniques using both kiln and torch, and how to work with both transparent and opaque enamels over copper. We will learn various surface design techniques such as sgraffito and stenciling, and we’ll also learn etching copper and enameling over our etched designs. We’ll discuss matting techniques for the fired enamel, which can further add layers of detail. Also, we’ll enamel over “road kill metal” and incorporate enamels with found objects using trapping devices and cold connections. Your having previous metalworking skills will be very beneficial, but it’s not required. This class would be perfect for the student who has done some metalworking but has never tried enameling and is ready to experiment with adding color. This will be a week of discovery and investigation into the many possibilities that enamel offers!

    Melissa Manley earned an MFA in metal design from East Carolina University in 2006 and now runs the metals area at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina. She has taught workshops at retreats and conferences for the past seven years. Her work varies from jewelry and small vessels to assemblage. Melissa enjoys working with a variety of mediums from metal and enamel to sausage casing and iron wire. Her work has appeared in various publications, including The Art of Enameling, Making Connections, and 500 Enameled Objects, and she is the author of Jewelry Lab: 52 Experiments, Investigations, and Explorations in Metal.

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  • Forged Illuminations

    • 29 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 02 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    July 29–August 2
    Forged Illuminations
    Instructor: John Rais
    Intermediate–Advanced | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    In this workshop, we will design and create objects for illuminating such as candle holders and sconces as well as illuminated sculpture. Students should be prepared to work on design and idea development from the forge. We will cover sheet and bar forging, surface design, and many types of joinery. We will begin with simple techniques and ideas and have them gain complexity as we move forward. Experimentation is highly encouraged.

    John Rais earned a BFA in sculpture and an MFA in metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He was a department head of blacksmithing at Peters Valley Craft Education Center. John has maintained his own studio business since 1998, where he creates one-of-a-kind furniture, sculpture, and architectural metalwork. Solo shows include the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis; Purchase College in Purchase, New York; and Massimo Bizzocchi in New York City. His work has been featured on the pages of many magazines, publications, and books. John’s teaching includes Penland School of Crafts, SUNY Purchase, U-Arts, Touchstone, and SUNY New Paltz. In the fall of 2007, he was artist-in-residence in applied design at Purchase College. He recently finished a large series of decorative forged panels for the permanent collection of Yale University Art Galleries. John lives in Shelburne, Massachusetts.
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  • Soft Serendipitous Ceramics

    • 29 Jul 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 02 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register

    July 29–August 2

    Soft Serendipitous Ceramics

    Instructor: Lisa Orr

    All Levels | $500

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    This workshop will focus on complex layering of textures and slips to create low-fire glazes as rich as a gemstone. Both functional wares and small-scale sculptural pieces will be demonstrated. Initially, students will be introduced to low relief texture sprigging, stamping, and soft forming techniques. Students will view examples by slides and demonstration, after which they will make their own. Next, students will learn how nichrome wire can be used for attaching smaller moving parts. Color layering will be emphasized by use of engobes under transparent low-fire glazes. Pieces will be fired in electric kilns, and everyone will take home finished works.

     

    Lisa Orr has been a professional potter and student of ceramics for 23 years. She completed her MFA at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 1992, and later received grants, including a Fulbright and a Mid-America Arts Alliance/NEA. In addition to running and maintaining her full-time studio, she teaches, lectures, and shows her work nationally. Lisa’s artworks for the table often refer to traditional porcelain or dinner whitewares, but with softer forms inspired by the playful and abundant qualities of Mexican earthenware. Her pottery is imbued with the nuances of a healthy garden, and is intended as artwork designed to complement and enhance beautiful meals. Lisa has evolved and invented her own production process from studying clay mold fragments in museums and antiquated ceramics factories. After hand-forming pieces in molds, on the wheel, or both, she finishes with stamps, slips, sprigs, and multi-hued glazes. She loves experimenting in the studio and sharing her discoveries and experience with others.
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  • Developing a Photographer's Point of View of the World

    • 05 Aug 2013
    • 09 Aug 2013
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 11
    Please call the office at 724-329-1370 to enroll in this workshop.
    August 5 - 9
    Developing a Photographer's Point of View of the World
    Instructor: Dan Salitrik
    Intermediate | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This workshop is designed for the skilled student who wishes to improve his/her vision of the photographic image. You will explore ways to broaden your vision, and will learn to view images from a photographer’s point of view in order to create images that are more interesting and powerful. A history of photography will be discussed as a way to understand how we got to where we are in the digital world today. We will view and discuss works of contemporary and historical photographers, and will also explore the way images and points of view are presented on the web via Flickr and other social networking websites. Assignments will include photographing nature, people, and structures. You will consider such matters as composition, lens choice, and lighting. Workshop lectures and demonstrations will help enhance your knowledge of exposure and the use of light. In this workshop, we will print and discuss a minimum of 20 of your images (in-class printers will be supplied). Also, we will explore the Digital Work Flow process and Digital Asset Management (DAM), the management of indexing and retrieval of digital images.
     
    Dan Salitrik’s bio can be found under You and Your Camera: The Basics.

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  • An Enameling Retreat

    • 05 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 09 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 0
    This workshop is filled to capacity! 
    Please contact the office at 724.329.1370 to add your name to the waiting list for this workshop. No deposit is required to be placed on the waiting list. Should a space become available, waiting list students will be contacted in order by which they joined the list. Upon notification that a space is available, waiting list students must pay the $35 non-refundable processing fee, plus full tuition balance to guarantee their space in class; otherwise, the next person waiting will be contacted. 


    August 5–9
    An Enameling Retreat
    Instructor: Linda Darty
    All Levels | TBD
    Weeklong Workshop

    In this workshop, a variety of techniques will be introduced for working on copper or silver, and students can choose to focus on those that interest them most. Discover how to sift, paint, and blend transparent or opaque colors to achieve special effects with enamel on jewelry or small objects. Topics covered will also include use of foils, torch firing, liquid enamels, cloisonné enameling, drawing techniques, washing and storing enamel, and creating matt or gloss finishes for optimum clarity of colors. Students can work at their own level, so beginners to advanced are welcome.

    Linda Darty is head of the metal design program at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, and currently directs and teaches enameling on the Italy Intensives Study abroad program in Tuscany. She is the author of The Art of Enameling, published by Sterling Books, and frequently lectures and teaches workshops in this country and abroad. The recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award for research from East Carolina University and a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Enamelist Society, Linda exhibits widely, and her work is included in the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Museum of Art and Design in New York City.

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  • Exploring Op Art in Polymer Clay

    • 05 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 09 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Please call the office at 724-329-1370 to enroll in this workshop.
    August 5–9    
    Exploring Op Art in Polymer Clay
    Instructor: Judy Belcher
    All Levels | $500 | Materials Fee: TBD

    In this workshop, we will explore the early 1960s Op Art movement and learn to make a survey of beads. Most will be created using the millefiori technique, generally a glass technique, but which lends itself very well to polymer clay. We will be building on vary basic canes, so this course is just fine for novices to polymer clay and will give a great working knowledge of the medium. We may not have the time to make all the beads pictured, but the most complicated will be explored in depth, and the others will at the very least be discussed and demonstrated. Good finishing is a must, so plenty of time will focus on making well-crafted beads.

    Judy Belcher’s work has been juried into several national exhibits and is sold in retail galleries across the U.S. She has authored many books, including Polymer Clay Master Class (2012), and has appeared on television shows. She served a term as president of the International Polymer Clay Association; she teaches workshops, and speaks around the country and internationally, sharing her fascination with polymer clay. Judy’s home and studio is in West Virginia.

