Gnarly Hoof Pit and Print 2024

Pit Fire and Printmaking In The Woods: October 11th-13th
@ Post Farm (Wisconsin 2.5 hours NW of Chicago)
Produced by GnarWare Workshop and Hoofprint
Hosted by Marina Post and Family
with Programming by: Liz McCarthy, Liz Born, and Gabe Hoare

August 28th 6-9pm: An additional “Pit Techniques and History” workshop. (possibly adding another date.)

Program:
This is a weekend pit firing event, plein-air print workshops, and camp out party on the land of the Post Family Farm in Wisconsin.

Pit Fire: Participants will get the hands-on experience of loading and firing an early style pit fire kiln, a tradition used by humans for over 20,000 years. This is a low fire atmospheric process that produces beautiful smoky and stained surfaces. We are using this process to produce purely decorative vessels/forms. There will be a “pit buffet” of various materials to produce effects. It is not a food safe process.

The printmaking in the landscape workshop with Hoofprint will demonstrate Cyanotype and Clay Monoprint techniques with found materials.

Clay Monotype: A process that allows artists to pull unique prints from a clay slab. Using highly pigmented slip, the artist paints directly onto a wet matrix of clay. Different marks are achieved through stencils, transfers, and working reductively with ribs, rakes, and other tools to reveal the contrasting layers beneath. Once the image is composed, the print is pulled onto a sheet of Pellon interfacing. This expressive process is an extremely strange and compelling way to create images!

Cyanotype: A photosensitive process that captures light and shadow in deep blue hues. In this workshop, we'll print on paper and cloth, playing with dimensional stencils made from clay, found objects, and parts of our own bodies. When the sun is low in the sky, we'll create experimental exposures by crumpling and folding sensitized paper. Leave your digital films at home--these cyanotypes are gonna git gnarly!

During the weekend, in addition to workshops and pit firing and printmaking, there will be programming and discussions around clay foraging and processing, nature walks, and more casual activities on the property such as walking the over 100 acre property, drawing games, camp fires, break out discussion, and yoga/meditation (unguided).

FEES:
$25: Pre-pit fire Workshop with Liz McCarthy ( Additional clay available at $2.50/lbs)
$230: Just the Weekend Fee: For just weekend programming. Participants will not have access to studio use, clay, firing or Terra sig at GnarWare. PARTICIPANTS MUST BRING BISQUE OR BONE DRY CERAMIC WORK. Bisqueware is strongly encouraged. Materials you want to put in the fire additional to clay must be approved by Liz. Ceramics for the pit must have no glaze on the surface.
$45/bed in the attic or bunk bed room at the farm house (6 spots) - must be reserved through email and will be paid through venmo.

STAY:
Post Farm is 60+ acres in Central Wisconsin, and backed up to 500 acres DNR conservation land. This is a camping and rustic amenities event, please come prepared with camping necessities. There is no access to showers, and there is an available out-house (commercial port-o-potty). There are stations with potable running water. There will be indoor beds available in a shared attic space in the house for an additional fee. There are a couple air bnb rentals 10-20 minutes away if you prefer.

FOOD:
participants should bring food for pot-luck style shared meals. There will be vegan and gluten free soups provided throughout the weekend to share at dinner (please supplement with your own food). There will be a rustic kitchen set up, refrigerator for communal use, and potable water access. There will be an open pit fire for cooking as well.

SCHEDULE OF THE WEEKEND

Friday
3pm: 5pm - Arrive and register with Liz McCarthy
6pm: **Orientation to property (we will ask you sign a liability release)
7pm: shared soup, campfire, cooking
8pm: Pre-fire at the pit
Evening: Drawing games and camp fire smores
11pm: Quiet time

Saturday
8-9am: Coffee Service
9:00am: Alternate Orientation
10-11am: preparing pieces for pit (Pit Buffet)
11-12:30pm: loading pit
12:30-2pm: lunch
2pm: begin Pit fire (transition to print)
2:30-5:30 pm: Printmaking with Liz and Gabe
6 pm : Dinner
Evening: Camp fire, Drawing games, more programming tbd
11pm: Quiet time

Sunday:
8-9am: Coffee Service
10-12pm: Wild Clay processing workshop (Liz)
12:30- Lunch
1:30pm- 3pm pit unloading and demo on finishing techniques
3pm-5pm: campus clean and departure

After you register:
GnarWare will send information on what to bring and location info. Participants will also get access to scanned resources about pit firing techniques.