Introduction to Fabric Marbling | January 6, 2019
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Clear demo with three different patterns, and the ability to work and experiment individually, with guidance as desired. Then, being able to go home with a nice stack of marbled fabric!”
“Pietro very kindly prepped all the fabric ahead of time so we could focus on choosing colors and working out different patterns. We got a lot done!”
“He is very knowledgeable and knows instinctively how to guide you to your individual next step.”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “That it ended.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “The size was small enough that each student got great hands on help with Pietro.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Lab time with great guidance from instructor.”
“Instructor is very knowledgeable and helpful. I highly recommend his classes to those interested in the subject matter. You’ll walk away with good sample work and valuable experience that’s hard to come by.”
“He provides the right mix of helpfulness and respect for students’ desire to experiment independently.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | January 5, 2019
[What do you like most about the workshop?] “The beautiful paper I created!”
“Very informative and approachable in terms of the task to be done. Instructor was a joy!”
“He was a delight to learn from!”
“It was a lot of fun playing with new art.”
“Pietro is great!”
“I've already signed up for another class with him.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | January 4, 2019
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Engaging instructor, plenty of time to play, size of class, availability of instructor to do 1-on-1 personalized demos.”
“Great workshop! Great teacher!”
“Pietro was engaged and attentive to all students, taught to their interests and skills and provided a great foundation for the technique.”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “No complaints.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Making beautiful paper!”
“Pietro is an excellent teacher and has clearly thought about how to teach this class effectively (e.g., starting with making the marbling bath, and then going into introductions, etc.).”
“Pietro had a bit of a tendency to get sidetracked by a couple of demanding students.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “The paper marbling experience itself! This class was perfectly paced, making excellent use of the time, and a good balance of information and hands-on practice time.”
“Pietro is a fantastic instructor. He is extremely knowledgeable, easy to follow, very friendly and open, and made everyone feel comfortable, bringing out the best in each of us. He even memorized all our names! I admire his fantastic work, and appreciate his approach to paper marbling, teaching us the rules but also when and how to break them. Thank you for a wonderful day, Pietro!”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “Nothing.”
“It was great to have the entire afternoon to create, experiment, and play! The class set-up allowed for everyone to watch others, share ideas and techniques, and get color combo ideas.”
“Nina did a good job finding locations on the floor for the sheets to dry. Making good use of the available space.”
“I will be taking more classes from him, definitely.”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “Loved it all.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “How prepared and also relaxed Pietro is. I love that he has his timing organized so well along with his talks and demos so that you don't realize you've been waiting 3 hours for the water to be ready to marble.”
“It was nice to have a class where you spend at least half the time making. The combination of structure and creative freedom within this traditional process was refreshing.”
“Pietro is always a delight to learn from and work with.”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “Everything was great!”
“Pietro is an excellent instructor for the group environment and giving individualized attention and tips as needed!”
Articulated Binding | December 2, 2018
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Everything. Pietro was great, I enjoyed learning a new technique in book binding, and we had a great group of people. This was my first time taking a class and the facility was very good and well stocked.”
“I cannot wait to take another class and also to take another class of Pietro's.”
“He was excellent! And also has a good sense of humor.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Many things. Pietro is very personal, knows his craft, super helpful, has a good sense of humor, and kept us going at a very comfortable but steady pace. Every step was well explained. As promised, we all left with our book completed. It was awesome. On the top of that, the group that day was terrific, We all helped each other. It was also fun.”
“It was a good introduction about book making, and the Center for the book. It's a great place. Very inspiring.”
“Pietro knows his craft, and is very enthusiastic about. He makes everyone feel very comfortable, and is super helpful.”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “Right now, I can't think of anything.”
Paper Marbling Lab | November 4, 2018
“He is always well prepared with materials and generous with information.”
“Pietro always makes the class a wonderful day.”
“He is a great teacher.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “The teacher customized it to my preference for fabric and not paper.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “I produced marbled papers I really like and can use.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | November 3, 2018
“Pietro is kind, charming and supportive, and helped us get a great start in learning about marbling.”
“Would be nice to come away with more recorded info.”
“I would like to have left with more materials documenting the specific processes and “how to’s”.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “The chance to experiment with color!”
“This was a great workshop. Just the right amount of time (I wanted to make more, but my body was ready to go and sit down!) Pietro is a terrific instructor and I had a really fun time in the class.”