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  • Irons in the Fire: An Introduction to Blacksmithing

    • 05 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 09 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 7
    Please call the office at 724-329-1370 to enroll in this workshop.

    August 5–9
    Irons in the Fire: An Introduction to Blacksmithing
    Instructor Glenn Horr
    Beginner–Intermediate | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This course is a great way to start or refresh your skills in the area of functional metalwork. Instruction will include building the coal fire and basic forging skills: drawing out, twisting, tool-making, forge-welding, punching, and scrollwork. Students will be able to finish a few small items. Beginners are welcome, as no prior experience is necessary.

    Glenn Horr has been creating hand-forged metalwork since 1977. After working in forged metals for 36 years, the design possibilities of decorative functional work still seem endless. Always enjoying making things with his hands, Glenn has been interested in metals and forging since taking a high school shop class. He is primarily self-taught and continues to add to his repertoire of skills by attending blacksmithing conferences. Using traditional techniques, Glenn creates functional and decorative work in steel as well as copper, brass, and aluminum. He enjoys working with materials that are so rigid in one form, yet they yield to hammer and anvil when heated in the forge. Metal can be moved into different shapes and textures, and he likes to reflect his fluidity in his finished work.
     
    Known for his attention to detail and fine craftsmanship, Glenn has been commissioned to do many architectural projects. He creates a wide range of hardware for homes: anything from fireplace equipment to door hardware to railings and gates to fine kitchen utensils. He also enjoys working with individuals, designers, and architects on special commissions. For more information, please visit www.glennsforge.com.
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  • Marbles to Insects: Diversify Your Glass Sculpting Techniques

    • 05 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 09 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 8
    Please call the office at 724-329-1370 to enroll in this workshop.

    August 5–9

    Marbles to Insects: Diversify your Glass Sculpting Techniques

    Instructor: Michael Mangiafico

    All Levels | $500 | Materials Fee: $75

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    Play with molten glass by learning torch and kiln-working skills in an enjoyable atmosphere. This workshop will focus on perfecting marble-making, cane-pulling, and bead-building both on and off the mandrel. Constructing glass tiles will also be covered. All of these diverse glass-making skills will become the foundation for learning to confidently shape glass to represent the natural world or express your personal whimsy. Safety, studio set-up, and the history of glass will also be addressed. Bring your sketchpad and notebook to chart your progress and design future works. You are also welcome to bring any lamp-working tools and materials you may have.

     

    Michael Mangiafico has been teaching torch-working and glass-blowing since 1993. His work is available from galleries nationwide, and has been featured in magazines and consumer publications. Michael demonstrates his amazing array of glass-making skills for schools, fairs, galleries, and other arts-oriented organizations. While his specialty is making delicate and highly realistic glass insects, he also makes beads, marbles, jewelry, vessels, tiles, and paperweights. To learn more about his work, visit www.figstudios.com.

     

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  • Introduction to Japanese Aesthetics in Everyday Ware

    • 05 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 09 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 1

    This workshop is filled to capacity! 

    Please contact the office at 724.329.1370 to add your name to the waiting list for this workshop. No deposit is required to be placed on the waiting list. Should a space become available, waiting list students will be contacted in order by which they joined the list. Upon notification that a space is available, waiting list students must pay the $35 non-refundable processing fee, plus full tuition balance to guarantee their space in class; otherwise, the next person waiting will be contacted.



    August 5–9

    Introduction to Japanese Aesthetics in Everyday Ware

    Instructor: Yoko Sekino-Bové

    All Levels | $500

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    Traditional Japanese pottery has had a strong influence on American ceramics. Some Japanese pottery terms such as Chawan (bowl/tea bowl), Yunomi (daily tea drinking cup), and Kyusu (teapot) have become known in the United States. But do we really know what’s what, how, and why? And how can we utilize that knowledge to enrich our own life and creations? Japanese pottery offers an opportunity to reflect on the function and aesthetics of daily life. In this workshop, we will learn the historical origins of the Japanese designs, and explore the forms while examining the possibilities. No previous ceramic-making experience is required for this class: both wheel-throwing and hand-building techniques will be employed for various subjects. The first day pieces will be glaze-fired.

     

    Yoko Sekino-Bové was born and raised in Japan, and was awarded a BFA from Musashino Art University in Tokyo, before she moved to the United States. Upon earning her MFA from the University of Oklahoma, Yoko was awarded an artist-in-residence at the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. She has been teaching ceramic workshops at various ceramics programs and exhibiting her work nationally and internationally. Her ceramic works are featured in 500 Cups, 500 Platters and Chargers, and Surface Decoration Techniques for Potters, and her articles on various ceramic-making subjects were featured in Ceramics Monthly and Pottery Making Illustrated magazines. The Ceramic Arts Daily Council selected her as one of the Emerging Ceramic Artists in 2011, and her work was included in the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Invitational Exhibition in 2012.

     

     

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  • Keep it Folksy: Folk Art Activities for Kids

    • 05 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 09 Aug 2013
    • 4:30 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 5
    Please call the office at 724-329-1370 to enroll in this workshop.

    August 5–9
    Keep it Folksy: Folk Art Activities for Kids
    Instructor: Bridget Mayak
    $250
    Weeklong Workshop

    You don’t need an art degree to speak you mind! This workshop will explore the many amusing and unorthodox techniques that folk and visionary artists use to express themselves. Is it just an old plank of barn wood, or is it a vertical canvas waiting for whimsical images and silly sayings? The only rule in this imaginative art romp is that out-of-the-ordinary thinking is mandatory. Kids are naturally divergent thinkers, so folk art is typically a great fit for these fledging makers.

    Bridget Mayak’s bio can be found with the workshop Re-use, Re-cycle, Re-purpose: New Art from Old Stuff.
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  • Exploring Oils, Pastels, and Charcoal

    • 05 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 09 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 4
    Please call the office at 724-329-1370 to enroll in this workshop.

    August 5–9
    Exploring Oils, Pastels, and Charcoal
    Instructor: Bill Pfahl
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This workshop will enable you to utilize the visual qualities of oils, pastels, and charcoal competently and confidently. Several exercises, including contour/value studies of the hand, sighting a corner of the room, blind contouring, and gesture drawings, will be explored using these three mediums. In addition, sketches will be started in the field, then resolved in the studio. Our creative experience will be enhanced by using the beautiful Touchstone campus, the painting studio, and field trips to nearby Ohiopyle State Park, Shepherd’s Farm, Christian Klay Winery, and other sites. At night and during any inclement weather, we will be in the studio creating still lifes and working on sketches from the field. My work (portrait, landscape, and figure) can be viewed at www.bluecanvas.com/wpfahl.

    Bill Pfahl earned a BFA in painting from Rhode Island School of Design EHP School in Rome.
    His paintings have been juried into seven Associated Artists of Pittsburgh (AAP) annuals. Bill won the AAP Friends of Art of the Pittsburgh Public Schools purchase award in 1993, and best of show awards for cityscape paintings at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh’s annual teacher appreciation show. Pastel cityscapes and oils have been represented and sold to local corporate and private clients through Concept and James galleries in Pittsburgh. Bill’s work has been represented in group shows including “Location, Location, Location” recently at James Gallery, and is currently featured at Cohen & Grigsby’s show of plein air painters from the AAP. In April 2010, Bill’s oil landscapes and portraits could be seen in a two-person show, “Portraits of Pittsburgh,” with Bill Vrscak at PANZAgallery in Millvale, Pennsylvania. Currently, Bill is an art teacher at Pittsburgh Brashear High School. In addition to having taught classes at Touchstone, Bill has been artist-in-residence at Ross Mountain Club. He’s also given demonstrations to and juried three regional art group annuals in the past two years, and has run a portrait group each Monday for two years at PANZAgallery. His work has recently been featured in Bluecanvas magazine, edition five, and can be viewed at www.bluecanvas.com/wpfahl.

