Workshop Adventures: Tales from the Studio

I've been running lots of workshops recently and each one has brought its own energy and discoveries. There's something wonderful about watching techniques which are so familiar, unfold in someone else's hands for, perhaps, the first time.

The collagraph workshop I ran earlier in the summer, was particularly rewarding—there's such satisfaction in building up those textural plates and seeing the surprise on faces when that first print is successfully pulled.

However, the true highlight was hosting four friends from across the pond, who came to learn gelli printing and collagraph techniques, making it a truly memorable experience.

What started as a technical workshop quickly became something much deeper. These soul sisters and I found ourselves sharing stories alongside inky techniques, discovering we had so much in common—nature, skeletal leaves, our love for textural work, Japanese ceramics, and even our shared appreciation for rhubarb drinks! There's something about working with your hands that opens up conversation in the most natural way.

The deep connections made over printing plates and shared creative struggles reminded me why I love teaching. Yes, we covered the technical aspects thoroughly, but the real learning happened in those moments between techniques—the laughter over unexpected results, the quiet concentration as new ideas took shape, and the genuine excitement when someone achieved exactly what they'd been hoping for. I think creating together, especially over a number of days is unveiling in so many ways.

It's workshops like these that fill my creative cup, as much as they hopefully fill others'.

The exchange of ideas, the fresh perspectives on familiar techniques, and the simple joy of making something beautiful together—this is what makes all the preparation worthwhile.

Feedback from participants

Learning about printmaking was initially why we came, but now that we have experienced four days with you, it is only half of what we take away. You are such a lovely human being – so kind, thoughtful, and generous – amazingly generous. You live artfully – your beautiful home, the fields and gardens, the food you prepared and served so beautifully, sharing the precious botanicals you gathered and preserved, providing professional materials for us to work with, and authentically and enthusiastically encouraging us – like Rumi wrote:

“The beauty that you love it what you do.”

I can’t thank you enough for the grace we experienced during our time with you – we have pressed it into our hearts and minds. The best type of print. 

At dinner during our last night in Lincoln, we looked at each other and agreed – Su and Andy (my hubby who did all the cooking and so much more) have inspired us to be kinder –to others, to the world, and to ourselves.  

Her instructional sequencing built our skills and familiarity with various media used in making collagraph plates and prints. Su presented us with a powerful overview of possibilities found in the details of her own work, followed by an explanation and demonstration of the many materials and techniques she employs in her printmaking process. We learned the qualities and possibilities offered by various types of inks, texture media, application techniques, hand-cut stencils, etc.  We tried them out on a sample board we created in class before moving on to collagraphs of bowls, pots, and pebbles.  

...We observed an artist at work and learned first-hand how process leads to the eventual production of a beautiful and interesting print. Because the class was process oriented, we participated in the full scope of art making.

Su balanced demonstration with lots of time for the hands-on creation of our own collagraph plates. We explored both intaglio and relief printing as we created textural, raised surfaces on our plates, and deeply etched, crackled areas.

We embedded botanicals and other materials into the plates, and/or added raised features, creating a dimensional focal point to our prints. Our work featured different values, lots of texture, and unexpected details that made each print unique.  

Su demonstrated the printing process in a professional way: checking the edges of our plates to prevent spill-over ink and smears; placing and registering the plate on the deck of the press, layering the blankets, smoothly rolling the press over the paper with even pressure, carefully using paper fingers to keep our prints clean, and the process of drying the prints.

She treated us as fellow artists, and we developed the 'studio habits of mindset' that professional printmakers use.

Su elevated the experience of experimenting and playing with concepts and materials into creating intentional, professional works of art – each unique and representative of the personal aesthetic of each participant.   

We left the class with a carefully bundled collection of prints to take home - art that we will frame.

Our prints are beautiful because they are filled with the joy of experimenting and creating with intention. They tell the story of everything we learned, and the beauty we found in the lovely place we were so honoured to share with Su and Andy during our four days together. 

Su is an accomplished artist and an experienced, effective teacher – the perfect combination for learners of all levels of experience. She is always asking “what if”, and her work is fresh and filled with the joy of her informed experimentation. We leave the class with a set of skills and new knowledge of media and techniques, but more importantly, we can’t wait to continue to find our own answers, and to capture the beauty we find in our local natural environment through printmaking.  

 I loved learning about nature and the beauty of the land integrated with art.

While I believe in this approach and study, practice and have this awareness, the experience at Su’s farm and studio set on the farm land was so amazing. The studio was filled with dried flowers/botanical and stones all used for art work.

Looking out every window was the grass and the horizon with birds and trees and plants. The focus on sustainability in her art practice was vivid and important. How to use sustainable products and how to successfully re-use art products.

I could go on and on, but as far as a simple review my four days with Su France was life changing. I think about it everyday in many ways. It impacted my art, my color choices, my confidence as an artist and life choices.

Another memorable summer experience was at Harriman and Co in Leicester with my mini press. Such tiny but beautiful prints were created, followed by a fun artist's social, networking and eating the best banana loaf.

Another course over the summer took place at LPW (Leicester Print Workshop) . Thanks to talented Matt Glover for the portratits of me and my hubby above.

Running the "From Leaf to Print" workshop at Leicester Print Workshop and a one day mono print course at The Hub were such rewarding experiences for both myself and the participants. I loved watching everyone discover the immediate satisfaction of botanical printing with Gelli plates, from their foraging expeditions to those final moments assembling concertina books or mounting finished works. What made it particularly special was seeing each person develop their own unique artistic voice over the five days and how supportive they were when reviewing each other's projects - the combination of playful experimentation and technique development created such a supportive atmosphere where everyone flourished creatively and found their own connection with the plants.

I still intend to write a password protected blogpost for anyone who has attended my monoprint courses this year (wherever you did it) so you have my notes and screenshots from the sketch book ideas books I shared with you so watch this space...

If you'd like to know about future courses you may wish to click below...

take me to the workshop webpage