“Love Pietro - can't wait to take the advanced marbling class.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | October 6, 2018
“A fascinating and enjoyable process.”
“Pietro is a real gem. Very kind and a master at this wonderful technique.”
“Just totally love this person!”
[What did you like least about this workshop?] “Nothing.”
Decorative Box Making :: Box with Drawers | August 19, 2018
“Very comprehensive project and we completed our own boxes.”
“Pietro did a lot of work ahead of time to provide the cut structures for the boxes so we were able to accomplish a completed box that was beautiful by the end of the day.”
“Pietro is a very calm, well organized, generous, patient teacher. A jewel!”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “I enjoyed myself so much I would like it to have been a five day workshop.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Easy to follow step by step directions with lots of help. Anyone can make this beautiful box!”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | August 18, 2018
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Patience and demonstrations!”
“Good natured and very supportive.”
“Pietro was helpful and enthusiastic. So glad to have opportunity to work with him.”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “Clean up?”
“He is very well prepared, patient, and knowledgeable! You can tell he loves what he does.”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “Maybe the syllabus could be a bit more detailed with step-by-step directions for the marbling process.”
“Wonderful class! I learned so much and enjoyed the entire day / experience. Pietro is very engaging, informative, and a wonderful teacher. Thank you for this program.”
“Pietro was a fantastic teacher. Very patient and so helpful to everyone.”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “My feet hurt after standing all day but I'm just kidding. I enjoyed the entire experience. (There were mats supplied to stand on).”
“Excellent instruction.”
“Totally good instruction--clear, relevant, inspiring.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | August 17, 2018
“The technique was easy enough so everyone in the class felt good about what they had done.”
“I'd love to see a follow-up to this class that explores new things to do with marbling, and experimental ways to incorporate it into art or the book arts. It's a cool technique and there's not a lot of mold-breaking experimentation going on.”
“Pietro was an excellent teacher. He really is an expert in his craft, and he's enthusiastic and very helpful. I really enjoyed the day and learned so much!”
“I liked everything about it.”
Paper Marbling Lab | July 22, 2018
“Good instructions and ample opportunities to experiment.”
Decorative Box Making :: Hatch-Top Box | July 21, 2018
“Pietro was wonderful! It was the perfect one day project and so satisfying to see the box come together.”
“Over all I had a wonderful time and absolutely would recommend this class to my friends and anyone who asks!”
“Peitro was awesome!!!!”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “Being that the Masonite boards were already prepared and cut to size with the channels cut etc. it would be challenging to be able to make more boxes like what we did on my own without further instructions.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “ That it was an eight hour class. That’s sort of gave me an idea of a whole day to devote to this craft. I never felt anxiety or felt rushed as I have felt in other classes. We moved at a steady pace And no one was left behind. The teacher was very attentive to every cry for help! I would say this is about the best class I have ever taken. And the way he taught us, I feel as though I could make any box I want using the same techniques.”
“The tables were large and it was nice to work in a spacious place.”
“He shared berries with us!”
Introduction to Fabric Marbling | June 3, 2018
“Explanations and then hands on with help as needed.”
“Hope to take paper class in the future, and box-building.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Having a product to take home. Small class size. Great individual attention and opportunity to experiment on your own.”
“Other classmates were great. Great location - easy to get a snack, park, etc.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | June 2, 2018
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “The finished results.”
“Wonderful demonstration by teacher, super nice students.”
“Hands on work.”
“Pietro was very helpful and encouraging.”
“Knowledgeable and helpful.”
“Pietro is an incredible teacher. His excitement for the subject is contagious. I've never done this before and I was able to experiment and get some results right away.”
“A++”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | March 10, 2018
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “We actually got to make marbled paper.”
“He's an amazing teacher.”
“Fun to learn something new with no pressure to produce "prefect" art.”
“Pietro made the class fun and non-judgemental.”
“Pietro is very inclusive, great eye contact and has a relaxed manner that keeps the class fun.”
“The instructor was great!”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | March 9, 2018
“Lots of new information. Enthusiastic instructor with an excellent sense of humor.”
“Two of the class members had never marbled, but they were able to produce exciting papers with the instruction they received.”
“I had read books on paper marbling and watched videos, but Pietro showed his own technique which I had not seen documented elsewhere. I really liked his technique and the relaxed, friendly way Pietro led the class. There was time to get to know each other and still learn how to marble paper. I loved having a few hours to marble paper under Pietro's guidance..”
