Continuing Education for Working Artists,
Your Sometimes Print Shop Sanctuary and A Home for Wayward Printers Everywhere
and Inadvertent Print Publisher
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(Looking for PrintCamp? Click here!)
PAST WORKSHOPS
All Print Media at Printmakers Open Forum
Allison Rosh and Carey Good, Summer 2016 All Print Media at PMOF
2016 - an evening out for all
"I gained an incredible amount of print knowledge in only a week and enjoyed every minute of it!
Printmakers Open Forum is its own creative epicenter with a peaceful countryside backdrop.
This week was a full of productive and positive energy - it rejuvinated my printmaker spirit!"
Alicia Taylor, Summer 2014
All Print Media Workshop Experience:
This is a true Atelier experience with the entire shop at the participant’s disposal.
Participants can choose to work separately or in combination with various techniques such as etching, aquatint,
spit bite, collograph, silk collograph, monoprint, gelatin monoprinting, plaster printing, relief woodcut and linocut,
plate, stone, pronto and photo lithography or all types of silkscreen.
In addition, you are free to include ways to seamlessly incorporate color and printing,stencils, a la poupee, chine colle,
viscosity, multiple plates, and relief.
Shelley will work with you to explore, expand and deepen your practice. Have no fear; this class will help you successfully mobilize your vision.
The shop is air conditioned and with full ventilation and a seperate processing room with powerful venting.
Shelley Thorstensen is the director of Printmakers Open Forum.
Shelley has exhibited her work around the world
and taught at numerous art colleges in the US for the last 30 years as a professional artist/printmaker.
See her portfolio, learn more about her career and contributions here: shelleythorstensen.com
Her work can be seen at Dolan/Maxwell
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Two limited/partial Scholarships available - please email here for information Summer 2017
The shop is a beauty with 24 hour access. Class runs from 9 - 4pm
(yes you can camp here)
please join our Mailing List Here
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Summer 2016 Workshops taught by Shelley Thorstensen
All Print Media Workshop at Printmakers Open Forum
June 5 – 10, 2016
This workshop is now full. Please join the mailing/wait list for future workshops, please join our mailing list here
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Motivational Intaglio at Women's Studio Workshop
July 11 - 15, 2016
This workshop is now full. Please join the mailing/wait list for future workshops, please email here
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Expedition Abroad: Ireland Field Study at The Ballinglen Foundation
July 23 – 31, 2016
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Presto Intaglio Intensive at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking (CT)
August 20 and 21, 2016
Past Workshops:
Teaching Artist Workshop for the Bartol Foundation 
Past Workshops - Print The Midnight Sun: Printmaking in Finland, Solstice 2014 here
Print The Midnight Sun: Printmaking in Finland, Solstice 2014
Past Week and Weekend Workshops at PMOFhere
Please click here to be on our mailing list
Workshop participants Leokadia Stanik sketching the flower garden, Stefan Bossmann working outside, Steve Ford and Katie VanVliet working on silkscreen
Workshop participants Susan Altman, Etching with Batteries with Dawn Simmons
Activities
Fall 2014
PANEL: Beyond the Institution: Creating an Independent Creative Life Without Academia
PMOF speaks! Talk entitled "Live Like Dogs are Chasing You"
Friday, September 25, McGregor Memorial Conference Center, Wayne State University
Summer 2014
Print The Midnight Sun:
Printmaking in Finland / Solstice 2014 (June 21 - June 28)
Spring 2014
Print The Midnight Sun:
Printmaking in Finland / Solstice 2014 (June 21 - June 28)
Visting Artist, SUNY New Paltz NY
University of the Arts, Philadelphia PA, mulitdisciplinary lecture series
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Fall 2013
Visting Artist, Kansas State University Fall 2013
I'm very pleased to announce my exhibit at Second State Press in Philadelphia,
Part and Parcel. I've put up the proofs for making my latest print, On Any Given Day.
