Educators' Retreat: June 26-30, 2023

Not Just for Art Teachers!

Open to anyone but designed for K-12 educators and those studying to be educators (any subject or grade).

 

Educators’ Retreat provides a week for professional development that will enhance an educator’s own creativity while offering rich content that can translate to the classroom. Choose from a variety of studios and delve into the processes as you explore these techniques and share your findings with other educators/artists. Return to your classrooms revitalized with fresh ideas and unique resources.
 
Act 48 Credits are available for PA educators, sponsored by PAEA (Pennsylvania Art Education Association). (Touchstone is happy to work with education associations from other states to make any special requirements attainable).

Educators' Retreat Scholarships:

This scholarship provides 50%-100% tuition for any Educators’ Retreat workshop. K-12 educators and those studying to be educators are eligible.

  • Scholarship applications are accepted through SlideRoom: touchstonecrafts.slideroom.com
  • Scholarship applications must be RECEIVED by March 15, 2023.
  • There are no fees to apply for scholarships.
APPLY NOW

SPECIAL TOPICS

JUN 26-30 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI) | EDUCATORS' RETREAT
Giant Puppets for Celebrations
Instructor: Cheryl Capezzuti

All Levels
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
Materials and Studio Fees to be determined

This workshop is no longer open for enrollment.

 

Learn the art of making giant, lightweight puppets for parades and celebrations with master puppetmaker Cheryl Capezzuti. Participants in this workshop will design and build a giant puppet of their own while learning tricks of the trade to make giant puppets with their students. We'll design, build, papier-mâchè, paint, sew, and assemble our giants together while we explore ways to use puppets to bring joy to our communities. Our week together will end with a puppet parade through the beautiful Touchstone campus.

JUN 26-30 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI) | EDUCATORS' RETREAT
Building a Landscape with Color and Texture
Instructor: Laura Rendlen

All Levels
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
Materials and Studio Fees to be determined

This workshop is no longer open for enrollment.

 

This workshop is for those who want to explore a variety of mosaic techniques to create a landscape. Beginning with a short presentation and exercises to illustrate general principles, considering perspective, light source and highlights/shadows, you will then work from your imagination. The workshop allows you to discover different textures, color combinations and ways to transition and form relationships with mixed materials. Throughout the workshop, individual attention and tips are provided to help with the technical aspects of mosaics and to guide the successful completion of each project.

BLACKSMITHING

JUN 26-30 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI) | EDUCATORS' RETREAT
Striking a Series
Instructor: Marc Maiorana

No Experience/Beginner Level
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
$130-$180 Materials and Studio Fees

This workshop is no longer open for enrollment.

 

This beginning blacksmithing workshop will focus on making a small series of iron 
objects in five days. We will start with an introduction to forging and forming steel and how to join pieces together, and then transition into sketching and creating a small family of items. Each participant will develop a series unique to them that could be utilitarian or sculptural; examples could range from a set of utensils to a group of sculptures. In addition to learning key forming techniques, we will briefly discuss design concepts and the steps necessary to make a sketchbook drawing three dimensional.

CERAMICS

JUN 26-30 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI) | EDUCATORS' RETREAT
Connections in Clay and Movement
Instructor: Julie Wiggins

All Levels
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
$100-$150 Materials and Studio Fees

This workshop is no longer open for enrollment.

 

In this workshop, we will explore using porcelain on and off the wheel. A variety of serving pieces and surface decoration will be explored. We will connect our mind and body through making objects that represent sharing food and moving our bodies to create more inner self awareness, understanding, and harmony in our studio practice.

METALS & JEWELRY

JUN 26-30 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI) | EDUCATORS' RETREAT
Steel Jewelry
Instructor: Maia Leppo

No Experience/Beginner Level
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
$70-$120 Materials and Studio Fees

This workshop is no longer open for enrollment.

 

Explore the use of steel as an affordable, lightweight alternative material for a variety of jewelry.  Learn, experiment with, and apply different soldering, micro-welding and riveting methods with 20g-10g steel wires.  Personalize your jewelry with handy, non-toxic finishing techniques and added accents of your choice.  The course will also cover riveting and soldering with other metals (silver, brass, copper, tin) as well as basic hydraulic press use.  Simple mechanisms for pin backs, clasps, and earring wires will be covered to help make your piece complete.

Touchstone Center for Crafts prohibits discrimination in employment, educational programs, and activities on the basis of race, national origin, color, creed, religion, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or association preference. Touchstone Center for Crafts also affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to its facilities and programming.