“Great instructor, highly recommend!”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “Pietro covered so much info, it was hard to grasp and I am sure I will forget what he shared. I tried taking some videos but I think having more detailed tips/instructions written down for us to take away would be great.”
Decorative Box Making :: Hatch-Top Box | February 3, 2018
“Excellent instruction! It was helpful that the base materials were pre-cut; the covering choices were beautiful, and the class was well-paced to finish a professional-quality result in just one day!”
“I enjoyed seeing my box take shape after exacting preliminary steps were completed. Very pleased to learn this craft.”
“He was very well-prepared and grounded in techniques.”
“I liked everything about it.”
“Fast-paced class and the ability to complete a finished, beautiful piece of artwork by the end of the day!”
“Pietro's 25+ years of training has allowed him to develop his techniques and share them with the students. He is a delight to work with, and you will not be disappointed in any of his classes. I brought home a beautifully constructed decorative box that I am very proud of!”
Introduction to Fabric Marbling | January 21, 2018
“I thought it was a pretty thorough introduction. I think I could actually procure all essential items and produce something passable at home.”
“Very cool work space. And interesting art and examples on display.”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “Cleaning up! Needed a better way to indicate which pieces were mine!”
[What did you like most about this workshop?] “Marbling.”
“I liked it all.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | January 20, 2018
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Hands on experience.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Making the actual marveling and seeing what others made.”
“Pietro was very cool about everything. These was no stress or hurry. I really appreciated it.”
“Directions and materials could have been more specific. Having a little handout of the movements to do in order to make certain patterns would have been helpful.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Marbling.”
“I liked it all.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “The chance to make so many papers. The instructor provided extra paper after I used all of mine up. Individual help was also great to have. And of course all the tools we needed.”
“I hope SFCB will do the Saturday open marbling workshop you all had last fall. I'd love to attend. I don't expect I will have all the marbling equipment I'll need any time soon, so I'd appreciate another chance to make more papers.”
“Excellent. Friendly, helpful and patient.”
“I've no complaints or suggestions at all.”
“The opportunity to learn new techniques and work with different materials (than what I am familiar with).”
“Pietro is patient and helpful with every student. He manages his time well, and the class progresses in a timely fashion, so that everyone has plenty of opportunity to experiment with the marbling process.”
Introduction to Fabric Marbling | January 19, 2018
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Pietro's explanations, examples, demonstrations, and guidance. Hands-on practice. Supplies provided. Plenty of space for everyone. Inspiring work environment.”
“I am so glad I finally took a workshop at SFCB. I had a wonderful day, and am very pleased with my first attempts at marbling on fabric. I am excited to do more and see if I can recreate what I did at home. Thank you for a wonderful and inspiring workshop!”
“Pietro was very patient and helpful with the beginners in the group, and was able to give more challenging techniques to the experienced marblers. His enthusiasm for his art is contagious.”
“Only wish I lived closer and could do more!”
“Even though I have marbled before, I learned many new techniques and tips.”
“Pietro is a great teacher: he works with everyone one-on-one in the lab portion of the class, and fine-tunes his instruction to make sure all the students have a quality experience.”
[What did you like least about this workshop?] “Can't think of anything…”
Paper Marbling Lab | November 12, 2017
“Pietro walked around and chatted with everyone as we worked, so he was able to give lots of advice to help us improve that was tailored to everyone's skill level. That was really wonderful.”
“I love Pietro's classes!”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | November 11, 2017
“Excellent instructions; hands on time.”
“Technically knowledgeable and a delightful person.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Hands on.”
“It was fantastic and will inspire further practice.”
“Excellent instructor, well prepared and full of humor.”
“I´m looking forward to taking more classes.”
“Everything about the workshop itself was first rate.”
Introduction to Fabric Marbling | September 24, 2017
“This review is for both classes that weekend. Loved the class, loved the teacher and his wife and I think your center is remarkable. I will be back!”
“Would have liked to get a brief written instructions sheet to take home though.”
“Nothing. It was easy to get to, easy parking, had everything we needed.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | September 23, 2017
“Wonderful opportunity to experiment.”
“Great teacher, makes it fun . Very fun and layed back.”
“Loved it all.”
“I loved being immersed in this art form. I was worn out and in a spin at the end, and completely happy.”
