Shadra Strickland at Hollins University - the Workshop

On Saturday, Shadra Strickland did a linocut workshop with our students. She talked about her method behind reductive print-making, which is probably one of the most difficult techniques out there. There's a great video on how to do it HERE. Ironically, it's the same one I watched at the University of Edinburgh when we were being taught the method during my MFA. Here are our students watching carefully, trying to get it.In this photo you can see all the Margaret Wise Brown Prize Books too. Each student came with a poem and a simple illustration to work with. They first went over those.They they planned their process, coloring the layers they would need.Once that was worked out, they began to carve the linoleum.Reductive printing takes several steps. You print a layer, carve some more, print a layer, carve some more. It takes time. But the results are beautiful. Look at the amazing results Shadra achieved in her book A Child's Book of Prayers and Blessings. She did as many as 16 layers in some of these pieces - WOW!
      Shadra was great with our students - I knew she would be. They had a great time learning this tricky method, that can, ironically, be done in a very small space at home. Shadra made it accessible and achievable. She was down to earth and inspiring. I hope we can have her back again soon!