below is the show card and a few early installation views
Second State Press is at 1400 North American Street, B103 Philadelphia PA 19122
Reception: Thursday October 10, 6 - 9pm
Show dates: October 5 - November 8 2013
click here for my statement for the show, The Practice of Remembering
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Other News
honored to be included in
Print Revolution, The Ronald L Ruble Collection exhibition
The Palmina F and Steven S Pace Galleries
University of Southern Indiana July 15 - September 7 2013
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DRAW 13 Guest Artist
Society of Graphic Fine Art
92nd Annual Exhibiton, Menier Gallery 51 Southwalk Street London SEI 1RU
September 30 - October 12 2013
(shown: Sail of the Confluence, etching collage and guache 10 x 7")
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Visiting Artist
Kansas State University, Manhattan KS
October 20 - 23 2013
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Spring/Summer 2013
Color into Print with Shelley Thorstensen and Women's Studio Workshop
Getting ready! Color into Print at Antica Tenuta le Casacce just outside of Seggianno, Tuscany!
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Printmakers Open Forum
the shop is close to complete!
for each step of the shop progress click here
follow Printmakers Open Forum on tumblr here and facebook here
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Society of American Graphic Artists
As the current president of the Society of American Graphic Artists (SAGA) I am ushering in our 2nd century in 2015.
We've just had a very successful 80th Members Exhibit at the DeLind Gallery in Milwaukee during the Southern Graphics Council International (SGCI) Conference the end of March.
The SAGA Council has a show up now at Galerie RECOLTE in Fukuoka Japan, entitled Across the Waters with a catalog on its way.
We've just finished producing both a catalog for our 79th Members Exhibition at The Old Print Shop in New York and a new "SAGAzine" downloadable here. Features include an interview of Richie Lasansky by Michelle Wilson and an article by Ralph Slatton entitled Dissent in Printmaking.
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Recent Exhibitions: (2013 Exhibitions, click here)
Rose Lehrman Gallery / Harrisburg Area Community College
Wednesday, Feb. 27 through Wednesday, April 3, 2013
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Under Pressure
Susquehanna University / Lore Degenstein Gallery
January 26th - March 1st, 2013
Opening Reception: Saturday January 26th, 7 - 9pm
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Juxtapostions
Spencer Hill Gallery / Corning NY
January 19th - February 16th
Opening Reception: Saturday January 19th, 3 - 5pm
Shelley Thorstensen work in progress - Mezzotint, Etching
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Fall/Winter 2013
Color into Print / Shelley Thorstensen
July 9 – 18, 2013
Women's Studio Workshop Summer Arts Institute
Picture the color of Tuscany. Changing hues from dawn to dusk. Rolling landscapes of yellow ochre and verde fields accented by vermillion, poppy, terra-cotta. Siena and umber earth. White-washed medieval architecture surrounded by century-old olive groves. Sepia pasta with porcini fired over the grill, that golden oil which is at times lime or pure molten ore. Picture ripening vineyards below endless azure skies. Picture timeless beauty.
Immerse your senses in the colors of Tuscany with printmaker and teacher Shelley Thorstensen in the nine day workshop, Color into Print, offered by Women’s Studio Workshop during the summer of 2013 held at Antica Tenuta Le Casacce (Residenzia Montale), Tuscany.
Explore, expand and deepen your vision, inspired by how the Tuscan palette resonates uniquely with you.
Color into Print is designed to activate and accelerate your interpretation of color. It will generate momentum in your entire art-making practice. The focus is on color monoprint, drypoint, collograph, and simple polyester plate lithography, each printed in concert of the full complement of color options including layered surfaces, chine colle, and viscosity printing. This is precise yet juicy printmaking tailored to the needs of each participant. This is a low-stress, high reward workshop. Leave with a record of your color journey in Tuscany.
Our Italian Workshop coordinator, Susan Fateh has selected this exquisite new site because it features breathtaking views whichever way you look, ample and well lit indoor work-space opening out onto a private terrace, pleasant, charming bedrooms, and sublime food prepared by a top Roman chef.
This panoramic location about 3 km from the medieval village of Seggiano. The villa is an ideal place for experiencing fine Italian cuisine in an evocatively authentic setting. Students may opt for private rooms or double occupancy and significant others and/or friends are welcome at a 20% discount.
