The Fairfield Art Association is bringing a new printmaking workshop to the FAA Studio this fall, led by artist Anna Maistri, while also previewing a slate of upcoming classes and seeking community input on future offerings.
Maistri’s workshop, titled “From First Carve to Custom Tote,” is a hands-on introduction to relief printing designed for beginners with no prior experience. The four-session series runs October 15th, 22nd and 29th, and November 5th, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at 200 N. Main St. in Fairfield.
The workshop is broken into three stages. The first session introduces basic tools and technique, with participants carving and printing their first simple stamp on paper. The second session focuses on finer lines and more intricate designs, with the goal of each participant creating a set of custom postcards. The final two sessions cover repeating patterns and fabric-specific inks, culminating in participants printing a one-of-a-kind cotton tote bag.
All materials are provided, and participants are invited to bring their own ideas or reference photos to inform their designs. The workshop is open to all skill levels, ages 14 and up. Cost is $100, with reduced pricing of $90 for FAA members and $80 for students. To sign up, email anmaistri@gmail.com.
The FAA is also continuing its fiber art class series with artist Wendy Read, who grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, surrounded by artists in her family and year-round access to nature. Read has built a career around fiber arts, with work displayed in numerous exhibits and private showings across the country. Her style centers on thread-painting, in which, as she describes it, “the thread becomes my paint, the sewing machine my paintbrush.”
“The love of nature combined with the tactile qualities of fiber pulled me into the joys of creating art,” Read said. “My artistic endeavors have taken me past college art classes, to learning traditional quilting, to exploring the many techniques available in the fiber arts, but I most enjoy dyeing fabric and thread-painting. I love translating images, be it something seen on a walk, or something abstract in my head, using the techniques I’ve learned over the years.”
Class offerings with Read include free-motion quilting, thread-painting, embellishing quilts, making a landscape quilt using fabric scraps, and Seminole patchwork. Classes are held at the FAA Studio beginning at 1 p.m., with dates to be announced. Fees are $40 per person for a three-hour class, $80 for six hours, and $120 for nine hours. Class sizes are limited. Those interested can sign up at the FAA Studio, open Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m., or by emailing suzan1252@aol.com.
Also on the horizon, the association is planning a two-day water mixable oil painting class called “Meet the Masters” with artist Anastasia Weigert, scheduled across November and December with details coming soon.
The FAA is also surveying community members about several additional potential classes. Those include adult glass painting with a holiday theme led by artist Suzan Kessel in November — participants would bring their own wine glasses or other clear glassware, with special glass paint provided, for a $40 class fee. Also being considered is a jewelry tree holiday craft class with Kessel, in which participants would create a decorative tree from old jewelry, watches, chains, fabric scraps and other materials using a Styrofoam cone and specialty glue, at a cost of $45. Two sessions are planned for November and early December.
Additional classes under consideration include mixed media art for adults with artist Wendy Stegall in January, fiber art with Wendy Read in winter 2027, and a working with pastels class with Gin Lammert also in 2027.
Those interested in any of the survey classes are asked to indicate their preferred days and times and submit their name, email address and phone number at the FAA Studio or by emailing suzan1252@aol.com.
For more information, contact FAA Volunteer Director Suzan Kessel at 641-919-2121.