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  • Solar and Monotype Printmaking

    • 05 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 09 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 7
    Please call the office at 724-329-1370 to enroll in this workshop.

    August 5–9
    Solar and Monotype Printmaking
    Instructor: Roger Hyndman
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This workshop will explore solar and monotype printmaking processes. Students will learn to create painted images on a metallic, glass, or plastic plate. A damp sheet of paper is applied to a painted plate, and the two layers are squeezed through the press by hand. As a result, the entire image is transposed onto the paper with the raised surfaces of the plate embossing the paper to create an interesting light and shadow effect. The magic occurs when the paper is lifted off of the plate to reveal a one-of-a-kind image. By repeating the inking and printing process, students will learn to build up the shapes, images, and colors to create a variety of compositions. Experimentation with techniques, compositions, and colors is encouraged to produce exciting effects.

    Solar printmaking (intaglio) is a highly versatile and expressive medium. This dynamic process enables the artist to transform drawings, paintings, collages, vintage images, contemporary photographs, JPEGs, and copier art into high-quality etchings. In this workshop, students will learn to create an image plate using UV light from the sun with no acids or solvents commonly associated with plate etching. Enjoy making plates in the sun, developing them with ordinary tap water, and printing the images with an intaglio press. The focus will be to use the basic tools of the printmaker, develop artistic creativity, appreciate the simplicity of plate processing, and produce high-quality artwork. Solarplate printmaking will appeal to artists of all levels, from beginners to experienced artists of all media.

    Roger Hyndman has conducted numerous printmaking workshops for artists, arts councils, arts organizations, professional organizations, and school districts. He has engaged in artist residencies at arts organizations, colleges, and regional schools. Roger’s partnership and teaching experience includes the VIEW (Art Center / Old Forge, New York), Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts, Yates County Arts Center, Mid-Hudson Teacher Center, SUNY New Paltz, Fletcher Farm School, Touchstone Center for Crafts, Sagamore Great Camp, and the Saratoga Arts Council. Over the past decade, he has organized and coordinated eight trips to Italy to explore the art, history, and culture of the Medieval and Renaissance periods.
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  • Mixed-Media Fiber, Encaustic & Mark-Making

    • 12 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 16 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 11
    Register
    August 12–16     
    Mixed-Media Fiber, Encaustic, and Mark-Making
    Instructor: Lorraine Glessner
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This workshop focuses on the stitch as both mark and structure to alter, enrich, and transform the surface of pliable materials. While exploring traditional surface applications such as machine and hand embroidery, unconventional materials such as water-soluble embroidery film, Tyvek, and found and recycled items will be combined with processes such as encaustic, image transfer, collage, layering, and heating to create complex and sculptural surfaces. In addition to learning basic encaustic techniques, students will explore the mark-making possibilities of branding (creating marks and patterns with fire, heated metal tools, and objects) and are encouraged to respond to these marks using encaustic as well as other media. Emphasis is on a contemporary, mixed-media approach to surface embellishment, alternative methods of joining, and the creation of structure. Participants are encouraged to develop a personal vocabulary through the creation of a portfolio of samples that may be worked into a quilt or a book or exist as small-scale art pieces suitable for framing or further embellishment. A slide lecture discussing historical and contemporary practices involving fiber and alternative media is also offered.

    Lorraine Glessner earned an MFA in fibers from Temple University, Tyler School of Art, where she is currently an assistant professor in the Fibers and Material Studies Department. She also holds a BS in textile design from Philadelphia University and an associate’s degree in computer graphics from Moore College of Art and Design. Recent awards include two from Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, an Individual Creative Artist Fellowship Grant in Crafts, the Anne K. Allison Award from the Woodmere Museum of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Yvonne Kelly Memorial Award for Mixed Media, Abington, Pennsylvania. Recent exhibitions include solo shows at R&F Paints in Kingston, New York; Abington Art Center in Abington, Pennsylvania; Lake George Arts Project, Lake George, New York; and group exhibitions at Parlor Gallery in Asbury Park, New Jersey, at Artspace in Richmond, Virginia, and at Gallery One in Nashville, Tennessee. Her work is included in the recently released Encaustic With a Textile Sensibility by Daniella Woolf and Encaustic Art: The Complete Guide to Creating Fine Art with Wax by Lissa Rankin. Lorraine lectures, teaches, exhibits her work nationally, and maintains a studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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  • Personalized Jeweler's Saw: A Workshop in Decorative Tool Making

    • 12 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 16 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    August 12–16
    Personalized Jeweler’s Saw: A Workshop in Decorative Tool Making
    Instructor: Thomas Latané
    Intermediate–Advanced | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Students may choose between a rigid frame with a wing nut for tensioning the blade or an adjustable frame with or without a tensioning nut. Parts will be forged, filed, and chased. Options for decorative elements will be demonstrated. A turned or carved wood handle can be brought to class or made later to fit the bolster and ferrule made in class.

    Thomas Latané has been fascinated by historic hand-forging technology since constructing a hearth in a suburban Baltimore backyard in 1972. He and his wife, Catherine, have maintained a shop in Pepin, Wisconsin, since 1983, where they work in iron, wood, tin, and natural fibers. Tom has demonstrated at seven ABANA conferences, six with the “Patient Order of Meticulous Metalsmiths.” www.spaco.org/latane/TCLatane.html
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  • Mixed Media Madness

    • 12 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 16 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register
    August 12–16
    Mixed Media Madness
    Instructor: Kurt Shaw
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    In this weeklong workshop, students will learn the basics of mixed media painting, as well as explore relationships between color, pattern, texture, scale, value, and other design elements that will strengthen their foundation for creative expression. Topics covered will include texturing, layering and glazing, as well as a variety of other painting and collage techniques. Subjects will range from the purely abstract to the semi-representational, as well as the allegorical, through the use of collage and written word. Experimentation and creative play are at the heart of this fun and funky workshop, allowing each participant to create artwork in a personal and meaningful way.

    Kurt Shaw is an artist, art critic, and gallery owner. He earned his BFA from Carnegie Mellon University in 1989, and welding certification from Hobart Institute of Welding Technology in 1995. Since 1992, his large-scale projects have included wall sculptures for Royal Caribbean’s ship Sovereign of the Seas (1995) as well as one of the world’s largest sculptural clocks, commissioned by Progressive Medical, Inc., in Westerville, Ohio (2006). He continues to write art reviews twice weekly for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Trib Total Media since being appointed art critic in 2001. In 2007, he established Shaw Galleries, an art gallery and antique print shop currently located in downtown Pittsburgh. He is a certified member of International Fine Art Appraisers (IFAA) and the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).

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  • The Lost Art of Lost Wax

    • 12 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 16 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register
    August 12–16
    The Lost Art of Lost Wax
    Instructor: Jim Bové
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Lost wax casting is one of the oldest methods of creating unique, sculptural jewelry. Creating a wax model and seeing it become an artwork in metal is a thrilling process. In this workshop, we will learn the traditional wax carving techniques used to create truly beautiful and unique works of wearable art. The class will bring the student through the wax working process, how to sprue and invest your wax, the burnout, and finally the casting and finishing of your metal artwork. An emphasis on wax working skills will benefit experienced jewelers, while enabling those new to the field to start with a strong foundation.

