Repairing the Sky: A Craft Workshop
Weekly, April 5-May 31
Saturdays, 3:30-6:30 pm
*end date may be extended to July to accommodate the scheduleWorkshop
The world is riddled with cracks—the goddess comes to mend the sky! Chinese mother goddess Nüwa creates mankind through molding humans individually with yellow clay, and repairing the crackled heaven with five-colored magic stones. Nüwa’s act of creation and repairing is derived from a deep drive to take care of one another. Taught by interdisciplinary sculpture artist Zaozao Zhang, we will be learning crafts inspired by the mythology of Nüwa, including soldering, lacquer art, sculpting with stone clay and wax, printmaking, and more. Most of the techniques covered can be applied at home/small studio settings!
Themes are interconnected yet self-contained. Students may enroll into one class, one series, or multiple classes/series at a time.
Themes are interconnected yet self-contained. Students may enroll into one class, one series, or multiple classes/series at a time.
About the Instructor
Zaozao Zhang is a Chinese-born interdisciplinary sculpture artist currently based in Brooklyn, NY. Her work is characterized by strong feminist overtones, manifesting through sculpture, installation, performance, theater, video, and publication. She interrogates the female body as a site of political resistance and self-determination within spaces shaped by patriarchal structures. Rooted in poetic and mythological narratives, her practice seeks to decolonize the female body, channeling its primal energies into symbolic totems and reconstructing a liberated feminist narrative.
Course Outcome
- Foundational knowledge on the technique and terminology of a variety of crafts.
- Applying craft techniques to personal projects.
- Tips on working with complex craft techniques at home/small studio settings.
- An interdisciplinary lens on craft techniques.
- Community generated from a small cohort learning environment.
Materials
Varies from class to class. All materials and instruments will be provided by the organizer. You may take all the artwork you’ve produced with you.
Weekly Schedule
Week 1
Playing with Fire: An Introduction to Soldering
来玩火啊：锡焊入门
Week 2
Spiked Seashells: Making Your Own Accessories by Soldering
带刺的海贝：锡焊首饰工作坊
Week 3
A Marbling Experience: Making Full-moon Fans
色彩与即兴：漂漆团扇工作坊
Week 4
Modern Prayers: Jia Ma Woodblock Painting
甲马在纽约：简易版画工作坊
Week 5
Bead the Heat: Necklaces, Bracelets, Earrings
串珠辣妹：项链、手链、耳环工作坊
Week 6
Beads for Home: Drawings, Curtains, Covers, Figure
一帘幽梦：用串珠编小画、沙发套、个性娃娃
Week 7
Sculpt with Stone Clay (1)
女娲造物工作坊（1）
Week 8
Sculpt with Stone Clay (2)
女娲造物工作坊（2）
Week 9
Fluid Candles: An Introduction to Hand-dipped Candles
制烛记
Playing with Fire: An Introduction to Soldering
来玩火啊：锡焊入门
Week 2
Spiked Seashells: Making Your Own Accessories by Soldering
带刺的海贝：锡焊首饰工作坊
Week 3
A Marbling Experience: Making Full-moon Fans
色彩与即兴：漂漆团扇工作坊
Week 4
Modern Prayers: Jia Ma Woodblock Painting
甲马在纽约：简易版画工作坊
Week 5
Bead the Heat: Necklaces, Bracelets, Earrings
串珠辣妹：项链、手链、耳环工作坊
Week 6
Beads for Home: Drawings, Curtains, Covers, Figure
一帘幽梦：用串珠编小画、沙发套、个性娃娃
Week 7
Sculpt with Stone Clay (1)
女娲造物工作坊（1）
Week 8
Sculpt with Stone Clay (2)
女娲造物工作坊（2）
Week 9
Fluid Candles: An Introduction to Hand-dipped Candles
制烛记
