Instructors
Bonny Lhotka
Bonny Pierce Lhotka in 1997 co-organized “Digital Atelier”: A printmaking studio for the 21st century” at the National Museum of American Art of the Smithsonian Institution and was an Artist-in-Residence there for 21 days. She is the recipient of the Smithsonian/Computerworld Technology in the Arts Award. She worked with a group of curators to help them envision the potential of digital printmaking in “Media for a New Millennium” a work-tank/ think-shop organized by the Vinalhaven Graphic Arts Foundation.
As one of three Artists of the Digital Atelier, she was invited by Marylyn Kushner of the Brooklyn Art Museum to show a selection of art work and demonstrate how original digital prints are created and combined with traditional printmaking processes at opening of the 27th Print National.
She wrote Digital Alchemy, published by New Riders Press, an imprint of PeachPit Publishing. Previously she co-authored the Digital Art Studio: Techniques for combining inkjet printing with traditional art materials with Karin Schminke and Dorothy Simpson Krause.
Bonny Lhotka combines fragments of objects, dreams and reality to illuminate the connection between life and death, technology and the human spirit. Using mixed media and lenticular imaging as a unifier of individual components, she creates a moment frozen in universal time, where the lens bars viewers from entering the artificial world represented but enables them to understand the dimensionality of the creative intent. The viewer is challenged to a level of understanding rarely encountered in the context of current experience. In the end, Bonny is an experimental artist who adapts and invents new materials and processes with which to create her unique work.
Carrie Neher Lhotka
Carrie Neher Lhotka has had a life-long passion for the arts. From an early age, as the granddaughter of Fred Neher, a nationally syndicated cartoonist in the 50’s & 60’s, she was encouraged to develop her own artistic talents, and to bring them to everything she undertakes, often in new and unique ways.
Now working in partnership with Bonny Lhotka at DASS Art, Carrie leverages both her artistic talent and her experience as a teacher to bring new processes and techniques to a wider audience. As she experiments and explores, she’s pushing the processes in new ways and expressing her own artistic voice. She combines her love for nature, rich organic forms, and vibrant photographic imagery with both digital and studio techniques to create unique works, that reflect her many varied experiences. www.carrielhotka.com
Travel
Please read and understand the refund policy, including the minimum registration requirement prior to booking non-refundable travel.
Denver International Airport, often referred to as DIA, is the nearest airport, located at 8500 Peña Blvd, Denver, CO 80249
Travel time to Boulder by car is about an hour, to Denver studio is about 45 minutes.
Also, The Green Ride is great for getting to and from the airport.
Some attendees have taken the RTD Bus to Boulder then grabbed a taxi to hotel, we have been told this is the least expensive option and quite convenient. Light Rail is under development but not yet available to Boulder but this is an option to Denver Studio.
Lodging
DASS has arranged for a block of rooms at newly remodeled Marriott Courtyard Hotel 1.2 miles from the studio. The group rate is $99.00 a night and must be book by Feb 4th to get this rate. (for the March 2020 workshops) The room rate covers either of the workshops or both. The hotel has a Bistro Restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner. We will have a 7-8 pm meet and greet in the hotel lobby the evening before each workshop. DASS is not responsible for booking or cancellation of rooms at the hotel. You will receive the hotel works shop code information after signing up for the workshop.
Colorado Weather
If moderate temperatures, an average of 300 sunny days per year and beautiful scenery sound like the perfect vacation destination, then you will love Boulder and its pleasant year-round weather. Boulder Colorado is considered the high-desert, with an altitude of 5,400 above sea level. This elevation ensures a mild climate with very little humidity in the summer and winter months. The warmest month is July with an average daytime temperature of 87 degrees Fahrenheit. You may need a sweater at night as temperatures can dip into the 40s. January is the coldest month in Boulder, with an average daytime high of 45 degrees. Visitors to the Rocky Mountains dress in layers so they can be ready for all temperatures.
Studio & Details
Studio
It can be warm in the winter when the sun shines in the windows, but the studio can be cool if the sun isn’t shinning, so bring a warm sweater or fleece. The floors are concrete so good shoes and warm socks are advised. For safety reasons, no open toed shoes, sandals or flip-flops are permitted. There are 6 stair steps to get into the Boulder studio. Both studios have plenty of parking.