Dating back to the 13th C, the villa's recent renovations have rendered it comfortable without losing traditional character. All aspects of the workshop will be held in the original farmhouse on the estate that has its own pool. The farmhouse will be completely devoted to Women’s Studio Workshop participants – which can be men and women. The charming village of Seggiano is off the main tourist routes and maintains its traditional Tuscan charm and unspoiled countryside. Students may opt for private rooms or double occupancy. Partners and/or friends are welcome at a 20% discount.
On a typical day, the class will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. After a leisurely lunch break you can take a siesta, a swim in their lovely pool or go back to the studio for some quiet work time. Instruction will resume for another 2 hours before the evening meal. The studio itself can be used around the clock.
Included in tuition:
- most materials (paper, inks and plates)
- housing
- full board of 3 meals a day, including abundant vegetarian fare (extra charge for very particular dietary requests)
- a day trip to nearby Siena
- group transportation to and from Rome’s Fumicino airport will be provided
Prices are $4100 for a single, $3700 double
Registration deadline February 28, 2013
Shelley Thorstensen has expertise in all printmaking techniques. She is a fount of technical knowledge when it comes to color. Her work is part deep personal archive, part printmaking evangelism, woven together in fabric of color, metaphor and commentary. Art critic Edward Sozanski writes of her work “The ease with which she combines these processes and exploits their individual strengths gives her prints uncommon presence and, more often than not, transcendent beauty”. Recent solo shows include: (2011) This the Smoke from when the Horses Left at the Painted Bride, (2010) Counterpoint: The Leap from Vision to Print at Woodmere Art Museum and (2009) The Preponderance of Evidence at The Print Center (Philadelphia). Shelley currently teaches printmaking and drawing at Tyler School of Art. Her work can be seen at Dolan/Maxwell (dolan/maxwell.com) and is collected across the US, Europe and Japan. She is President of the Society of American Graphic Artists (SAGA) in New York City.
Susan Fateh serves as the Program Director for WSW's Italy workshops. She holds a BA/Hon. from Scotland, an MFA from NYU, and apprenticed at S.W. Hayter's Atelier 17 in Paris. Susan was a production papermaker at WSW, where she first learned the craft. She has conducted various workshops in Jordan, Trinidad, and Italy, and has coordinated a women's handmade paper self-help group in rural South India. Her own mixed-media works are in diverse collections around the world. For the past ten years, she has lived in Italy with her young son.
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Summer 2012
Summer Workshops
Castle Hill/Truro Center for the Arts, Cape Cod MA
Etching: Generating Momentum in your Practice / Shelley Thorstensen
July 23-27, 2012
Whether this is your first stop discovering printmaking or you are a veteran printmaker, this class is designed to activate and accelerate growth that can generate momentum in your entire art-making practice.
The workshop is designed for both artists working in other print, painting, or drawing media who are interested in the possibility of incorporating some level of print into their work and for artist/printmakers who work primarily on an etching press.
This is a low-stress, high reward workshop. Shelley includes in the workshop a series of demonstrations including ways of using color and printing, such as: stencils, a la poupee, chine colle, viscosity, multiple plates, relief and collage with ways to easily and seamlessly incorporate them into your work. Have no fear, this class will help you discover what aspects are unique to you and how to explore, expand and deepen your practice.
Shelley will work with you individually to discover what aspects are vital to your work and how to successfully mobilize your vision. This is precise yet juicy printmaking tailored to the needs of each artist. Bring drawings, ideas, prints in progress or just yourself and well take it from there.
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Women's Studio Workshop, Rosendale NY
Motivational Intaglio / Shelley Thorstensen
Workshop Participants: Ann Piper, Paper Buck and Jillian Contreni Sokso
August 6 - 10, 13 - 17, 2012
These intensive workshops are designed for but not limited to artist/printmakers who work primarily on an etching press. It is also a good place for artists working in other print, painting, or drawing media interested in the possibility of incorporating print into their work.
Shelley will begin the workshop with a series of demonstrations including ways of using color and printing, such as: stencils, a la poupee, chine colle, viscosity, multiple plates, relief, collage, and digital media. Using your current work and ideas as a catalyst, Shelley will work with you individually to discover what aspects are vital to your work and how to successfully explore and expand your vision.
