Behind the Screens
Sometimes when you find yourself roaming through unfamiliar territories, you have to ask yourself, “How did I get here?” As I sat in studio 3 of the Hyde Park Art Center pulling giant staples out of an old wooden silk screen frame with a flat head screw driver and a pair of needle nosed pliers, I asked myself that very question. How did I get here? And the only reply I could offer myself was the Art of Poetic Skin.
Experience the Art of Poetic Skin, that is the idea behind my small handmade skin care business called Poetisa’s Palette. I named my company Poetisa’s Palette because of my deep appreciation for art and the human experience. I spent my twenties taking photos that I can’t bear to delete even though they take up gigabytes on my hard drive. So three years ago when I decided to start making and selling skincare products, I knew that my company’s image was somewhere on my hard drive.
Fast forward three years, and here I am sitting in the HPAC studio 3 on a Tuesday morning learning how to build a silkscreen from scratch. My talented silkscreen instructor Elke Claus and several other artists are restoring old silk screens for class. I feel alive. I imagine most people see themselves on a beach on a hot summer morning, but my idea of the perfect day is sitting in an art studio restoring art equipment. The whole reason why I wanted to take silk screening was to get my images off of my hard drive and onto a t-shirt. However, as I stand here removing staple after staple, I feel like I am a part of something greater than my personal vision.
Unknown to my instructor and the other participants, this project hit home for me. The only way I can participate in silk screening on Tuesday nights is because of a partial scholarship that was awarded to me through the HPAC Fund. I don’t see myself as a charity case, but when unemployment hits you, programs like silk screening classes seem completely out your reach.
Participating in a creative learning environment as an adult is truly a luxury. As the economy offers more and more uncertainty, creativity seems to take an even further backseat. Art classes cost money; supplies cost money; and space costs even more money. You can’t get too cheap with your supplies or your project becomes difficult to produce and you wind up wasting more money. You know the more expensive the materials, the less room for error you have.
The thing that really makes the class worth it whether you get a scholarship or not is that everything you need to know to produce a silkscreen print is provided for you. Ink, paper, silk screens, UV light boxes etc., it is all there for your learning pleasure. HPAC even has daily open studio time, so we can work on our masterpieces. It is truly a no-lose situation.
At the end of the day, Elke told us we restored $800 worth of silk screens. I know what we accomplished in Studio 3 is going to help a creative soul like myself quench their creative thirst.
Paula Wills is a Hyde Park Center School and Studios student, taking summer courses in silk screening. Paula is the winner of the Art Center’s first Student Blogger contest. Each week, from July 25-September 5, Paula will blog about her experiences in the classroom - from projects to classroom lessons. Be sure to check back each week to hear more about Paula’s progress in the studio.