CultureWorks led a 2-day screenprinting workshop to supplement Black River’s printmaking class for project term.
Inspired by the artwork and pro-democracy activism of Shepard Fairey @obeygiant, 24 students learned screenprinting and stenciling techniques that they can use at home without specialized equipment or chemical processes. We looked at voting statistics in Michigan and talked about the importance of civic engagement, particularly for young voters and for communities that are traditionally underrepresented in leadership. Shepard Fairey’s get-out-the-vote posters offer a perfect jumping point for thinking about graphic design, composition, lettering, and the impact of art and visual communication on personal & collective movements.
Students did a fantastic job of designing, cutting vinyl stencils, and screenprinting multi-layered pieces over the 2 days, and many chose to embellish their posters with spray paint, using hand-cut stencils. Black River’s project term is a month-long experiential learning program in which students gain educational experiences that are difficult to provide in a more traditional setting. Our workshop supplemented their Printmaking Project Term, taught by Tara Gorris, by offering access to screenprinting which isn’t available at their school. In a time of increasing anxiety and disillusionment with politics in America, we’re grateful for the opportunity to encourage high school students to advocate for themselves and their communities, by using art as a catalyst for social and political change.
