Paula Roland and Jeff Hirst guide the group through fun and informative explorations and collaborations that help us create outside of our habitual ways of working. Utilizing Chicago’s resources, we observe how architecture, ornament, nature’s elements and patterns, and urban grit interact and become synergistic. We will document the urban landscape in and around the studio building area with our phone cameras and produce information that will then be silkscreened or mono printed with the Roland encaustic HOTbox™. By juxtaposing and layering images intuitively, new meaning and context develop. We embrace these interactions and find a fluency between materials and processes, the organic and geometric, the environment, society, and change, and how these intersect or differ.

We create both individual and group works. Personal attention will be given to each artist and group discussions will respond to the group’s work as a whole. We will also address ways that silk screen and monotype can be incorporated into your studio practice back home.

Artist-Students will leave with an armload of finished pieces, new observations and skills, and much inspiration!