Workshop Information and Policies
Vibe
Our workshops emphasize hands-on learning and having fun. They are limited in size to no more than 5 people when outside instructors teach. Clay will be an assistant to the instructor in those classes so that the time spent making prints is maximized.
Perhaps it is the nature of the alternative process photo community, but all of our workshops have been collegial and fun experiences with a lot of laughs.
Hours
Workshops start at 8:30 AM and end at 5:00 PM.
Lunch
We have found that having a loose lunchtime policy works best, and generally participants either bring a sack lunch or step out to some local place for a quick bite. The pace is informal enough that we don’t have a set time for lunch. If you get hungry, just stop and take a break and then start back again. There is a small refrigerator in the studio if you want to bring something that needs to stay cool. In some workshops, we have called in an order for sandwiches at a local sandwich shop and picked them up so everyone could continue working without taking a big break for lunch.
Clothing
We will be using ink and/or photo chemistry, so bring an apron or wear clothing you don’t mind getting stained. It is not terribly messy, but stains tend to appear in places you don’t anticipate. We have great soap in our bathroom for getting anything off your hands, but we encourage you to use the nitrile gloves we provide so you won’t have too much to clean up.
Materials
We provide all the materials for our workshops. In general you need to bring only digital files of the images you wish to print. Most participants bring laptops or USB flash drives containing these files. We have had participants show up with just a smart phone loaded with photos and they still walk away from the class with beautiful prints.
In the workshops that require separation negatives (tricolor gum and tricolor cyanotype are examples) the instructor may contact you ahead of the class and ask that you submit your color images so the negatives can be printed in advance of the class.
Cancellation policies
We strive for a reasonable and fair cancellation policy while recognizing that last-minute cancellations are often difficult to fill.
* Any class may be cancelled 6 weeks in advance with a full refund.
* Cancelling between 2 and 6 weeks before the class we will issue a 75% refund if we are unable to fill the spot with someone on a waitlist.
* No refund for cancellations the week of the workshop
In the event that one of the workshop instructors is unable to give the workshop, we will refund 100% of the workshop fee.
Nearby Lodging
The studio is located in North Asheville and is midway between downtown Asheville and the nearby town of Weaverville. Any lodging search should include both towns.One low-cost option that is literally next door to the studio is the Lazy Tiger Hostel. They offer private and semi-private hostel-style accommodations. We have had some of our class participants stay there and it has received good reviews from them. The owner is a super-nice person.
Just about one block away is a brand-new Holiday Inn Express at 4 Reynolds Mountain Boulevard.
About a 5 minute drive north of the studio is the town of Weaverville, and it has a Fairfield Inn where many of our class participants have stayed. It also gets solid reviews.
Downtown Asheville and the surrounding area have many, many hotels to choose from and searching through Trip Advisor or Travelocity will yield numerous possibilities.
Music venues
There are always many music-listening possibilities in this area, but if you decide a show is a perfect way to spend the evening after a busy day printing, you may want to check out:* The Orange Peel
* The Grey Eagle
* The Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
* Highland Brewing