Teaching and presenting:

I am leading a full-day Botanical Print Making Workshop on Saturday January 17th, 2015 at Leverett Crafts and Art, 13 Montague Rd.,  Leverett, Western MA.

From 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM, I introduce participants to the history of Nature Printing, and to traditional techniques of inking and imprinting plants onto paper. From 1 PM – 4 PM continuing students (who learned the basics or have previous art/print making experience) experiment with colors, diverse surfaces and tools. Detailed  instruction is given then on how to prepare and store specimen.  The fee is $ 65 for each segment or $ 96 for a full day. The activity is suitable for (young) adults. Materials and plants are provided. Feel free to bring specimen or materials of your choice, a lunch, and an apron.

When sparks of enthusiasm ignite in the hearts of participants, the mission is accomplished.

Botanical printing in San Juan, Guatemala.

Botanical Print Making:

• On paper with water-soluble oil inks (beginning and experienced level).
• On fabrics with textile paints that require simple heat set (beginning level).
• On natural fiber fabrics with thickened dyes (dyeing experience is desirable). Two day workshop.

I teach basic low-tech methods of printing with plants onto paper and cloth, that will have you observe and interact with plants in a detail-oriented and artful way. Your focus may become to document anatomical details, by controlling the interactions of ink, tools and surface, and pressure. Or you may choose to let these interctions be incidentals, that interact with plants freely. Depending on their inherent structure and moisture content, plants too, inform the choices we make during the process.

Materials, tools and application differ between printing on paper and fabric.

Classes are three to four hour in duration, workshops span up to two days. They are tailored to the interests and abilities of participants. I give one-on-one attention and group demonstrations. The cross-disciplinary content of my “lesson plans”, addresses art and science, but the activity itself uplifts our spirits. I specialize in family programs, professional development classes and continuing education for adults. Inquiries about customized instructions on a location of your choice are encouraged. Please contact me at  Tel.   860 605 6705    email   Leonore.alaniz@gmail.com

Who attended and where: 

The public and members of Leverett Trails Committee, MA.;  Amherst Garden Club, MA.; Botanic Garden at Smith College, Lyman Plant House, Northampton, MA. Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts, Boston. Rhode Island School of Design, Continuing Education, Providence, RI.

Members, at annual conference of the  NaturePrintingSociety.org

Participants in a substance abuse program, Belview Hospital, NYC.

Attendees of the International Congress on Education in Botanic Gardens. Brooklyn NY. http://www.bgci.org/education/1763/

Pupils in Third Grade in CT public school; Fifth Grade in NYC Waldorf School; in a special ed school in San Juan, Guatemala. Families at Snug Harbor Art Center, Staten Island, NYC; at Dana Center, Central Park, Department of Recreation, NYC; at farm and community events.

Hands-on Textile Art and Design. Slow cloth lecture demonstrations / presentations:

Who attended and where:

Students at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City; Institute for Design and Merchandising, San Francisco, CA; Pacific Basin, private fiber art school, Berkeley CA.

The public, students and faculty attending my solo presentation and fashion show “Common Threads” at University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Departments of Recreation Hayward and Fremont, CA. Resident interns, Sirius Community, Shutesbury MA. The public at galleries and small venues, members of Weaving Guilds in CA, CT, NY, MA.

Participants of the First International Weavers Congress, sponsored by Textil Forum, Germany.

Ananda Hatha Yoga and YogaEd Instruction:

Amherst, MA Senior Center. YMCA Winsted, CT. Yale Children’s Hopsital, New Haven, CT. Education Connection, Litchfield, CT. Connecticut After School Network, Department of Recreation Norfolk CT. Public and Residential Schools with teen pupils “at risk”, under the auspices of Education Connection, Litchfield, CT. Private Yoga studio in Torrington, CT. Alternative High School, Winsted, CT.

Since 30 plus years I teach skills I have, and skills others enjoy having. They are:

Slow Cloth: Fibers and Textiles in the context of indigenous and industrialized societies; mindful production, use and re-use;  ecological fiber technology; handwoven and surface designed textiles; waste-free garment design.

Therapeutic Recreation: YogaEd classes for children and teens that integrate body and mind through art making and yoga practice. YogaEd for personal care and professional development of educators and care givers.

Adult Hatha Yoga for Elders aging healthily.