“Absolutely delightful.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | August 5, 2017
“Hands on and small class size. Easy to interact with other students and instructor.”
“First class here and I really enjoyed it and plan to take another one soon.”
“It was fun! I learned a lot and left with a wonderful collection of marbled papers for future projects.”
“The instructor was super helpful and patient.”
“No complaints.”
“The workshop was comprehensive and "end to end" Except for the things that needed to be prepared in advance, we, i.e. students got to it all. The balance between hands on and instruction was perfect, and the class size was right to get the right amount of individual attention and instruction.
The logistics and flow of the course was very well thought through and worked extremely well.. the excellence of SFCB facility was the finishing touch a great workshop.”
“First time to SFCB and was just overwhelmed by everything.. what a great facility, great classes and workshop. Wish we lived closer so we could attend more.”
“Pietro knows his stuff. He was always helpful with answers and super patient with everyone. He kept everything on track and managed time well.. never expected to get so much out of a one day workshop, both in learning as well as tangible output - when so many workshops seem run out of time too quickly, Pietro encouraged and cheered us on to do more and keep working.”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “Nothing comes to mind - of course, I'd love to take my freshly marbled paper with me at the end of the day, but that's simply not possible. It's wonderful that SFCB has been so helpful in getting them to us out-of-towners!”
Introduction to Fabric Marbling | July 9, 2017
“Great instruction by a Master marbler.”
“Superb class, great instructor.”
“First rate!”
“No problem areas at all.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “That we each had our own work station. The specific patterns the instructor demonstrated.”
“All-round good class. The Sunday schedule allowed me to drive to San Francisco without heavy traffic, and park in front of the Center.”
“He was very engaged with the students.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | July 8, 2017
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “The afternoon, experimenting with marbling.”
“Pietro remembered, from my beginning comments, the type of marbling I wanted to learn and gave me individual help to achieve that.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “The luxury of each person having their own station and a copious supply of paper. It was VERY well orchestrated.”
“Pietro mentioned something about having a studio marbling day later in the year, sort of Marbling II. That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
“Pietro was a pleasure to take a workshop from: very experienced and organized, but willing to be flexible and have fun.”
“It was great having a lot of time set aside for actual marbling and being given a lot of freedom in terms of what patterns we wanted to marble. The class was long, from 9:30-5, but several hours were devoted to us marbling. The amount of paper we were given was really generous too.”
“Being able to take over a big amount of the main room's space was so great and the atmosphere was really friendly and helped it feel like experimental playtime. Thanks!”
“The demonstration was great and you could tell that Pietro was extremely knowledgeable and open with his practice, however, the informational first half of the class could be organized a little more.”
“Pietro is a true master of the art, and he made it accessible to every student. The workshop was very well-organized, and he was professional while bringing a wonderful sense of humor to the class. He encouraged us to explore our own creativity, and the joy he finds in his art is evident. What a great instructor and lovely person he is!”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “Not a thing. It was so well done!”
“I liked Pietro's teaching style and that it was an all day class that gave us plenty of time to play and experiment.”
“A super teacher with loads of knowledge and a helpful and fun attitude.”
“Easy to follow instruction. Lots of time to experiment.”
“Charming.”
[What did you like least about the workshop?] “More variation paper colors.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | June 11, 2017
“The instructor was very knowledgeable and patient when assisting students. “
“It would have been helpful to have some diagrams about the directions to rake the pipettes and various combs to try different patterns. A few more colors to work with would have been nice.”
Decorative Box Making :: Hatch Top Box | June 10, 2017
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Making the box.”
“Wonderful experience and totally loved the class.”
“He was an excellent instructor.”
“Pietro was very friendly. He seemed knowledgeable and was very helpful in class.”
“I'm really disappointed that I came home with a non working box.”
“My shelf for the box does not fit. I tried to force in the box and it tore my material. I don't know that I can fix it. The material is too thick and makes the shelf part of the box unusable. I'm disappointed that I can't make this box work and since it's custom fabric I won't be able to tear it apart to fix it.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Creating and building a decorative box.”
“Pietro is a fine instructor giving his students personal attention when needed, and giving very good instructions. However, at the beginning of the class, it seemed somewhat disorganized as there was little preparation in setting up the supplies. The glue needed to be diluted, we had to retrieve our supplies from the supply room, and all of this took time away from the beginning the project. This would have been fine if we had sufficient time to complete the box.”