You will not need a computer unless you have been told it is needed. There is no Internet service or telephone available in the studio, so bring your cell phones should you need access.
Preparing Your Images
When selecting your images for the class you’re welcome to get creative, but please bring at least a few more traditional images as well. We would suggest a mixture of black and white (or sepia), color, portraits, and close-ups as a good start. Remember to flip your images before printing them (otherwise they will be backwards)! Because you will be working small a vista of the Grand Canyon should be avoided.
When you sign up, you’ll choose to print your own images or use our pre-printed stock images. If you print your own, it’s very important that your printer use pigment inks – some examples are Epson Durabrite, Ultrachrome, K3, and HP Vivera inks. These prints can be used for any of the processes you learn. Make sure you let the prints dry for a day, then place a sheet of paper between each one so they don’t stick together. If you selected the option to use our stock images they will be ready when you arrive.
If you have an iPhone or iPad download the free Epson Print App from the iTunes Store. In some workshops you will be able to print portrait images wireless to the Epson R3000.
Food
Boulder Studio: Lunch will be provided all days as there are no restaurants near the studio. We will provide soft drinks and bottled water, and will have a variety of box lunches available, including vegetarian.
Photos and Video
You may take photos and notes but no audio or video recording. You are encouraged to post to your Facebook and Twitter accounts or blogs while yore here.
Your projects may need to dry, and be shipped to you after the workshop ends. Please bring pre-printed FedEx or UPS labels for your boxes with your account number on them, and we’ll drop them off for shipment on Monday. We can also pack ship your projects back for you for the cost of shipping plus a $20 handling fee, but that may take up to a week after we receive payment. Artwork not shipped within 30 days will be discarded.
Put your name on all tools and supplies you bring, and stickers with your name and address to put on the back of every work you leave to dry. This needs to be very clear so as not to lose your work. Please do not ship anything to the studio – we are unable to receive packages there.
Depending on which workshop you have selected you may choose to bring these additional supplies:
- If you want to work with layering collage and paint with your transfers then bring a few tubes of acrylic paint and some polymer gloss medium.
- Also bring a few sheets of rice papers if you like to use those for collage. Basic collage material will be available.
- A few brushes
- A rubber brayer- hard or soft 3″ x 4″ wide. Cheap brand is ok. We do have scrapers that can be used in place of the brayer.
- Please label all your materials with your name
BRING SAFETY EQUIPMENT
We will be using isopropyl alcohol in class. If you are sensitive to alcohol or alcohol vapors or latex, please DO NOT take the workshop.
Safety equipment is your responsibility and is REQUIRED. Appropriate eye protection and protective gloves must be worn – bring them with you. Dust masks for sanding wood are highly recommended, and you may wish to consider filter masks suitable for alcohol vapors if your very sensitive to vapors. Check with your local home center for appropriate equipment.
Personal safety gear cannot be provided. If necessary we will direct you to a local home center to purchase it, however you will miss the portion of the workshop while you away.
Legal Stuff
By taking this workshop you are agree to be photographed and have your art photographed by DASS, LLC staff for use in on our website and for marketing purposes. You also understand that other participants may photograph you and your art during the workshop, and that DASS, LLC has no responsibility for the usage of such photographs. You will receive a liability release to sign prior to the workshop, which will be emailed to you when you sign up.
Refunds
We understand that things happen in life. Should you be unable to attend the workshop, you can transfer your workshop reservation to another person of your choosing at no charge – just let us know at the time you cancel. No additional inkjet media will be provided.
If you are unable to transfer the space, we will do everything we can to fill your space from the wait list, however certain cancellation fees will apply. All cancellations are subject to a $250 processing fee, , even if the space is filled from the backlist. Cancellations within four weeks of the workshop date are subject to a 50% cancellation charge unless we can fill the space from the wait list. Cancellations within two weeks of the workshop date are fully non-refundable unless we can fill the workshop from the wait list. If we cancel the workshop for any reason all your fees paid to DASS will be refunded.
Minimum Attendance Requirements
All workshops have minimum attendance requirements. We will confirm the workshop will take place 30 days prior to the start date, and suggest waiting until then make non-refundable travel arrangements. Since things happen in life, we recommend that you purchase travel insurance or refundable tickets.