From Carton to Creation: Tetra Pak Printmaking with Leslie Kramer

Discover the creative possibilities of sustainable printmaking in this hands-on workshop with artist Leslie Kramer. Using recycled Tetra Pak cartons, the familiar cartons used for milk, juice, and other beverages, participants will learn an innovative printmaking technique that transforms everyday packaging into richly textured printing plates.

Leslie will guide students through the process of preparing and engraving Tetra Pak plates, inking the surface, and creating original prints using traditional intaglio and drypoint-inspired methods. The unique combination of paperboard, aluminum, and plastic layers allows for expressive line work and surprising detail while offering an environmentally conscious alternative to metal plates.

What’s covered:

1. Preparing and recycling Tetra Pak cartons for printmaking

2. Creating imagery through engraving and mark-making

3. Inking and wiping techniques

4. Sustainable approaches to contemporary printmaking

Ideal for beginners and experienced artists alike, this workshop introduces fundamental printmaking concepts while encouraging experimentation and creative exploration. Participants will leave with prints and the knowledge to continue the process at home. The class will take a 1-hour lunch break

Materials to bring:

• Washed Tetra Pak cartons

• Exacto knife, ruler, scissors, masking tape, and rubber gloves

• Drypoint needle

• Akua Intaglio ink

• Newsprint pad

• Printmaking paper (Rives BFK recommended)

• Tweezers (optional) 

Leslie Kramer received her MFA in Printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design, and she studied printmaking for one year at Stanley Hayter’s Atelier 17 in Paris, France. One-woman shows and group shows have been in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico. Her prints are in the collections of The DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA, the Boston Public Library, the Albuquerque, New Mexico Public Library, the Cape Cod Museum of Art, and numerous private collections. Her monoprints and etchings incorporate her interest in nature and the man-made as she employs innovative and sophisticated techniques. 

For 26 years, she taught printmaking and was gallery director at Elmira College in Elmira, NY. She has also taught at Smith College, Northampton, MA and The Rhode Island School of Design. During the summer of 1999, she was Artist in Residence at Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris, France. She has taught printmaking workshops at several colleges and museums in the Northeast and at Atelier du Livre in Montolieu, France.  She currently lives and works out of her studio on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. To contact the artist or purchase artworks, please email:  lesliekramer210@gmail.com

Cancellation policy: CCMoA must be notified 1 week prior for refund.