Who We Serve

Zea Mays offers a variety of services to artists, art collectors, exhibitors and the public. We are dedicated to research, education and collaboration in non-toxic, less-toxic and innovative printmaking. Therefore, we spend a great deal of time researching and testing new innovations in techniques and products. The results of this research are shared in workshops, classes and exhibitions at the studio.

Zea Mays also houses an archive of prints created by artists who have worked at the studio. These prints are available for loan to galleries and museums. We invite curators and collectors to call and schedule an appointment to view the print archives or to meet with member artists to view their work. Several studio artists have been featured in magazines such as the New England Watershed and Printmaking Today. Your can view some of our member's work in our online gallery and make contact about purchasing or exhibiting prints.

In addition to scheduled classes and workshops, we offer open studio time for personal exploration and work. Participants can take advantage of our state-of-the-art facility and technical expertise. We also offer artist's memberships for those who would like to work at the studio for extended periods.

Zea Mays welcomes the opportunity to take our methods on the road through offsite workshops. Schools, clubs, museums, and art centers can contract Zea Mays staff to come to your facility to conduct demos and workshops.

Zea Mays does a variety of contract printing. Artists can work individually with Zea Mays' master printer to publish an edition of prints or to explore unique investigations in safer printmaking. Contact us to have a conversation about special opportunities.

Printmakers
Artists and Craftspeople
Teachers
Students
Novices
Schools, Clubs, Museums
What Participants have had to Say About Zea Mays

Printmakers:

Experiment with the latest developments in safer printmaking. We are continually discovering new products and practices. We keep abreast of the latest innovations and test each one for its creative, aesthetic potential. We can help you become comfortable working with unfamiliar methods and guide you in your artistic exploration. Discover the safe printmaking medium that speaks to your work and style.

Artists and Craftspeople:

Perhaps you are a painter, sculptor, jeweler, digital, installation or video artist and you have thought about making prints. Prints are highly marketable and can help you approach your traditional art medium in a new way. At Zea Mays we respect each artist's way of working and seek to find a way to translate your vision into printmaking.

Teachers:

Teachers of all levels, from grade school through college, will discover new ways to teach the printmaking processes you love. There is no longer a need to expose your students to the health risks involved with traditional printmaking practices. Turn your space into a safer facility and become a mentor to your colleagues and your students.

Massachusetts Professional Development Points are available for all classes and workshops at Zea Mays. We are registered with the Department of Education.

Students:

Are you looking for something that just is not offered at your school? Are you tired of smelling those horrible fumes in the print studio and leaving with a headache? At Zea Mays we will teach you safer ways to approach printmaking. The supportive workshop environment will give you the freedom to explore and experiment without the pressure of assignments and grades. And you do not have to miss class to learn safer! We offer short workshops to get you started and open studio time to keep you going.

Novices:

You do not need to have any previous printmaking experience to take classes or workshops at Zea Mays. We love to teach from the ground up and will help you feel comfortable with all the new possibilities available to you in the field of printmaking.

Schools, Clubs, Museums and Art Centers:

Zea Mays Staff can "take the show on the road" and come to your facility to do workshops and demonstrations in a variety of print processes. Perhaps your interested in bringing a group to our studio for a demonstration or tour. How about co-sponsoring a workshop, lecture or class. We are interested in all kinds of collaborations! Just call, write or email us!

What participants have to say about their experience with Zea Mays:

"I have participated in two intensive weekend workshops at Zea Mays Printmaking. Each introduced me to new printmaking techniques (chiaroscuro and spit bite) in a relaxed, yet focused manner. I really appreciated the health benefits of learning how to work in less toxic ways, and am applying these techniques in my new work. Time well spent!" - Dorothy Schwartz, Portland, ME

"My experience at Zea Mays was fantastic, both in the studio and workshop settings. The shop is a welcoming and efficient space, and Liz's expertise in the field of alternative and safer printmaking processes is a rare find. I highly recommend multiplate etching with Liz and Peter Pettengil. Workshop participants with all levels of experience and a variety of backgrounds enhance the knowledge of the experts. Fun and informative!" - Jill Parisi, New Paltz, NY

"Zea-Mays Printmaking Studio is a little jewel in the middle of the Valley. It's a peaceful, non-toxic, friendly and invigorating place of diverse ideas and imagination. After all the hard times everyone has gone through over the last year or so, ZMPS offers a space for uplifting and life-affirming creativity. Taking classes there reminded me why I love to make art in the first place". -Mira Bartok, Pelham, MA

"After attending a number of workshops at Zea Mays I am most eager to return. The studio itself is most inviting, nestled in a lovely countryside, its large windows opening onto a wooded landscape of rolling hills. Instruction is highly professional and well organized, accommodating a range of backgrounds and levels of expertise. The learning environment at Zea Mays is welcoming, creative and affirmative." - Tanja Butler, Beverly, MA

"The workshops that I have attended at Zea Mays are energizing, informative and full of comraderie, concentration, creativity and the great atmosphere of Liz's well organized welcoming printshop. It is a luxury to attend and always feels worthwhile and inspiring." - Lynn Peterfreund, Leverett, MA

"I found my workshop on Printmaking from Nature at Zea Mays to be esthetically, socially and spiritually uplifting. Anita's expertise in teaching and deeply personal approach to this technique inspired me, and the Zea Mays studio and community was accessible, diverse and fun. The intimacy of translating botanical materials into immediate art was exhilarting, and broke new and fertile artistic ground for me. Thank you for this creative crucible". - Donna DeLuca, Northampton, MA

"Zea Mays is an aesthetic oasis, a place where I stop and take time to learn new techniques and styles of printmaking in a relaxed, nurturing, inspiring atmosphere. The high quality of the offerings creates a rich environment in which to work." - Erika Radich, Keene, NH

"Zea Mays: It was a wonderful experience. Truly. I appreciated the structure and order of the space, coupled with personable exchange between those working there. Considering I took an "entry level" course despite my knowledge of etching, I found there to be a lot of guidance on the one hand, yet a lot of freedom regarding subject matter, utilization of the techniques, methods, size, printing techniques, etc. on the other. You should be very proud of Zea Mays. The space is tops, the equipment is tops, and your manner of teaching is tops as well!" - Mara Whalen, Deerfield, MA

“Learning how to create mono prints in classes at Zea Mays was such a gift. I loved the prints I was able to create with instruction and support - it was a wonderful experience.” - Christine Sass, Florence, MA