This hands-on Gelli printing/collage/artist book workshop pairs two accomplished artist educators, Reni Gower and Melissa Potter, guiding you through a deep exploration of sacred geometry as it is revealed through nature. Independently and together, Reni and Melissa have taught workshops across the United States and internationally, including in the Middle East, Central America, Southern Europe, and the Caucasus.

You'll start with an overview of plant-based art practices and the principles of sacred geometry. Then, through observation and foraging, you'll learn to spot the universal ratios found in plants and botanical imagery, both in nature and in built environments.

In the studio, you'll:

• Use plant materials and stencils to create monoprints with Gelli plates. 

• Design unique motifs for handmade stencils and tiling.

• Combine your monoprints with recycled and decorative papers to build collages based on sacred geometry templates.

• Create artist books in several formats: star, snake, hexagon, accordion, and reversible bi-fold.

Sacred-geometry-inspired templates will be provided as jumping-off points for your own work. We’ll also take a few outdoor excursions to sketch, take photos, and draw inspiration from nature. 

This workshop presents a relaxed balance between concept, process, and history through process-based techniques that encourage focused mindfulness, peaceful contemplation, and thoughtful engagement.

Details

• Skill level: All. No prior skills or preparation needed.
• This workshop is part of Handwork 2027 at BARN. 

Materials

• A $50 materials fee, included in your registration fee, covers all the materials you'll need.

Class Policies

• Ages 14 and up are welcome.