Introduction to Western Marbling 2.0 :: Fabric Marbling | March 26, 2017
“It was a fun and low-key way to build on skills I learned in the paper marbling class.”
“This is my third class with Pietro and I always enjoy them.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | March 12, 2017
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Pietro, and the chance to "do it!!!””
“It was thrilling to do paper marbling and see my, and everyone else's, results. I would recommend telling people to wear shoes with good treads...I had wooden ones, and they were quite slippery at times. I wish we had spent a little more time formally looking at each other's work and appreciating one another.
“It was a great class, and I would recommend it to anyone.”
“He was so likable and personable and capable. He was terrific.”
“I loved the hands-on practice time and all of Pietro's explanations of how to make the different patterns using the rakes and combs.”
“This was a great introduction to paper marbling and I really enjoyed learning an entirely different aspect to the art of the book than bookbinding or letterpress printing.”
“Pietro did a great job managing the class and our time. I appreciated his clear instructions and his explanations on how marbling was much more an art that takes years of practice than a science.”
“Nothing. It was a great workshop. Would be even better if we could make the paper dry faster, but as that's not possible, it was great.”
“It was great to have time and enough resources - paint and paper - to be able to really try out the art of paper marbling; experimenting, tweaking techniques, etc. The ample resources made the act of experimentation easier as there wasn't pressure to "get it right the first time" due to limited time and resources. It was also fantastic to have Pietro around to ask any question we had as we went through the process.”
“Pietro was informative, generous with his time and knowledge, and he brought a great calming energy to the room.”
“He was fantastic. I would gladly take another class from him.”
“Given even more time and resources, I could have kept going for another hour or two!”
“Instructor very knowledgeable and enjoyable. Lots of time to practice.”
“I hope SFCB will offer a studio version of this course, so I can come back and practice without having to buy (and store) all the supplies at home.”
“I wished we had better colors to work with. It would have been nice to have a list of websites to check out before coming to class.”
Decorative Box Making | February 25, 2017
“The best part of the workshop was Pietro. He is a great teacher. Not only did he demonstrate the process thoroughly, he also spent one-on-one time with each student. He was well prepared, pleasant and funny.”
“I can't wait to take another workshop.”
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Pietro...His easy personality and humor.”
“Pietro was amazing!”
“Liked it all.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | February 24, 2017
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Time to explore on our own.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | December 4, 2016
“Hands on! Fun!”
“He has a great assistant! ;) Seriously, having Vanessa around to help answer questions was great!”
“I would have liked to watch the videos suggested in the bibliography before the workshop, if possible.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | September 25, 2016
“Learned about some new sources for materials and products. Both Pietro and his wife were energetic and enthusiastic.”
“Would suggest having a more extensive handout with some basic combing and raking patterns detailed. Only downer were the bathrooms!”
“Would have been nice to have seen examples of marbling on various types and weights of paper.” Instead of showing all marbling techniques at once, it might be more useful for students to have a demo of one pattern at a time and then have teacher work individually with each student to make sure they have mastered that particular technique. With only 8 students, it would not take that long to have 4 or 5 patterns perfected over the course of the afternoon. Would have preferred additional mixing jars for black and white paints instead of the tiny watercolor mixing trays.
“Having a greater appreciation of the techniques of the art of marbling, it's a lot harder than I imagined. But Pietro’s knowledge and demonstrations showed that with practice something beautiful can be made. "Find your own way" is an excellent mantra!”
“Great encouragement, non-judgmental, very supportive teacher and assistant (thank you, Vanessa, for being on hand for supplies, paper, paint, pipettes, and cheerleading). This was such a good workshop, I wish it was in two parts. I could use much more practice, as I felt it was towards the late afternoon that I became comfortable enough to turn out patterns that were better than the early unfortunate tries. or perhaps there could be occasional shorter sessions for students to continue their practicing, as home setups could be tricky.”
“I would take a class from Pietro Accardi again and again and again. Excellent instructor who knows his stuff!”
“Class was the right size - perfect for the individual attention that was necessary. Pietro did a good job of explaining the process and then allowed us to experiment - a great combination.”
“This was my second class at SFCB - loved it. I'm looking forward to more classes.”
“It was very fun, well organized, and I never expected to be able to make so many beautiful papers!”
“He was charming! Very good at communicating the nature of the process.”
