Please join us at Full Bloom Farm on beautiful Lummi Island, August 12th and 13th, 2023 for a two day, hands-on Nature Printing workshop led by veteran nature printing artist Vickie Schumacher. Students will learn how to make beautiful botanical nature prints with a vintage feel. Nature printing is a wonderful art form for anyone interested in plants. There is no drawing or painting experience required, just a keen interest in the natural world.

Vickie will guide students step-by-step through a fun and engaging process of printing with inked plants which they find on the farm or bring from home. Then students will be taught how to add color to these prints to bring them to life.

What is Nature Printing?

Nature printing is the process of creating prints from natural objects such as leaves, flowers, insects, and even fish (called gyotaku). The process involves applying ink to the subject then pressing it onto a surface to create a transferred image of the plant. The earliest known plant prints date back to the 13th century, but the technique did not become popular until the 18th century, when nature printing was used by botanists and naturalists to create accurate illustrations of plants. In 1737 Ben Franklin used a copper plate press to create prints from leaves, and early currency notes in the US utilized his plant prints of sage leaves. In the 19th century, nature printing became more popular as a form of art. Artists began to create nature prints that were more decorative and less scientific.

The Class:
Vickie will discuss composition and its importance in a work of art, nature printing procedures, and how to use simple color washes to enhance prints. August on the farm is a stunning time with beautiful weather and plenty of plants to choose from. All supplies are included, just bring your favorite art apron!

Day 1: We will walk the farm to find plants for printing and identify them. This treasure hunt is half the fun and opens our eyes to the variety of plants available. After our farm foray we’ll head back to the studio where we’ll ink up the plants and print them onto paper into a composed scene. There will be plenty of paper and materials in order to make several beautiful prints.

Day 2: We will hand-color the images we have printed, and continue printing, adding grass prints or other components and colorizing as desired.

Insects, anyone?
Vicki has developed a great process for nature printing insects, such as butterflies and dragonflies. If you would like to try this, please feel free to bring along an insect or two (deceased).

The Setting
The workshop will take place in our newly renovated barn studio space, full of natural light and located right off the flower garden and farm stand. Take time before or after class to explore the farm, the beaches, forests, and wildlife that Lummi Island offers.

The Food
Each morning before class we’ll serve our delicious farmhouse pastries, coffee, and tea to get you ready for a creative day ahead. Included in your two-day class are beautiful lunches each day from our wood-fired oven featuring pizza made with local flour & cheeses and veggies grown on the farm, reef-net salmon from our local waters, salads from the farm, and dessert made with fruit from our orchards and brambles.

Please state dietary requirements and preferences in advance.

Space is limited.

Vickie Schumacher Biography
Vickie Schumacher has been nature printing for over thirty years and teaching for eighteen years. She has taught nature printing classes at the Nature Printing Society’s annual retreats, at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, in her local community in South Dakota, and has taught students of all backgrounds from elementary level to retirement age. Vickie also teaches framing and drawing in her hometown of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She has a B.S. in Art Education from the University of South Dakota and is a member of the Nature Printing Society.

Student Testimonials:
Vickie is a longtime member of our international Nature Printing Society. She has been a key instructor at many of our annual workshops over the years. Her classes are always a popular choice, and she is a patient, well organized teacher, generous with her “secrets” and expertise. - Sharron Huffman

Vickie is an excellent instructor. She is thorough, has a depth of knowledge not just about printing botanicals but of her subject matter as well. She was one of the first printers I’ve ever known to print insects. Her methods are very original and interesting.- Bee Shay

Plan Your Trip
September can be a busy time of the year on Lummi Island, so we encourage you to book overnight accommodations as soon as possible. We recommend staying on Lummi in one of the many vacation rentals offered. We have a beautiful and comfortable loft on the farm that you can book here. Or take a look at Stay & Sea (20% discount code is FULLBLOOM), RecRetreats, Lummi Island Vacations, Airbnb or VRBO. If you're interested in sharing a vacation rental with another workshop attendee, please make sure to select this as an option when checking out and we will connect interested parties via email as they sign up.

The ferry schedule and directions to the farm are found here for your reference

2-day Workshop Ticket, including all supplies & lunch both days: $285