    Jim Bové is a practicing artist and educator living just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is an associate professor at California University of Pennsylvania and a former technical editor to the Society of North American Goldsmiths. Jim has organized and curated several international exhibitions and lectures between the United States and Japan, including the cross-cultural exchange, Metalsmiths Linking. In 2011, Jim’s artwork was selected for Metalsmith magazine’s Exhibition in Print. His artwork has been featured in several books, including several of Lark Books’ 500 series, and most recently in Humor in Craft by Brigitte Martin. His artwork resides in collections in the United States, Japan, the Dominican Republic, and Malaysia, and is now part of the National Ornamental Metal Museum collection in Tennessee.

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  • Wheel-Thrown Pottery

    • 12 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 16 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 4
    Register

    August 12–16

    Wheel-Thrown Pottery

    Instructor: Valda Cox

    All Levels | $500

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    Perfect your throwing skills with Valda Cox. Using both porcelain and stoneware clays, you will be encouraged to develop your own style. Get involved in glaze mixing, and learn the process and ceremony of firing both electric and gas kilns.

     

    Valda Cox has been a professional potter for over 30 years. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and a founding member of Penn Avenue Pottery in Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. Valda’s distinguished service and dedicated following of students is legendary, and, in 2004, she was named Touchstone Center for Craft’s Artist of the Year for her accomplishments in education and the ceramic arts.

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  • Sgraffito, Stenciling, Stamping: Enameling Techniques to Wearable Art

    • 19 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 23 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    Register
    August 19–23
    Sgraffito, Stenciling, Stamping: Enameling Techniques to Wearable Art
    Instructor: Kristina Glick
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Learn the basics of enameling or hone your existing skills. The class will work with both liquid and dry form enamels and will cover a variety of techniques, including sgraffito, stenciling, stamping, over/under firing, drawing, and others as time allows. Students will be able to create a wide range of samples to take home or can work toward creating a finished piece of wall or wearable art.

    Kristina Glick divides her time between studio work and teaching. She has taught workshops around the country and is assistant professor of art at Goshen College. Her work is an exploration of color, form, and texture, often incorporating enamel, electroforming, and found objects. Kristina has exhibited extensively, and her work is published in 500 Enameled Objects and 500 Gemstone Jewels. She earned her MFA in metals from East Carolina University in 2007. For images of her work and more information, go to www.kristinaglick.com.

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  • Beginner - Intermediate Blacksmithing: Skills and Approaches to Moving Iron

    • 19 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 23 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 8
    Register
    August 19–23
    Beginner–Intermediate Blacksmithing: Skills and Approaches to Moving Iron
    Instructor: Alison Finn
    Beginner–Intermediate | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    This course is designed for students with little or no experience, and is a great refresher for those who want to reinforce basic skills in blacksmithing. During this class, students will work with a coal fire, and will learn the basic techniques and processes that define traditional blacksmithing. We will start the week by working on several small projects that are designed to introduce basic forging such as tapering, upsetting, scrolls, chiseled designs, splitting, punching, and more. The latter part of the week will focus on a project of your choice that incorporates and builds on this new information. I will be working with each student every day to address individual levels of learning. There will also be demonstrations and discussion throughout the week that will allow students to ask questions and deal with various topics as a group.

    Alison Finn has been working as a professional smith for over 15 years. She and her husband, Steve, have their own architectural blacksmithing business (Freedom Metals LLC) in Marble, Colorado. She teaches and demonstrates nationally, and is strongly committed to keeping the art of traditional ironworking alive and well. Alison started her career as an artist by pursuing a fine arts degree. She earned her BFA in painting and drawing from West Virginia University in 1988, and her MFA in sculpture from James Madison University in 1992. Her formal training in blacksmithing started with Fred Crist and has continued with other traditional smiths such as Francis Whitaker, Clay Spencer, and Dorothy Stiegler. In teaching her students, she combines her experience as an artist with her knowledge of traditional blacksmithing to promote creativity, develop a strong sense of design, and produce well-crafted work.
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  • Surrealist Sculpture

    • 19 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 23 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register

    August 19–23

    Surrealist Sculpture

    Instructor: Laura Jean McLaughlin

    All Levels | $500

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    This workshop will focus on building small cone 6 porcelain figurative surrealist sculptures. Through a variety of surrealist games, we will tap into our subconscious and create fantastical figures using a variety of hand-building techniques. A wide range of embellishment techniques will be explored, including sgraffito, mishima, and resist. Prepare to have lots of fun unleashing your inner creativity.

     

    Laura Jean McLaughlin earned her MFA in ceramics from West Virginia University (WVU). Her work has been exhibited in more than 100 galleries and museums, including the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the Mobile Museum of Art, the Montgomery Museum of Art, the Ohio Craft Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Delf Norona Museum, the San Angelo Museum of Fine Art, the Baltimore Institute of Art, and the State Museum of Pennsylvania. She is a recipient of the Maggie Milono Memorial Award from the Carnegie Museum of Art and of three prestigious residencies from Kohler Company in Wisconsin. Laura Jean’s ceramic work has been featured in various periodicals, including: Germany’s New Ceramics, Korean Ceramic Art Monthly, Ceramics Monthly, Clay Times, American Style, and American Craft Magazine. Her work is featured in the following books: Confrontational Ceramics, 500 Figures, 500 Teapots, 500 Bowls, 500 Cups, and Poetic Expressions of Mortality. She received an NEA grant to conduct a workshop at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, a Mid-Atlantic grant for a large mosaic installation in Baltimore, and a Mid-Atlantic Fellowship at WVU.

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  • What Lies Beneath Our Feet: Contemporary Mosaic in a Geologic Medium

    • 19 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 23 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 5
    Register

    What Lies Beneath Our Feet: Contemporary Mosaic in a Geologic Medium

    Instructor: Rachel Sager Lynch

    All Levels | $500

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    Join award winning and internationally exhibited mosaic artist, Rachel Sager Lynch, in her journey into the magic of sourcing local Southwestern Pennsylvania stone and turning it into elegant tesserae, the building blocks of mosaic. This five day intensive workshop will cover building a sturdy substrate, mixing and applying high-quality thin-set mortar, cutting with hammer and hardie, the classic tool of the Italian mosaic maestros, learning the nuances of andamento, the flow and pathways of mosaic. The field trip part of the workshop will include Rachel’s singular process of hunting and gathering for her materials. This will be a challenging yet contemplative workshop and students will learn valuable cutting skills along with mosaic philosophy. You will leave with a 12” x 12” mosaic but more importantly you will take home specific knowledge of an ancient medium translated into a contemporary format.

     

    Rachel Sager Lynch, a Fayette County native, works on the cutting edge of the contemporary mosaic fine art movement. Her work has been represented in cities throughout the U.S. and internationally and has been awarded multiple Bests of Show in juried exhibitions. Her Marcellus Shale Series stands as a true Pittsburgh success story, and her work is collected with passion by private clients and corporations all over the world. Her time spent studying with Italian maestros has shaped her mosaic philosophy and she brings these classical techniques home to her native Southwestern Pennsylvania with its sandstone, limestone, slate, and coal seams.
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  • Jewelry Pas de Deux

    • 26 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 30 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 11
    Register
    August 26–30
    Jewelry Pas de Deux    
    Instructor: Jeffery Lloyd Dever
    Intermediate–Advanced* | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    For this workshop, Jeff combines two of his most sought-after techniques, miniature hollowware and reinforced armature forms. Over the course of this class, you will explore an array of small-scale jewelry forms employing this rare combination of techniques. Together, through clay layering and multi-cycle curing, we will build small pieces of your own design suitable for jewelry application. The results are strong, light polymer clay pieces, for use as beads, pins, or pendants. Surface ornamentation and finishing techniques will be demonstrated and discussed as time allows. This is a technique workshop, not a project-specific class; students, therefore, need a basic working knowledge of polymer clay. *A limited number of beginners may be allowed on a case-by-case basis with the instructor’s prior approval.

