BIG INK returns in Spring 2027
The Center for Contemporary Printmaking is excited to welcome BIG INK back to our studios in April 2027 for an extraordinary opportunity to create a woodblock print on a truly monumental scale.
BIG INK’s unique blended-learning workshop combines online instruction with an in-person printing experience. Participants will begin at home, where they will follow an online master course led by BIG INK founder and instructor Lyell Castonguay. With a minimum of two months to work at their own pace, participants will learn how to develop a design, enlarge and transfer their image, carve a large-scale woodblock, create textures, sharpen carving tools, proof their work, fix mistakes, and more.
Then, the BIG INK team will bring The Big Tuna, their custom-designed giant mobile printing press, to the Center for Contemporary Printmaking. Participants will bring their completed woodblocks to Norwalk and see their work professionally printed at an impressive scale, from 24 × 36 inches up to 40 × 96 inches.
No prior printmaking experience is necessary. Whether you are a first-time woodblock carver or an experienced printmaker looking to take your work to a new scale, BIG INK welcomes artists of all skill levels.
THE PRINTING EXPERIENCE
Each participant will attend one in-person printing day, either Saturday, April 3 or Sunday, April 4, 2027. Choose your preference when registering.
During the print day, each artist will receive three impressions of their woodblock. Participants will also have the opportunity to lend a hand throughout the printing process by holding paper, hanging prints, and supporting fellow workshop participants. The collaborative atmosphere makes print day a chance not only to see your own work come to life, but also to connect with a community of artists working at an ambitious scale.
The printing sessions will also be open to the public, so friends, family, and visitors are welcome to stop by and watch these enormous woodblocks being printed on The Big Tuna.
WORKSHOP DETAILS
Saturday, April 3 or Sunday, April 4, 2027
$350 registration + materials through December 31, 2026;
$375 + materials thereafter
18 participants total
All levels welcome, including beginners
Registration deadline: January 18, 2027
Class access begins immediately after registration, so the earlier you sign up, the more time you will have to carve your block.
Learn more and register through BIG INK: bigink.org/workshops/center-for-contemporary-printmaking-2027
Come make something BIG with us this spring!
Click here to register!
