Visit the Morgan Conservatory website for full workshop details and pricing.

July 7-8: Paper Marbling
Instructed by Steve Pittlekow

Learn the fascinating decorative paper process known as marbling. In this fast paced class you will learn to marble on paper in a two-day intensive workshop designed to introduce you to the process and practice of this historic medium using contemporary tools and materials. You will learn to mix the bath and colors, prepare paper, and practice many traditional patterns. This "at the tank" class is exciting with both freeform and structured guidance. This is the third time in four years the Morgan has hosted Pittlekow to teach this and it's a huge hit every year. The finished pieces you come away with are reward enough, but to learn from one of the best in the medium is an opportunity you don't want to miss. Marbled paper you make can be framed as art within itself or you can use your finished pieces in bookbinding or other paper arts.

July 14-15: A Pop-Up Field Guide to North American Wildflowers
Instructed by Shawn Sheehy

In this two-day workshop, you will create 8-10 pop-up cards featuring native flowers of the Midwest. Fundamental techniques of pop-up engineering will be demonstrated and practiced while building these flowers, using little more than a knife, glue and card stock. Aside from a collection of cards that you might either bind together and keep for further study or [as] gift[s] to family and friends, you will also receive the knowledge and tools to continue creating your own cards at home. No experience is necessary, but binding and/or sewing skills will speed your progress. This is a great workshop to take if you want to explore making your own greeting cards or would like to advance your skills in using paper as a medium for sculpture.

July 21-22: Unusual 3D Techniques: Kozo, High Shrinkage Fiber and Color
Instructed by Melissa Jay Craig

Paper Sculpting: Unusual 3D Techniques is a fast-paced, fun, information-packed class that includes a series of lectures, demonstrations, and plenty of hands-on papermaking and sculpting. Melissa Jay Craig will share with you some of her signature techniques that she uses in her sculptural works as well as other methods that are specific to kozo and high-shrinkage fibers. The creation of molds, armatures, and mounting strategies to make free standing or wall-mounted paper sculptures will be discussed and demonstrated and you will be able to try your hand at fiber-reactive dyes which enhance the handmade paper with vibrant color. You will work independently to create several 3D works with Melissa on hand to guide you if you have structural or procedure questions. You will come away from this workshop with a whole new understanding of paper as an art medium and take home what you have created along with the strategies for making many more sculpture in the future. All basic materials are included - just bring yourself and your creativity!

July 28-29: Paper Your Way - Learn, Experiment, Play, Make
Instructed by Tom Balbo

Ready, Set, Go! This is a hands-on experimental workshop where you will have the opportunity to learn from and then work alongside the Morgan's own Tom Balbo as he takes you on a papermaking adventure. OK - really though - this workshop offers a little something for everyone. Tom teaches a similar workshop every year with more and more of a following - many students are registering annually. You will learn the basic process of pulling handmade paper as the foundation and then you will build from that point in creative, quirky and unique directions. Learn pulp painting, how stencils can be integrated into designs, how to properly pigment pulp, how and why to combine or layer fibers and so much more. If you have papermaking experience or if you have always been curious this is your time to learn and make! You can use this as more of a production class leaving with a stack of similar papers to print on, bookbind with or use in your own art or you can take your time and turn each sheet into its own final piece with layers, colors and beauty. The Morgan's papermaking studio will be in full swing and you will want to be there without a doubt!

August 11-12: Korean Papermaking and Allied Crafts
Instructed by Aimee Lee

Korean papermaking, descended from China and a precursor to Japanese papermaking, has a long and illustrious history. With the rise of industrialism and modernization, it receded into obscurity but is still practiced today in countryside mills, producing hanji (Korean handmade paper). Aimee Lee, the leading US hanji researcher, will guide you through the process of preparing fiber from mulberry bark, making sheets using the unique side-to-side Korean formation method, and drying hanji. Students will also be introduced to joomchi, which is paper felting, and jiseung, which is paper weaving. This class is an excellent introduction to eastern papermaking and its applications, and makes use of the Morgan's Anne F. Eiben Hanji Studio, the only Korean papermaking facility in North America. This is a wonderful follow up to the Plant to Paper workshop with Tom Balbo in June where you will get a brief overview and hands on experience with several Eastern styles of papermaking. This will provide you with a more in-depth knowledge of one of the Eastern styles and other applications for the paper. This will be Aimee's third year at teaching at the Morgan and the workshops have quite a local following.

Aug 11-12: Upside Down, Back to Back and Side by Side: Double Book Structures
Instructed by Fran Kovac

Explore double book structures and forms, where two books can be bound together in a variety of ways, and with a variety of techniques. The tete-beche (head to toe) binding incorporates two texts that share a spine with no back cover but two front cover boards instead. The dos-a-dos binding (back to back) and the French door binding (side by side) both share the back cover board, but in very different ways. These structures provide many options for you and two texts to relate to each other in both physical and psychological ways. You will complete three books in class: an accordion style tete-beche binding using the pamphlet stitch, the dos-a-dos binding sewn with a link stitch, and the French door structure sewn on tapes with a magnetic closure. Along the way, we will discuss how each structure can be used to enhance or contrast texts, and how the structure of the book can change the way the texts relate to each other. Fran has been teaching workshops at the Morgan since its founding year and always has repeat students eager to learn a new process. Her experience and diligence are characteristics always noted on her workshop's student reviews and we are excited to host her for another wonderful class. No binding experience necessary.

Aug. 18: Basic Book Repair
Instructed by Cris Takacs

This is your opportunity to learn the archival techniques you will need to restore damaged books as well as proper practices on handling and caring for your books. Some of the skills you will learn about and replicate include dry cleaning, papermending, sewing, repairing loose joints, restoring torn spines and endcaps, and reattaching loose boards. You will also learn what repairs you can do on your own with the proper materials and what damage should be repaired only by a professional. Cris will provide damaged books for you to practice on and you are invited to bring 1-3 damaged books to the class to discuss strategies on restoration. This is a great skill set to have if you own historic, heirloom or antique books. It is practical as well as creative and something that you can absolutely replicate at home after mastering the basics.

Aug. 18-19: What a Relief: An Exploration of Printmaking on Edge
Instructed by Claudio Orso

The structure of this workshop is to challenge you to explore your personal sketches through the stylistic lens of relief prints carved in Shina plywood, wax plates and other alternative materials. This workshop will push you beyond your comfort zone to graphically embrace working with the illusion of grayscale value. Content can be based on landscapes, portraits or objects, but you must bring ideas and sketches to the class so that they can be explored, deconstructed and reconstituted throughout this process. You will creatively use the etching presses, brayers, rubbing spoons, chisels, gouges, knives and electric tools. You will also have free reign to integrate your block with type through the use of lo-tech poster presses and the expansive collection of metal and wooden type the Morgan has to offer. This workshop offers you technical processes, access to equipment, constructive critique and an environment where exploration is the name of the game.

Aug. 25-26: Paper Line: Pulp Painting as Script
Instructed by Emily Cook

Who said paper had to be flat? In this two-day workshop you will experiment by pulp painting with high shrinkage fibers such as help, flax, and abaca. When you layer these different fibers on top of each other while creating your imagery and line drawings - even without a base sheet - the fibers will pull and shrink as they dry. The results of this process are dynamic and densely colored sculptural drawings. You will be encouraged to create most of your wet work Saturday so Sunday can be spent determining options for and assembling the dry drawings into more complete works. This is a great follow up to Unusual 3D Techniques instructed by Melissa Jay Criag as it is another very distinct way you can add dimension to your papermaking.