    Jeffrey Lloyd Dever holds a BS in fine art from Atlantic Union College. He is founding partner and creative director of Dever Designs in Laurel, Maryland. Jeff has served on the adjunct faculty of Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore for 20 years, where he taught illustration and graphic design. Sought after as an instructor, he enjoys sharing his pioneering polymer techniques as often as his schedule allows. His polymer vessels, jewelry, and sculptural objects have been shown in many national invitational exhibitions, and his works are represented in numerous private collections, galleries, and museums.
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  • Organic Blacksmithing

    • 26 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 30 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    Register
    August 26–30
    Organic Blacksmithing
    Instructor: Wayne Apgar
    All Levels* | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    Organic blacksmithing is the process of forging metal into artistic, organic shapes. Students will use flat, round, and square stock and piping to forge steel, stainless steel, and copper into natural forms. In addition to learning blacksmithing safety, managing a coal or propane forge, and choreographing the blacksmith process, specific patterns to be taught will include roses, daisies, irises, maple leaves, oak leaves, apple leaves, wild grass, vines, and cattails. *Students from beginning to advanced levels are welcome. Time permitting, and depending on the student’s level of expertise, an entire project could be completed utilizing the multiple components fabricated during the class. Students can bring pictures or drawings of items that they wish to reproduce.

    Wayne Apgar began blacksmithing in 1996. He has studied under Dr. Bob Becker for 10 years. Wayne has executed many private commissions in steel, copper, stainless steel, and bronze. Most recently, Wayne forged and fabricated a nine-foot circle bench for a private estate in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he owns and operates Durham Forge. Wayne is a member of MASA and ABANA. His work can be seen online at www.durhamforge.net.
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  • Wood-Firing Workshop

    • 26 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 30 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 7
    Register

    August 26–30

    Wood-Firing Workshop

    Instructor: Kevin Crowe

    All Levels | $500

    Weeklong Workshop

     

    In this workshop, we will load and fire Touchstone’s Noborigama wood kiln. Each participant should bring 15 to 20 pots undefined avoiding low, wide forms undefined to be fired. You may bring them glazed, or we will surface them at the workshop. After surfacing (glazing or slipping) and wadding the pots, we’ll load the kiln and begin working three-hour shifts throughout the 24- hour firing.

     

    Kevin Crowe wood-fires Asian-English–inspired pots. He has taught workshops throughout the United States and Great Britain focused on wood-firing, large-scale throwing, and tea bowls. Kevin lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with his wife, Linda, and studio companion/dog, Tem.

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  • Basse - Taille Enameling

    • 26 Aug 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 30 Aug 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    Register
    August 26–30
    Basse-Taille Enameling
    Instructor: Adrienne Grafton
    All Levels | $500
    Weeklong Workshop

    In this workshop, students will discover the colorful world of vitreous enameling, with a focus on the basse-taille technique. Students will create designs either by drawing or using Photoshop and transfer these images by photocopying them onto a special resist paper. The resist paper will be adhered to metal and acid etched. Students will fire the etched metal in the kiln after applying pigment and vitreous enamel to enhance the texture. These enamels can be used to create pendants, earrings, and brooches.

    Adrienne M. Grafton earned an MFA in metal design from East Carolina University in 2005, and a BFA from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 2000. Her recent work, inspired by emotions, dreams, and personal metaphors, is fabricated jewelry made of silver, gold, and copper, and adorned with gemstones, pearls, and enamel. Her work has been published in The Art of Enameling, 1000 Rings, 500 Necklaces, 500 Earrings, 500 Chairs, and most recently in Art Jewelry Today 3. Adrienne worked as the metals studio coordinator at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina from 2005 to 2007, and taught metals at Edinboro University from 2008 to 2010. She is currently working out of her shop/studio called Pearlette in Harmony, Pennsylvania.

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  • Introduction to Jewelry Design and Fabrication

    • 06 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 08 Sep 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register
    September 6–8
    Introduction to Jewelry Design and Fabrication
    Instructor: Suzanne Amendolara
    Beginner | $200
    Weekend Workshop

    This workshop is an introduction to the design and fabrication of jewelry and metal objects. Students will begin with the basic skills of sawing, filing, drilling, and sanding the metal. Techniques such as riveting, soldering, forging, and surface embellishments will be explored. Design and concepts will be developed through drawing and making paper models. Students should expect to complete at least one piece during the workshop. No prior experience is necessary.

    Sue Amendolara earned an MFA in jewelry design/metalsmithing from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and a BFA from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She has been teaching jewelry design/metalsmithing at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania since 1991. Her metalwork has been exhibited nationally in galleries and museums, including the American Craft Museum, New York City; the National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee; and the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle; and internationally in Germany, Switzerland, and Japan. Publications of her work include American Craft, Metalsmith, Ornament, and Lapidary Journal. She has been the recipient of three Individual Fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and a Mid-Atlantic/NEA Regional Fellowship. Her work is part of the permanent collections at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; the Ohio Craft Museum in Columbus, Ohio; the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., and the White House Collection of American Crafts, also in Washington, D.C. She is currently president of the Society of North American Goldsmiths.

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  • A Little Bit of Everything: Iron Projects from Start to Finish

    • 06 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 08 Sep 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 11
    Register
    September 6–8
    A Little Bit of Everything: Iron Projects from Start to Finish
    Instructor: Ken Roby
    All Levels | $200
    Weekend Workshop

    This workshop will focus on the design, forging, and fabrication processes used by Ken Roby to accomplish a variety of iron projects for a variety of clients. The course will be a survey of practical and interesting techniques used by Ken related to making custom ironwork at Village Blacksmith Inc. The demonstrations and conversations will cover topics that include where clients come from, designing and pricing projects, forging and fabrication, restoration approaches, finishing techniques, installing projects, and, of course, trying to not screw things up. This class is essential for any blacksmith looking to take on projects from clients to grow or supplement their blacksmithing repertoire.

    Ken Roby     established himself as a professional farrier after graduating from Hawken School, attending Montana State University’s farrier science program, and earning his bachelor's degree from Kent State University. As his interest in ironwork grew, Ken retired from a 15-year career in shoeing horses to concentrate on the art of blacksmithing. He is largely self-taught but has also attended numerous conferences, workshops, and classes over the years. He is a member of several blacksmithing organizations and has presented workshops and clinics in his shop for aspiring blacksmiths, as well as forging workshops in conjunction with organizations such as the Sculpture Center of Cleveland and the Cleveland Institute of Art.
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  • Bag of Tricks: Techniques for Object Enrichment

    • 06 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 09 Sep 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register

    September 6–9

    Bag of Tricks: A Survey of Techniques for Object Enrichment

    Instructor: Ian Thomas

    All Levels | $300

    Extended Weekend Workshop

     

    This hands-on workshop will focus on imparting some valuable tricks to add to your collection. Easy platters, image transfer, and double-walled forms will be just a few items shared in this high-energy class. Time will be spent on and off the wheel exploring traditional and emerging techniques for making your work as true to your creative vision as possible. Students are asked to bring a piece or two of bisqueware to fire the soda kiln (not mandatory).

