MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Join the Middletown Art Center on Saturday, Sept. 23, as its Resilience Project features printmaking and block printing with artist and musician John Jennings.

The session will take place from noon to 5 p.m. at the center, 21456 Highway 175.

“In my journeys through the various modes of printmaking, I’ve found none quite as dynamic as woodcuts or block printing,” said Jennings. “The range of possibilities runs from the exquisitely delicate lines and gradient colors of the Japanese landscape artists to the almost primitive strokes of the European Expressionists.”

He added, “In our class I hope to introduce the participant to the magic of block printing: from the drawing stage, to the transfer of the drawing to the linoleum block, to the carving of the block and finally the printing of the image. The thrill of pulling the rice paper off the block and seeing your work in ink on the page is like no other.”

Middletown Art Center, or MAC, is now in its fourth month of the Resilience Project: low cost, high quality art classes in photography, creative writing, painting and printmaking.

Resilience will culminate in countywide exhibits and a chapbook of writings and images created by participants during the project.

Funded through a Local Impact Grant from the California Arts Council, with support from Adventist Health and other local organizations, the purpose of the grant is to increase access to the arts in underserved communities like ours.

“The Resilience Project was born of witnessing nature’s rebound as an inspiration and mirror for our own resilience and recovery after the fires of 2015 and 2016,” said Lisa Kaplan, executive director at MAC. “At MAC, we encourage everyone to engage in art making for self expression, healing, fun, creative problem solving, and perceiving the world around us in new ways.”

Resilience consists of four monthly five-hour classes that are offered every first through fourth Saturday, noon to 5 p.m., until May 2018. The cost is just $5 per class.

Adults of all ages and teens 12 and up of all levels of art experience, from professionals to newbies, are invited to attend one or many classes. The schedule is coordinated with Lake County Transit and there is a break for lunch.

To learn more about this wonderful art making opportunity please visit www.middletownartcenter.org/resilience .

Preregistration is required as space is limited.

To reserve a spot in “Resilience: Printmaking – Block Printing” this Saturday or any other of the upcoming Resilience classes, visit www.middletownartcenter.org/resilience.