This workshop provides extended work time allowing participants to incorporate new ways of working into their artistic practice. Shelley will organize this period to further examine your work and mindset. She will include material specific to each participant while encouraging a further understanding of etching.
Artists will learn how to seamlessly incorporate handwork such as drypoint and mezzotint on various substrates, editioned monoprint, paper and polyester photo litho, hand-worked and photo based collographs, photocopy transfer; handmade repeatable rubber stamp and registration systems. Shelley will also address possible considerations for content, scale, series, multiplicity, format, paper choice, and available matrices.
(Every year students want more time working with Shelley. She has agreed to spend a second week at WSW allowing students to take either week or both weeks to activate and accelerate their individual artistic development while generating momentum in all their art making practices.)
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Group Exhibits
A Sense of Place
Spencer Hill Gallery, Corning NY
Director, Kathrine Page
July 1 - August 4th
Shelley Thostensen - Etchings with Mezzotint - new work, summer 2012
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Society of American Graphic Artists
May 19 - June 29, 2012
Pictured: left Merle Perlmutter (Council), Shelley Thorstensen (President) and Barbara Minton (Recording Secretary and SAGAzine Editor)
right: Shelley Thorstensen and Donald Axelroad recieving the Speedball Materials Award
SAGA Exhibit Review: Art and Antiques online
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Exhibition Catalogs
Fusion - International Contemporary Intaglio Print Invitation Exhibition
Guanlan Original Printmaking Base Guanlan, Shenzhen, China
curated by Lynne Allen, Director, Boston University School of Fine Arts
pictured: Hand to Mouth, Etching, Mezzotint and Relief, 24 x 36"
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Mulitple Encounters, Second Edition
pictured: Joyous Lake, Etching, Silkscreen and Relief with Chine Colle,18 x 24"
traveling invitational group exhibition beginning in New Delhi, India
January 23 - Febriuary 6, 2012
Lalit Kala Akademi
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A Survey of Contemporary Printmaking
pictured: Rhyme and Reason, Etching, Silkscreen, Litho and Collograph, 23 x 35"
curated by Rochelle Toner
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New from Printmakers Open Forum
click here for more building progress and presses!
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--- also featured----
New Directions and Contemporary Trends in Printmaking - Shelley Thorstensen
take a look here: Print Revolution in America
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April 2012
CATALOG
Shelley Thorstensen in other words
(click image)
The catalog is available (with a flip book preview!) at viovio or by searching the web Shelley Thorstensen in other words. It's also available at Printmakers Open Forum . It catalogs my last three solo *exhibitions of 2009 - 2011, is 54 pages, with over 50 images and ten essays by:
Dr Glenn Benge, Professor Emeritus, Art History, Tyler School of Art
John Caperton, Curator at The Print Center, Philadelphia
Laurence Dreyfus, Professor of Music, Magdalen College, Oxford UK
Diedra Krieger, independent curator and aka Plastic Fantastic
Anabelle Rodriguez-Lawton, Independent Curator
Jillian (Contreni) Sokso, former student and Chair, Art Department Houghton College
Edward Sozanksi, Art Critic, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Dr Burton Wasserman, Art Critic, ICON Magazine
Michelle Wilson, independent artist
The book was designed by the most awesome Sondra Graff / rpm projects
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SHOWS
Multiple Encounters, Second Edition a traveling group exhibition beginning in New Delhi, India January 23 - February 6, 2012 Lalit Kala Akademi,
curated by Vijay Kumar, one of the founders of Manhattan Graphics Center
Southern Graphics Council International 2012 - 2015 group traveling exhibition to be housed in 2015 at the Kate Skipworth Museum, University of Mississippi
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Printmakers Open Forum - THE SHOP
Heres a picture of where the silkscreen washout sink, acid room and the litho graining sink will be situated.
(The shop is 30 x 64 feet)
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TEACHING / WORKSHOPS SPRING THROUGH SUMMER
During the school year, I've been having a great time teaching drawing and printmaking for the
BFA program and the newly formed Visual Studies program at Tyler.