     

    Ian Thomas earned an MFA in ceramics at Texas Tech University, and is currently an instructor of art at Slippery Rock University. His research explores traditional and nontraditional ceramics, sculpture, and installation. Within Ian’s work there is an underlying focus that explores what it means to be a 21st-century craft artist.



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  • Divergent Exposure

    • 06 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 08 Sep 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register
    September 6–8    
    Divergent Exposure
    Instructor: Gabe Felice
    All Levels | $200
    Weekend Workshop

    This will be a workshop for the person who wishes to gain creative drive and amplify the imagination while increasing productivity as an artist. We all have unlocked inventive potential and ideas waiting to be tapped into. Through conducting a series of individual and collaborative art experiments, we will aim to engage this potential, realizing new creative capabilities.
    Rooted in research concerned with goal-setting, intuition, and positive self-conditioning,
    the workshop is designed to deactivate tendencies associated with “writer’s block,” igniting a stronger, more passionate focus within each participant.

    A visual artist and divergent thinker, Gabe Felice has been showing in various national and international galleries for the past 12 years. After being selected as a muralist for the Sprout Fund and Verde Mexican Restaurant, he began a two-year live-in residency at the famous Brew House in Pittsburgh’s South Side. While working as an assistant to Chicago’s NEXT 2012 featured artist, Gonkar Gyatso, Gabe began learning new techniques in artistic goal setting and bringing ideas to fruition. Utilizing these new techniques, he created “the Magical Psychic T-Shirt,” an ongoing art experiment that is partly performance and interactive installation. He is currently discussing a tour and book release for the project, along with an endorsement with a major art supply company.

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  • Digital Asset Management (DAM)

    • 06 Sep 2013
    • 7:00 PM
    • 08 Sep 2013
    • 4:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    Register
    Note: This workshop has been moved from its originally scheduled September 27-29 weekend to September 6-8. 

    September 6-8
    Digital Asset Management (DAM)
    Instructor: Dan Salitrik
    All Levels | $200
    Weekend Workshop

    We will explore the Digital Work Flow process and Digital Asset Management (DAM), the management of indexing and retrieving digital images. What is Digital Asset Management?
    Digital Asset Management (DAM) is the effective management and distribution of digital assets such as images. DAM solutions allow you to centrally catalog, store, retrieve, and distribute small or large collections of valuable digital assets.
     
    A DAM solution can provide many benefits:
    • A central location to store and protect digital assets
    • The dynamic distribution of your assets to internal and external teams
    • A place to quickly find and retrieve assets
    • Improved workflow efficiency

    This workshop covers general best practices that will help you determine how a DAM solution can be most effectively implemented.

    Dan Salitrik’s bio can be found under You and Your Camera: The Basics.
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  • Maverick Mosaics

    • 06 Sep 2013
    • 7:00 PM
    • 09 Sep 2013
    • 2:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 6
    Register
    September 6–9
    Maverick Mosaics
    Instructor: Bonnie Fitzgerald
    All Levels | $300

    Students will be introduced to types of glass materials applicable to mosaic and will learn to use mosaic tools to cut and shape glass into tesserae (the basic unit of mosaic). This comprehensive class offers a strong foundation for constructing decorative art mosaics. Day one begins with an overview of contemporary glass mosaics. We will then cover basic design principles, terminology, and technical considerations. Materials available will include stained glass, vitreous tiles, art glass tiles, fused glass, and glass gems. The instructor will provide ample materials for you to complete your project. Students are encouraged to create original designs, but the instructor will have optional patterns available. Our last day will be spent on grouting and finishing techniques, friendly critique, and Q&A. This workshop is suited to those new to mosaics or or folks wishing to take their work to a new level. Project choices are either a 16 x 20–inch mirror surround or a home décor piece measuring approximately one square foot.

    Maverick Mosaics Materials Information.pdf

    Bonnie Fitzgerald is a working artist and the founder of Maverick Mosaics. Using traditional and contemporary mosaic techniques as a basis for study over the past 15 years, she has taught more than 20 different mosaic workshop topics to hundreds of students. She specializes in designing and providing unique learning experiences for all ages. Maverick Mosaics also designs and fabricates large-scale architectural mosaic installations. Bonnie is the author of 300+ Mosaic Tips, Techniques, Templates, and Trade Secrets (2012, published by Trafalgar Square Books). To view Bonnie’s portfolio, please visit www.bonniefitzgeraldart.com.

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  • Jack O'Lantern Refined: Garnishing & Vegetable Carving Skills to Create the Ultimate Pumpkin

    • 13 Sep 2013
    • 16 Sep 2013
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 6
    Register
    September 13 – 16
    Jack O'Lantern Refined: Garnishing & Vegetable Carving Skills to Create the Ultimate Pumpkin
    Instructor: Meryl Elliot
    Beginner - Intermediate | $200
    Weekend Workshop

    Students will explore options for creating an impressive Jack O’Lantern, including how to purchase the perfect carving pumpkin, use of stencils, decorative carving as well as gruesome faces and how to help your Jack O'Lantern last as long as possible. Students will have the ability to try as many of these techniques as their time allows.
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  • Nature Photography: Techniques for Capturing Fall

    • 13 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 15 Sep 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    September 13–15
    Nature Photography: Techniques for Capturing Images of Fall
    Instructor: Christopher Rolinson
    All Levels | $200
    Weekend Workshop

    During this workshop, you will learn a variety of nature, landscape, environmental, and wildlife photography concepts. Included will be strategy, location scouting, various technical approaches, basic editing, and sequencing. Students will be required to have DSLR or a point-and-shoot camera, and a laptop computer with imaging software. Those students using film should be prepared to use 1-hour developing for digitizing images. The sessions will occur in the state parks, state forests, federal reserves, and other mountainous areas around Touchstone. The best light for nature photography occurs early in the morning and later in the evening hours. Attendees should be prepared to take advantage of the light nature provides at the fringes of the day.

    Christopher Rolinson’s bio can be found under Nature Photography: Techniques for Capturing Images of Spring.

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  • Using the Handheld Air Hammer

    • 13 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 15 Sep 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    Register
    September 13–15
    Using the Handheld Air Hammer
    Instructor: Glenn Horr
    Intermediate* | $200
    Weekend Workshop

    This workshop will focus on using the handheld air hammer for .401 shank tools. The instructor will do class demonstrations, and students will then have hands-on time to test out techniques with this dynamic forging tool. The workshop will explore using the air hammer to carve, upset, and cut hot metal. Students will also learn how to make tooling to use in the hammer. Other techniques to be touched upon will be power hammer work and tool making. *Students should have working skills using a coal forge and basic hot metal forging.

    Glenn Horr’s bio can be found under Irons in the Fire.
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  • Glass Lab: Looking to Biological Forms to Create Dynamic Glass Objects

    • 13 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 15 Sep 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    September 13–15

    Glass Lab: Looking to Biological Forms to Create Dynamic Glass Objects

    Instructor: Ashley McFarland

    All Levels | $200

    Weekend Workshop

     

    In this workshop, students will use the natural world as a starting point from which to create visually stunning glass objects. The infinite variety of natural forms can be a great source of inspiration for glass artists looking to expand their body of work (or start one!). This workshop will be an exploration, using the qualities of glass to reference the beauty of the micro- and macro-scopic worlds that surround us. The focus will move from flame control for the finer details to flame atmosphere for achieving naturalistic color effects. Demonstrations will be given throughout the day, and students will receive one-on-one problem-solving assistance. Don’t forget to bring your notebook… and an open mind for being influenced by the surroundings. You can also bring old biology and natural history textbooks to keep next to the torch as inspiration!

