From 2:30 pm until 5:30 pm
At Brigid's Loft
$95 (includes materials)
Explore the Victorian pastime of pressed flowers in the beautiful Victorian seaside town of Port Townsend, WA! Join artist and maker Robert Mahar in learning best practices for working with delicate pressed flowers and then create your own imaginative compositions mounted on paper - suitable for framing or stationery. Instruction will also include the fabrication of a simple wood flower press to preserve specimens from your own home garden.
In the mid-19th Century creating herbariums, a collection of dried flora assembled for decorative purposes or as a garden record, was a wildly popular pursuit embraced not only by men of science but also ladies of leisure. Delve into the history of how this art form crossed the historical gender and social divides of the time leaving a beautiful record of botanical diversity. Inspired by Victorian methods, play with a beautiful selection of pre-pressed flowers and foliage to create a collection of designs all your own.
This workshop is well suited for beginners - no previous experience is necessary. All materials are provided and included in the cost of the class. Each material kit includes a selection of dried and pressed flowers, mounting papers, stationery, adhesive, and assembly tools to create decorative compositions; pre-cut wood, paper, cardboard, and hardware to assemble a small-scale flower press.
Instructor Bio:
Robert Mahar is a California-based artist and educator who teaches thoughtfully researched and developed hands-on projects based on historical craft traditions. He’s also a proud contestant alumni, and subsequent associate producer, on NBC’s crafting competition show Making It with Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. With an education in studio arts and art history, he has worked in a variety of creative fields including 13 years as an appraiser of modern and contemporary art. Learn more about Robert, explore his video tutorial archive, and shop his collection of curious embroidery samplers at robert-mahar.com.