“Nothing negative, it was a positive experience all around.”
Decorative Box Making | June 18 & 19, 2016
[What did you like most about this workshop?] “His prep, his examples, his sweet style, his exquisite marbled papers, and finishing two projects in two days because he had cut everything out in masonite for the boxes for us. Incredible.”
“thank you thank you thank you. I will definitely take more classes with him.”
“Absolutely the sweetest.”
“That it was not two hours longer and two days longer.”
“He was fantastic.”
“Pietro was really well prepared and taught in a patient and light-hearted way. He had lots of nice paper available and set a nice tone for the class.”
“I will definitely try to take more classes with Pietro.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | May 15, 2016
[What did you like most about the workshop?] “Learning the marbling technique. Producing colorful papers.”
“Pacing: I would restructure the class to allow all prep and some marbling by students to be completed before the lunch break. More drying time is needed. Materials: plastic is needed to transport wet papers home. Logistics: the floor in the clothesline area became very slippery. Floor covering is needed.”
“His sweet nature, his charming Italian accent, watching his demonstrations, and that we had freedom to try any styles we wished. I tried some traditional, but some much more modern approaches, and he seemed cool with that.”
“Loved him, loved the experience!”
“HIS organization was great! Just the drying areas needed working on.”
“He did a great deal of preparation for us ahead of time, and he brought ALL of the materials. Wow, what a difference that makes, so we don't have to headache of trying to amass all that stuff for ourselves, not even knowing yet if we'd continue doing this or not. I wish all workshops everywhere did this -- made it truly fun and stress free. I like that he did give us a list of where we could buy supplies later, and which place was best for what. Also some websites to consult. He was terrific.”
“A bit chaotic as far as the area with the "clotheslines" where we hung our work to drip. VERY hard to reach all the lines, and we were getting very confused as to whose work was whose. Might all be handled easier with several Ikea type clothing drying racks (collapsible- easy to store!), so you could keep track whose work is on which rack. Also, the rods support the paper better than a thin string. It was VERY chaotic at the end one of class when we were trying to find our own work to take home. Just saying.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | March 13, 2016
[What did you like most about this workshop?] “The technique (hard to find another marbling class offered anywhere) and the teacher”
“Pietro was very knowledgeable, helpful, and had a great sense of humor.”
“Instructor was engaging, knowledgable and encouraging.”
“More hairdryers would have been nice, as would a note in the class description that we would be transporting wet work that could not be stacked. Two of us carpooled and didn't have room in the vehicle for all the papers. BART or other public transport would have been untenable!”
“Pietro did a great job. I've taken another marbling class with another instructor (elsewhere) and it was a terrible experience. He has a joy about him that carries through to his work and made the whole experience much more fun :)”
“Plenty of time to experiment after the intro, and Pietro was good at circulating and answering questions.”
“Easy going and yet always there when needed.”
“The content was great - really enjoyed learning about paper marbling. Nicely arranged - information and guidance followed by hands-on education.”
“Loved the instructor and his help. So patient, kind, creative and the works he produces are just beautiful. A great class and teacher addition to SFCB!”
“He is awesome!”
“Loved the environment. Also it was great fun to have so many samples to make. Marbling is a pain to set up but with everything laid out we really got to skip to the fun part. Enjoyed the teacher, his story and the methods covered.”
“Lovely, and having his wife there to aid was great.”
Introduction to Paper Marbling | May 9, 2015
“What I liked most about the class: Good demos by instructors. The two crafts pair really well together. Unlimited amount of materials available, make as much paper as one wanted.”
“It would have helped to have more examples of suminagashi on hand, from different artists, as I was unfamiliar with it and would have liked to see what I was aiming for, so to speak, as I worked on it.”
“Carol made it very accessible and emphasized how easy the materials are to get and use, which is a huge bonus in a craft, no big startup investment.“
“The best part was getting the practice time with all the great supplies. Perhaps in future class can save discussions of history etc to end of day to allow more time for papers to dry. Impressed with the logistical efforts of the Accardis to provide all the equipment!!”
“They both are exceptional teachers with humor and kindness.”
“Fun technique. I was able to learn everything I needed to know to continue on my own.”
“These are small things to consider changing in future classes 1) Having to reach way over to center of large table to get needed papers & brushes while trying not to jiggle and jostle anyone's water tray. Future classes could have supplies for each student or pair counted out in advance and set near work area. 2) Confusion retrieving own work at end of day. In future each student can label back of each paper.”
