May came and went so quickly that I’ve only now had the chance to properly reflect on the workshop I held for Afri-Co-Lab. As part of their Creative Chill sessions, they invited me to repeat the workshop I originally created for Hear Me Roar, the Women’s Voice event for International Women’s Day back in March.
As always, the group brought a mix of creative backgrounds — many trying printmaking for the very first time — and I find monoprinting such an easy and welcoming introduction into the medium. I spent a bit more time demonstrating different techniques and approaches to mark-making, though my demo prints are never fully successful, which I hate because it always looks terrible for the class. Nevertheless, the class results at the end were full of energy and experimentation. It proves how much you can achieve when you have time, curiosity, and a willingness to play.
One participant experimented with collaged lace, double-printing it so it created the illusion of drop shadows. Another worked with reverse calligraphic script. Someone else used collaged fabric that resembled mosaic, while others layered textures and colours that danced over one another in rhythm with the music.
If you’d like to listen to the playlist I used for the session, you can find it here:
Coming up
I’m really excited to be working with the Afri-Co-Lab team again and offering this workshop for Breathe Play Laugh - a creative away day for Global Majority space holders and facilitators. Taking place on Monday 29th June, it’ll be held at Charleston’s legendary Bloomsbury artists’ house in the midst of the South Downs in Firle, East Sussex. I’m looking forward to playing a part in this day of restorative creative practice and community.
If you’d like to find out more, you can sign up to Afri-Co-Lab’s newsletters for updates and sign up.
