I conducted three printmaking workshops in Bangladesh in June 2014. Two were in the capital city of Dhaka and one took place at Rasjshashi, which was a six hour train ride from the city.
The techniques I taught were monoprint, a one of a kind print, and chine-colle, a way to collage other materials on to the prints.
We were given the theme of "The Urban Experience" as a topic by our sponsors, The American Center of the U.S. Embassy Dhaka and the Bengal Foundation.
These workshops were very challenging for me as a teacher for several reasons but the students in all three workshops were extremely energetic, ambitious, cheerful, hopeful and hard -working. They came from various backgrounds, classes and geographic locations within Bangladesh.
Some spoke some English but we managed to communicate with the common-denominator of creating art together.
As I prepare to depart for home tomorrow I am filled with a mix of emotions about my time here. I love this country and its people, however it faces all of the issues of a densely populated country with limited resources and capacity to support its population in the long run.
This is my second time here teaching and probably my last. I wish my dear friends here all of the goodness and hope for the future and am thankful for all of the warmth and kindness that they have shown me.
We will have an opening this evening at the Bengal Art Lounge of over fifty prints made in the workshops, of which I am very proud.
A.S. June 25 2014
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