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Hosted in collaboration with Main Street Arts in Saxtons River, VT
Join experimental archaeologist and leather specialist Dr. Theresa Emmerich Kamper (as seen on ‘Alone’ Season 8) and natural materials artist and teacher Caroline Ross (@foundandground on Instagram) for this unique weekend workshop in, diving into ancient European art and crafts.
Over the 2 day course you will learn how to make traditional parchment from deer hide and go home with a piece of the finished skin. In between working the hides with Theresa, you’ll learn how to make natural paints from ochres and coloured rocks, oak gall ink, and feather quills and brushes with Caroline, as used for over 1500 years, and still used by illuminators today. You will have a chance to work on parchment using your new tools, paints, and inks, inspired by works made by one of our hosts, artist Candace Jensen.
There is nothing like the scriptorium sound of a roomful of people writing with freshly cut feather pens on parchment, nor the satisfaction you’ll gain from knowing how to turn waste animal skins into a precious, durable art surface. Theresa and Caroline have been teaching in their fields for many years and are both authors of books on the subjects we’ll be covering. There will be ample time for questions and experimentation. You’ll go home with an art kit that can party like it’s AD999, and as importantly, all the skills to make tools, parchment and colours almost anywhere, that will stand the test of time and not cost the earth.
This course is made possible by the generosity and enthusiasm of the expert faculty, as well as by the collaboration between artists and volunteer staff at Main Street Arts and In Situ Polyculture Commons.
Main Street Arts is a community-based performing and visual arts nonprofit organization in Saxtons River, Vt.
• Registration will be limited to 12 students.
• Tuition Investment: $400
• Two full scholarships were made available through In Situ Polyculture Commons. Additional partial scholarships were generously made available by Main Street Arts.
• Scholarship application closed on March 1st, 2023. All scholarship funds have been awarded at this time.
• General registration opens March 15th, 2023, a link will be made active on this page.
• Four workshop sessions of 4 hours each with expert material makers Caro and Theresa
• All materials required for course: deerskin hide, pigments, binders, shells, reeds, wood, etc
• Coffee, tea and light snacks
• Your very own hand made art kit or paints, pens, brushes and parchment to take home.
• Ample workshop space at Main Street Arts and In Situ Polyculture Commons
• Saturday night community event (meet the faculty, Q&A, drinks)
• Access to camping/facilities space at In Situ Polyculture *space is limited, camping on-site will be made available on a first-come first-serve basis. Register early if camping is the right choice for you!
-places to pitch tents
-small guest kitchen space with fridge, induction stove tops, toaster oven
-shared toilet (indoors) and shower
• Meals— local recommendations will be provided to registrants for dining, take away, and self-catering
• Housing— for those traveling here from afar, we highly recommend booking a lovely, bright and affordable room at Moore’s Inn and Guest House in Saxtons River, which is walking distance to Main Street Arts! Only 1.25 miles from In Situ Polyculture campus up the hill.
Hosts David Moore & Carol Perley
mooresinn@vermontel.net  or call: 802-869-2020 https://www.mooresinn.com/
The scholarship application closed on March 1st, 2023. All scholarship funds have been awarded at this time. Two full scholarships were made available through In Situ Polyculture Commons. Three additional partial scholarships were generously made available by Main Street Arts.
General registration opened March 15th, 2023 and is hosted through Main Street Arts. A deposit of $50 will be taken to hold your spot in the class, and is refundable up to 30 days prior to the course. Payment in full will be due 2 weeks before the course.
A waitlist will activate if we fill up— which we anticipate! Waitlist will go chronologically in case of cancellation from a registrant.
Email us with any questions that remain unanswered:Â hello@insitupolyculture.org
