Description
Scratching the Surface: Sampling the Monhegan woodlands with Barbara Putnam
September 11, 2025 from 9:00am to 1:00pm
Monhegan’s tranquility belies the many changes that have occurred on this dynamic island. This workshop focuses on the high contrast medium of scratchboard as a new way to think about observation. Following a guided walk on the trails recording notes in words, sketchpad, and camera, we will head back to the lighthouse and transfer our work. Scratchboard is a layered surface consisting of chalk on Masonite, covered with a fine layer of black India ink. It offers the artist a unique approach to drawing: shaped tools scratch the black ink to reveal white rather than traditional drawing in which marks of black are drawn on white paper. This simple “reverse” helps us to see detail, texture and light with fresh eyes, exploring the medium’s signature characteristics of high contrast and endless grays.
Materials to bring: Pencils/pens eraser, small moleskin book or other means of drawing or sketching and writing. Your cell phone /camera, maybe even a macro lens if you have one.
We will provide scratchboard and tools, and an atmosphere where everyone will learn something new.