     

    Ashley McFarland’s bio can be found under Introduction to Flame Working Techniques.

     

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  • Hand-Building and Surface Decorating Intensive

    • 13 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 16 Sep 2013
    • 5:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register

    September 13–16

    Hand-Building and Surface Decorating Intensive

    Instructor: Danna Rzecznik

    All Levels | $300

    Extended Weekend Workshop

     

    This workshop will focus on hand-building and surface decoration. Students will construct functional vessels and sculptural forms by combining soft-slab building with pinch-and-coil techniques. The class will explore a variety of decoration techniques by using colored slips, glazes, and texture to create variety and layers on the surface of the clay. Have fun creating unique and interesting forms.

     

    Danna Eve Rzecznik is currently an MFA candidate at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She earned a BFA in ceramics from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and K–12 Art Education Certification from Carlow University in Pittsburgh. Danna won the Juror’s Award in 2012 at the Three Rivers Arts Festival and was the top 2011 Emerging Artist Scholarship winner. Her work is currently for sale at the Society for Contemporary Craft and Touchstone Center for Crafts, and has been exhibited and sold at Baltimore Clayworks, Celadon: A Clay Art Gallery in Watermill, New York, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, GalleriE CHIZ in Pittsburgh, and Sweetwater Center for the Arts in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Danna has taught K–5 Art in public schools in South Carolina as well as art and ceramics classes, workshops, and outreach at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Carnegie Museum of Art, Father Ryan Art Center, Society for Contemporary Craft, Touchstone Center for Crafts, Gannon University, and Carlow University.

     

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  • Low-Tech to Large Scale: Hammer Forming Tips and Tricks

    • 13 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 16 Sep 2013
    • 4:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    September 13–16
    Low-Tech to Large Scale: Hammer Forming Tips and Tricks
    Instructor: Sean Macmillan
    Intermediate–Advanced | $300
    Extended Weekend Workshop

    This course will cater to the skill levels of the those who are enrolled. Students will be introduced to many different techniques that take advantage of metal's elasticity, enabling them to form shapes and add texture through the use of the hammer. The course will cover the making of simple forming tools so that one can get started on any budget. Some previous experience with metal forming and hammer and tool use is preferred, but assistance and encouragement will be available. Throughout the course, there will be a series of brief demonstrations and the opportunity to experiment on your own projects with the instructor throughout each day. This course is geared more toward exposure and experimentation rather than creating finished works, but students will have ample opportunity to create components that can be easily finished later. All student work will be done in copper; however, the instructor will demonstrate techniques specific to silver and brass. Preparing your metal, annealing, anticlastic and synclastic raising, sinking, spiculum forms, simple chasing and repousee techniques, and a variety of hammer textures will be demonstrated. Everyone will learn how to make tools from readily available materials and to utilize everyday objects as forming tools.

    Sean Macmillan earned an MFA in jewelry and metalsmithing from the University of Kansas in 2005, and a BFA from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 2000. His recent work is an exploration of hammered organic forms and textures combined with scrap steel. Most formal influences are the result of decisions in response to the found steel elements. After a year working as a metal spinner, welder/fabricator, and production bench jeweler, Sean returned to academia in 2006. He has shown his work at numerous national galleries, including the Courthouse Galleries of the Portsmouth City Museums, Erie Art Museum, University of Kansas Art and Design Gallery, Zaruba and Zaruba Gallery, Alice Sabatini Gallery, and the Craft Alliance. Sean has taught metals workshops at California University of Pennsylvania, Murray State University in Kentucky, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, and the Society for Contemporary Craft. His work has been published in 500 Metal Vessels and The Best of New York Artists and Artisans. He currently resides on a three-acre farm in Butler, Pennsylvania.


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  • Setting Stones in PMC

    • 13 Sep 2013
    • 7:00 PM
    • 15 Sep 2013
    • 4:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    Register
    September 27–29
    Setting Stones in PMC
    Instructor: Donna Penoyer
    All Levels | $200

    PMC (Precious Metal Clay) is an amazing material that is worked like a water-based clay but fires to pure silver with a kiln or torch. Some gems, such as cubic zirconia and glass, may be set in place before firing, taking advantage of metal clay shrinkage to trap the object. Other items that will not survive the heat of the kiln require post-fire setting strategies, such as fine silver bezels and prongs, in some cases requiring knowledge of how to handle metal clay shrinkage. Students will learn all of these methods, choosing among them to create two finished pieces.

    Donna Penoyer’s bio can be found under the workshop PMC Rings.
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  • Autumn Nature Printmaking Experience

    • 13 Sep 2013
    • 7:00 PM
    • 15 Sep 2013
    • 4:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 8
    Register
    September 13–15
    Autumn Nature Printmaking Experience
    Instructor: Dolly Queer
    All Levels | $200
    Weekend Workshop

    It is not necessary to be an artist to enjoy the art of nature printing. See the details of the beauty of the autumn flora found in the Laurel Highlands and Touchstone by learning to make a nature print. Students will learn the basics of how to make a print on both paper and fabric, and will take home frameable or wearable one-of-a-kind art. The class will cover the basics of printing, color, inks, shading, design, printing technique, paper selection, and specimen collection and drying. Oil-based and water-soluble block printing inks (non-toxic cleanup), fabric paint, notecards, and oriental (rice) paper will be provided. Students can bring a fabric item to print, such as a light-colored sweatshirt or a plain apron, or small plain table linens such as napkins or placemats (items must have been washed), or can purchase items from the instructor.

    Dolly Queer’s bio can be found under Spring Nature Printmaking Experience.

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  • Portrait Weekend

    • 20 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 22 Sep 2013
    • 4:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register
    September 20–22
    Portrait Weekend
    Instructor: Marcene Glover
    All Levels | 200
    Weekend Workshop

    Vibrant color choices and expressive textures will enhance your style as you develop your portraiture strengths. The weekend will be filled with in-depth demonstrations, interesting media explorations, and creativity-building exercises. Capture a likeness with more ease. Work in your favorite medium, and branch out to try new materials, too. Master the technical skills while allowing the model’s mood and essence to shine through.

    Marcene Glover’s portraits are commissioned by United States Congressmen and collected from New York to Nevada. They are in permanent collections of museums, a congressional library, and federal courtrooms, as well as in universities, galleries, and several U.S. House of Representatives’ member offices. She has received several awards for her work, along with grants from Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Marcene has taught fine arts at Saint Francis University, and is a Rostered Artist in Residence with Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art and ArtsPath. She has been a featured presenter for museums, television stations, and newspapers. Among her solo exhibits, “Facets in Culture, Faces in Government” celebrates leadership and culture, and has traveled to more than 20 locations from Pennsylvania to Rhode Island. “Glover has become a highly sought-after artist, due in part to her unique mixed-media and mixed-style approach, which allows her to express her subject’s political views and personal heritage, in addition to creating a direct visual representation,” says Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art. Visit Glover at www.artessence.info.
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  • Shibori Obsession

    • 20 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 22 Sep 2013
    • 4:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register
    September 20–22
    Shibori Obsession
    Instructor: Janice Patrignani
    All Levels | $200
    Weekend Workshop

    Immerse yourself in Shibori, the ancient Japanese fiber art of bound-resist dyeing using techniques of stitching, binding, folding, clamping, and wrapping. This in-depth weekend workshop will explore a variety of patterning, dyeing, and discharging methods with fiber reactive and acid dyes to create many one-of-a-kind wearable works of art. Some previous Shibori experience is preferred but isn’t necessary.