For Workshops, please join me at the following for 2012 (chronological)
Printmaking Center of New Jersey , North Branch NJ
Notes to Self Thursday March 22nd , Thursday March 29th
The Path from Plate to Print all possibilities all day demo Thursday April 12th
Honing your Skills Thursday May 10th
Peter's Valley Craft Center, Layton NJ
The Integrated Print June 15 19
Castle Hill at Truro, Cape Cod, MA
Etching: Generating Momentum in your Practice July 23 27
Womens Studio Workshop,Rosendale, NY
Motivational Intaglio August 6 10, 13 17 (one week, or two optional is new!)
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President, SOCIETY OF AMERICAN GRAPHIC ARTISTS
This summer I became the President of SAGA, The Society of American Graphic Artists. SAGA represents the very best of hand pulled printmaking for the last 100 years with an office on Union Square in Manhattan.
Since then, SAGA had its annual Member Show at Prince Street Gallery, NYC June 2011. The Prize juror was Ellen Handy, Art Historian at the City College of New York We had our Annual Award Dinner at the National Arts Club, Gramercy Park NYC this fall honoring long time Council Member, Ann Chernow and past President, Michael DiCerbo.
We just deinstalled Hands On, Prints from the Council of SAGA at Helen and Frank Hyders Projects Gallery in Philadelphia. This exhibition opportunity was made available through long time SAGA Council Member, Florence Putterman. The long-version review and insights by Dr.Glenn Benge can be found on the SAGA website.
Our next Members' Meeting is at the Westbeth Artist Community Center on May 12th - If you interested in attending, send me a message.
In addition, SAGA's next Annual Member Exhibition is at The Old Print Shop in New York from May 19 - June 29. The opening is Saturday May 19 at 1:00pm. The Prize Juror is Dr. Michael Schantz, Director and CEO of the Hecksher Museum of Art, NY.
For the first time, SAGA will be present at the Southern Graphics International Conference, held this year in New Orleans. I'll be there so stop by and say hi, and see SAGAs Collector Prints at our Publishers table. Pick up a forward-looking pencil created to kick off SAGAs plans for its 100thbirthday in 2015.
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*SHOWS included in my catalog include:
The Preponderance of Evidence
Print Center
Philadelphia PA
2009
Counterpoint: The Leap from Vision to Print
Woodmere Art Museum
Chestnut Hill PA
2010
This is the Smoke from When the Horses Left
Painted Bride Art Center
Philadelphia, PA
2011
Come make work at Printmakers Open Forum
Learn new print techniques and work in one, some or more print mediums.
You can work in one or more of these mediums, in combination or separately:
Etching on copper, drypoint on plexiglass, stone/plate/photo/prontoplate lithography,
(Two partial) scholarship applications are still being accepted until April 15th
Summer 2016 All Print Media Workshop taught by Shelley Thorstensen
Two Sessions
Eight days, Saturday June 3 – Saturday June 10 $675 (plus $75 lab fee) $750 total
Eight days, Sunday June 11 – Sunday June 18 $675 (plus $75 lab fee $750 total
Learn new print techniques and work in one, some or more print mediums.
You can work in one or more of these mediums, in combination or separately:
Etching on copper, drypoint on plexiglass, stone/plate/photo/prontoplate
lithography, silkscreen, wood/lino cut, plaster prints, monoprints, gelatin prints...
"PrintCamp was a wonderful communal experience; all participants came into it with fresh ideas, little printmaking tricks and skills to share. Shelly was a gracious host who offered up her home and studio space to the group as well as her keen attention to the individual needs of folks in the group. The print studio space was spacious and comfortable to work in, well stocked for most printmaking needs including litho, etching and relief and screen-printing. Shared meals and evening campfires filled the evenings with good conversation and camaraderie!"
Jenn Manzella
“Pulled a couple prints of all three vases together. When I get back, I’ll do an full edition of the individual vases. This trip was so incredible. I needed to get away for a week and solely work on my bringing new ideas to fruition. Feeling hella revitalized, thank you Printmakers Open Forum.”
APPLICATIONS for PrintCamp2020 (to be held the start of June 2020) will be out December 15th
Want more about camping and living at PrintCamp?
you for a beautiful time! This space is truly a sanctuary! Thank you for all your time, energy and help.
you for a beautiful time! This space is truly a sanctuary! Thank you for all your time, energy and help.
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