Learn about printmaking outside of the classroom with SCAD Print Club
Written by Anna Schroeder. Photo by Rebekah Farnham.
“Print Club is about having a space for people to learn about printmaking,” said Rebekah Farnham, the Print Club Treasurer. “We wanted to create a place for people who couldn’t take classes but were interested in the craft.”
Students with a passion for printmaking created a club dedicated to educating non-printmakers and well-versed printmakers alike. Kaitlyn Avery, a fourth-year student and the president of SCAD Print Club, with a minor in printmaking, shared that after she started taking printmaking classes during her second year, she and other students were interested in re-starting the SCAD Print Club, originally created in 2014. They formed the club to be an introduction to printmaking outside of people who take classes, or just anyone interested in printmaking. Club meetings now take place on a regular basis in order to share ideas, provide demos and workshops, and explore alternate print processes.
Farnham said, “We’ve done a few different workshops. Papermaking, bookbinding, screen printing, woodcarving, mono printing. Mostly, we demo different print processes and try to include other workshops we think pair well with printmaking. We also try to show up for any events the print department is having.”
Each member of the Print Club leadership team shares a deep appreciation for the craft of printmaking, including Xavier Scott, Vice President of the Print Club.
“As an illustrator, I’m more used to doing digital work and artwork on screen,” said Scott. “But with printmaking, I get to use my hands and feel the paper and inks and make a mess. I get to explore my options and figure out what I want to do. Printmaking is a fun class to take. Without it, I wouldn’t have found out about the Print Club or even run to be the vice president. I enjoy making people smile and showing them something new, and taking them through that process.”
“We’re all so used to working on our computers and electronics nowadays, so it’s nice to get my hands dirty sometimes,” Avery explained when asked about her favorite aspect of printmaking.
Farnham shares the same attitude. “The print shop really has become a second home to me. I work there twice a week as a shop monitor, so I spend a lot of my time there,” she shared. “When I first started taking printmaking classes, I loved how messy my hands got, my fingerprints would be all over my prints because my hands would have ink on them. It was so cool to have that hands-on aspect. What I love most about printmaking is that it’s so surprising and magical; the process pushes you to create things you never imagined, and I love that art is able to surpass my own imagination.”
SCAD Print Club is a creative outlet for any student interested in “slingin ink,” getting their hands dirty and sharing an appreciation for printmaking with a group of wonderful people. Meetings take place at noon on Fridays in Alexander Hall, located in the print shop. The leaders of SCAD Print Club welcome any and all SCAD students interested. Look and RSVP for upcoming workshop events on the SCAD Print Club website, though RSVPing isn’t required.
