Material literacy series for Southern New England artists interested in exploring natural materials
This summer, Ocean Hour Farm will host its first cohort of artists for an educational series on using natural materials. The program will be led by Clara Boberg, Materials Innovation & Fibershed Coordinator at Ocean Hour Farm, in collaboration with local artists and farmers.
Who is this for?
This series is a no-cost opportunity for artists 18+ who are committed to shifting their material practice to one based on local, earth-based materials. We will accept 10 artists into this program, and they should plan to attend all sessions. The series was created for artists who have not had the opportunity or resources to learn in traditional workshop settings or through higher education.
What will I learn?
The series will cover introductions to a wide range of natural materials techniques, including flax and wool fiber processing, dyes, paper sculpting, and earthen building. Each session will feature artist-teachers on day-long workshops to get an introduction to the material and technique.
Participants will gain concrete skills to use in their own practice, teach others, and create a culture change around the materials we use, how we use them, and how we value them. We will also introduce local source lists to find materials from the region for art-making.
When is this program?
This program will have 6 learning sessions, split into 2 sessions per month, from mid-June through August. Each session will last between 4 and 8 hours, depending on the topic. Dates will be finalized based on the instructor’s and participants’ availability.
What is the outcome?
In September, artists will be asked to create a final piece reflecting their new skills. To support this, Ocean Hour Farm provides a $100 stipend for locally sourced materials. These works will belong to the artist and are intended to help artists integrate the techniques they have learned into their practice.
There will be a final wrap-up meeting in October to discuss the program, the final pieces created, and reflections from the past months, along with an opportunity to showcase your work.
