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In the lead-up to the summer, Artshack is putting together a series of workshops around textiles. In these workshops, students will learn how to dye fabric with indigo, how to use a sewing machine to crop their tops, and how to mend clothes. But more importantly, the curriculum is designed to start a conversation around fashion, sustainability, and our relationship with the environment.
Indigo is coloring created from the leaves of the Indigofera tinctoria plant (it’s a bean/legume!). It can be used to dye yarn, fabric or other fibers. The shrub is planted and used in West Africa, Indian and Southeast Asia to dye fabric a dark blue color.
In this workshop, students learn about the significance and uses of indigo throughout various cultures. Students will also have the chance to dye yarn, a small handkerchief-sized piece of fabric, or a small item of clothing, such as a t-shirt or tank top, using indigo.
This workshop is geared to beginners. Students are encouraged to bring a small piece of white clothing but will be provided a handkerchief-sized white fabric if they would prefer to dye that. Instructors will provide wax and tools for batik, rubber bands and string for tie dyeing, and the indigo needed to dye the fabrics. Materials for this workshop were built centering the experiences of our BIPOC community members, though everyone is welcome.
ArtShack Brooklyn is thrilled to host Printed in Clay, a hands-on workshop led by artist Andrew Robinson, exploring the intersection of printmaking and ceramics through a bold, graphic lens. Drawing inspiration from the raw immediacy of Atelier Populaire and the visual language of French agitprop, this workshop introduces participants to silkscreen, stencil, and monoprinting techniques on clay slab forms transforming the surface into a site of layered storytelling and protest.
Much like the hand-pulled posters of the 1968 uprisings, participants will experiment with high-contrast imagery, expressive mark-making, and the dynamic relationship between text and texture. You will learn how to transfer images onto clay using custom silkscreens, cut-paper stencils, and spontaneous monoprinting methods through guided demonstrations and open-ended exploration.
Whether you are a seasoned ceramicist or a newcomer, this workshop offers a tactile, hands-on experience in merging print and clay to create radical, one-of-a-kind surfaces.
*** Spaces are limited, so early registration is encouraged! Join us for an afternoon of bold imagery, layered textures, and the rebellious spirit of printmaking on clay then take home a set of uniquely printed slabs to fire and finish.
In this workshop, you'll explore the process of creating your own underglaze crayons, learning about the components and materials that make them unique. Led by Camila Ruiz, a ceramic artist with a PhD in biochemistry, you’ll gain insight into the chemistry behind underglazes, and how these materials interact to produce different colors and textures. Camila’s background in glaze formulation ensures that your creations are both practical and artistically expressive.
You’ll leave the workshop with a set of your own handmade underglaze crayons, ready to use in your ceramics practice. The session will conclude with a color exploration inspired by the work of Hilma af Klint, along with a reflection on how color relates to the seasons and spirituality.
Want to spruce up your wardrobe? How about cropping an oversized top? Or turning those old jeans into shorts? In this workshop, students will learn how to use a sewing machine to do simple modifications.
This workshop is geared to beginners. Artshack will provide a handful of sewing machines though students are welcome to bring their own machine if they have one at home and have always wanted to learn how to use it! Students should also be prepared to bring a piece of clothing to crop. Instructors will provide a handful of oversized t-shirts for practice.
Too many clothes end up in landfills because of small defects. But we can rescue many of our clothes by mending them. In this workshop, students will learn basic mending techniques, such as darning, patching and appliqué. We will also learn about sashiko, a Japanese form of embroidery that is used to enforce and decorate the fabric.
This workshop is geared to beginners. Participants are encouraged to bring clothes they want to mend and will be provided needles, yarn and scrap fabric.