    Janice Patrignani’s bio can be found under Silk Glorious Silk.
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  • Translation: From Influence to Interpretation

    • 20 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 23 Sep 2013
    • 4:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 12
    Register
    September 20–22
    Translation: From Influence to Interpretation
    Instructor: Cappy Counard
    All Levels* | $300
    Extended Weekend Workshop

    Over this extended weekend, we will explore how to translate your interests and influences into nuanced and effective jewelry designs. Through the process of seeing, internalizing, and interpreting, the instructor will challenge you to discover an original perspective. You will then apply these discoveries to developing a small series of jewelry pieces using the techniques of piercing, roller printing, stamping, forming, riveting, and soldering. The mechanics of making functional brooches, pendants, earrings, and rings will also be addressed. *Concepts and techniques will be applicable to all skill levels; however, basic soldering experience is requested.

    Cappy Counard earned her MFA from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1999 and her BS in art from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1992. She makes jewelry and small containers that draw from her interest in architecture, the structural geometry found in nature, and those unexpected moments of beauty that make us stop and pay attention. In addition to her studio work, Cappy dedicates herself to her students in the metals/jewelry program at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where she has been a professor since 1999. She has exhibited, lectured, and demonstrated extensively throughout the United States. Cappy’s work has been featured in many books, including Art Jewelry Today 3, 21st Century Jewelry: The Best of the 500 Series, and The Metalsmith’s Book of Boxes & Lockets.

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  • Exploring the Autumn Equinox with Installation Art

    • 20 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 22 Sep 2013
    • 4:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register
    September 20–22
    Exploring the Autumn Equinox with Installation Art
    Instructor: Adrienne Heinrich
    All Levels | $200

    The Autumn Equinox occurs on September 22, 2013. This workshop will celebrate the occasion by creating small installations in the beautiful Touchstone outdoors. Each person will work independently during the two-day event to make sculptures, using the materials found naturally on the site. By using only natural materials and leaving them on-site, they will decompose over the fall and winter so that spring will find a clean landscape. (It is possible to work in teams, also.)

    Adrienne Heinrich has work in museum collections, including the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, and the Contemporary Museum of Art in Montecatini, Italy. She was Pittsburgh Artist of the Year in 2002, which culminated in a solo exhibition at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. Adrienne is represented in more than 60 public collections and in many private collections. She has been a Pennsylvania Residency Artist for the last 10 years, sharing her diverse artistic skill set with students in many schools and universities around the state.
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  • Raising Cane with Fig

    • 20 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 22 Sep 2013
    • 4:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 10
    Register
    September 20–22

    Raising Cane with Fig

    Instructor: Michael Mangiafico

    Intermediate–Advanced | $200

    Weekend Workshop

     

    Increase your lamp-working abilities by putting another twist on the traditional art of pulling fancy glass cane. Zanfirico, Murrini, Filligrana, and Lattachino will be covered in this weekend workshop. Michael “Fig” Mangiafico will help you learn to draw out glass and combine colors into fantastic linear patterns. Once the canes are complete, you will learn to use the cane to design and fabricate marbles, beads, and sculptural items at the torch. This workshop is great for intermediate or advanced students who have never worked with cane, but who are looking to build their skills and bodies of glass work.

     

    Michael Mangiafico’s bio can be found under Marbles to Insects: Diversify your Glass Sculpting Techniques.

     



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  • Introduction to Wheel-Thrown Pottery

    • 20 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 23 Sep 2013
    • 4:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 6
    Register

    September 20–23

    Introduction to Wheel-Thrown Pottery

    Instructor: Trevor King

    Beginner–Intermediate | $300

    Extended Weekend Workshop

     

    This course is an introduction to wheel throwing and the fundamentals of the pottery process. Students will be introduced to the entire process involved in creating ceramics vessels. We will discuss the many ways of creating basic functional forms, including, but not limited to, bowls, coffee mugs, pitchers, bottles, platters, and planters, by using the potter’s wheel, altering forms, and attaching handles. The class will discuss the many different types of clay and their appropriate uses. We will work in stoneware, and fire electric kilns. These are the most convenient methods for home studios. Depending on student interest, we might explore alternative low-fire techniques. The class will emphasize the importance of fun and self-expression in the creative process, and will serve as a great introduction for those who are new to clay, or simply as a great weekend for those who would like to focus on honing their skills.

     

    Trevor King is a multidisciplinary artist whose creative practice is fundamentally grounded in the ceramics tradition. A son of the Pennsylvania rust belt, Trevor delves into themes of identity, the passage of time, and the simultaneously rigid and fluid nature of social roles. He earned his BFA at Slippery Rock University (SRU), and is currently an MFA student at the University of Michigan. During his time at SRU, he was the president of the Potter’s Guild, and studied abroad at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan, Poland. In the summer of 2012, he was Touchstone’s Ceramics Studio Resident Assistant.

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  • Supplementing Traditional Forging Techniques with Contemporary Methods

    • 20 Sep 2013
    • 9:00 AM
    • 23 Sep 2013
    • 4:00 PM
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    September 20–23
    Supplementing Traditional Forging Techniques with Contemporary Methods
    Instructor: Stephen Yusko
    All Levels | $300
    Extended Weekend Workshop

    In this extended weekend workshop, the emphasis will be on the exploration of form, line, and surface while working primarily with forged and fabricated steel. Through discussions about design and functionundefinedand demonstrations of techniquesundefinedwe will work to create objects that balance the industrial history of the material with a gracefulness of form. Along with forging solid bar stock and tubing/pipe, participants will learn how to create pattern and texture on sheet/plate, and then work with it to give it dimension. Also covered will be joinery techniques and finishing processes.
     
    Stephen Yusko has worked as a studio artist for nearly 20 years, making forged and fabricated steel vessels, furniture, and sculpture. He earned a BFA in sculpture from the University of Akron, Ohio, and an MFA in metalsmithing from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He worked as an apprentice, then as artist-in-residence at the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. Stephen has taught at several schools and universities, including Haystack School of Crafts in Maine; Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina; Peters Valley Craft Center in New Jersey; the New England School of Metalwork in Maine; and Webster University in Missouri. He is also on the board of directors of Haystack School of Crafts. Stephen has exhibited his work widely, including at the Metal Museum in Memphis and the Society of Arts and Crafts in Maine, as well as being published in several books of contemporary metalwork, including 500 Metal Vessels by Lark Books.
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  • Sustainable, Knowledgeable, and Seasonal Cooking

    • 27 Sep 2013
    • 29 Sep 2013
    • Touchstone Center for Crafts
    • 9
    Register
    September 27 – 29
    Sustainable, Knowledgeable, and Seasonal Cooking
    Instructor: Roger Clatterbuck
    All Levels | $200
    Weekend Workshop

    So you want to be a more knowledgeable cook? This class will focus on knife skills, kitchen etiquette, stock and soup preparation, sauce and vinaigrette manufacturing, roasting braising and sautéing of meats and produce and food identification. The class will be group and individually structured depending on skill level. We will also be utilizing the War Eagle Victory garden to prepare a seasonal meal for the class. This is a perfect class for all skill levels as we learn and talk about the respect, memories and production of our daily sustenance.

    Chef Clatterbuck is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with an eclectic mix of experience ranging from fast food to four star New York City dining and from street vending to five diamond world class resort experience as both Chef de Cuisine and as Director of Purchasing. With training in cuisines ranging from classic French to new American, Chef Clatterbuck is well versed in a cornucopia of flavors.
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  • Ikebana Intensive: Introduction to the Japanese Art of Flower Arrangement