“There should have been a plan in place (instead of impromptu negotiation) for students coming from a distance who cannot drop by the Center during the week to pick up their dried paper. I imagine this is a problem with other workshops too.”
“I wish there was more time to explore the European style marbling techniques in depth.”
“I loved exploring the two classes side by side.”
“This was a great intro class and I would like to see a series with the instructors that goes to the next step.”
“Both of the instructors delivered their info clearly and began at the beginning with some history, demonstrations, a constant attention to the students.”
“What I liked least about the class was not being able to take my marbling home. Perhaps explore marbling first since the printing medium takes longer to dry.”
Introduction to Paper Marbling | July 26, 2015
“A good mix of demonstration time and hands on time. Enough space to spread out and work. Enough supplies for all participants to have easy access to them.”
“I'd recommend the class to anyone else.”
“Both instructors were clear and absolutely knew their medium. They presented the information well and had samples that helped a great deal.”
“Enjoyed the workshop!”
“Enjoyed Pietro's discussion of "troubleshooting" ink preparation. Enjoyed learning the Suminigashi process as we'd not done that before”
“Marbling trays were a bit too deep for us - made the Ebru process more challenging.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | December 7, 2015
“Very easy going, relaxed atmosphere, yet full of information and practice.”
“Pietro's instructions were clear; his support was kindly offered. His lovely "assistant" Vanessa was simply a pleasure to
be around and she did so much to support his work.”
“Plenty of hands on experience. I liked the small class size. Pietro was able to be very attentive and watch and help each student as they needed it.”
“waiting for paint to be mixed and distributed could have been organized a little better... took a long time and wasn't that informative.”
“We were so encouraged by the very enthusiastic instructor.”
“Time lost on the mixing of colors. This should have been done beforehand and simply explained, as the students didn't mix colors ourselves and enough had to be prepared for everyone.”
“Pietro is wonderful & very accomplished.”
“I would certainly be interested in an intermediate paper marbling workshop once I have had some time to practice the basic techniques.”
“I wish the practice time was a little more structured. It would have been helpful for him to guide us through some of the basic techniques together before a more open practice time”
“Pietro was very knowledgable in his field of marblizing paper”
“Instructor was very nice and very friendly and helpful. I loved his style of teaching.”
“Instructions were sometimes too long and slow”
“Small group size, good energy from the instructor that made the class so very wonderful.”
“What I liked most about the class was the time to practice”
“The amount of available to work on projects individually was perfect (3 hours I think).”
“Would be helpful if the instructor provided some literature about topics and processes described during the workshop.”
Introduction to Western Paper Marbling | January 30, 2016
“I just spent considerable time filling out the survey for the class I took today, Introduction to Western Paper Marbling, with Pietro (and Vanessa) Accardi. Then, just when I hit Submit, my web program crashed. So, I have no idea if the results were submitted. So, I want to let you know that I loved the class, had both success with marbling and a great time, would happily take a class from Pietro again, etc., etc.”
“(Besides the fact that I learned to marble paper?) The time balance between talking/demo and individual practice was perfect.”
“I'm so impressed that they brought enough tubs of each color for each person to have a full set. (Honestly, if it were me I would have only done enough for each table to share a set, but it was really great not having to do that!)”
“He was friendly, helpful, and encouraging.”
“I really loved learning how to do paper marbling and having the opportunity to experiment with different colors and styles.”
“Pietro was a great instructor”
“I was impressed that he was also able to do some instruction in Spanish for one of the other participants who was from Mexico.”
“Plenty of time to play! With something like paper marbling -- which involves so much experimentation -- you need to go through the steps a few times and learn from the results of each try. Given half a day to immerse ourselves in the activity, we enjoyed the time to get our feet wet and grow with the process for a while.”
“Pietro and Vanessa are very knowledgeable about the paper marbling; very thorough in their organization of and preparation for the workshop; very clear in their explanations and instructions; and have a very supportive, encouraging attitude. The day was fun, illuminating and productive!”
“Despite his expertise, he's still eager to expand his knowledge and try new things. His emphasis on experimentation seems to be vital to the process.”
“It was a bit unwieldy to transport wet prints from studio to car, but that's unavoidable. If I didn't have a car and had to walk or bike, it might've been frustrating.”