Discover the fundamentals of mokuhanga, the Japanese technique of woodblock printing using water-based pigments, washi paper, and hand printing with a baren—no press required. This two-day, hands-on workshop introduces the tools, materials, and techniques of mokuhanga, including carving with traditional knives, using kento registration for precise alignment, and printing in layers with brushes and rice paste.

Through guided demonstrations and individual instruction, participants will design, carve, and print a small edition of two-color prints. Emphasis will be placed on the meditative, tactile nature of the process, and its ecological approach using non-toxic, sustainable materials. No previous printmaking experience is necessary—this course is open to beginners and those wishing to deepen their connection to this quiet, expressive medium.

All specialized tools and materials will be provided.

What is provided for students to keep:

• Shina plywood blocks
• Japanese paper (washi)

Provided for classroom use:

• Tracing paper
• Carbon paper
• Newsprint
• Carving tools
• Holbein Gouache, sumi, and specialty pigments
• Nori (starch glue)
• Freezer paper
• Brushes for applying gouache

What to bring:

• Sketchbook
• Prepared design
• Carving tools, if you have any
• Apron

Patty Hudak is an artist living in Underhill VT. She has practiced mokuhanga (Japanese woodblock printing) since 2016. She studied at the Mokuhanga Innovation Laboratory in Yamanashi, Japan, as well as in the studio of Motoharu Asaka in Tokyo. In 2020, her solo exhibition, Indigo and Ink, was exhibited at SVAC, along with her installation, There, Through the Broken Branches, Go. She was a co-organizer, with Mokuhanga Sisters, in SVAC’s 2021-2022 exhibition of contemporary mokuhanga prints, The World Between the Block and the Paper. Hudak is a recipient of the Vermont Arts Council’s 2018-2019 Creation Grant, Vermont Artists to Watch in 2020, and the International Mokuhanga Conference 2021 Awagami Paper Award.

www.pattyhudak.com/