WORKSHOP: Found Object Turmeric Printing

Saturday, March 14th, 2026, from 10am – 2:30pm

$125  Non-Members
$110  VCP Members
(Register online below)

In this hands-on workshop, students will explore the beauty and surprise of alternative photographic printing using turmeric—a vivid, light-sensitive material found in many kitchens. Participants will begin by learning the alchemy of creating turmeric printing “ink” using simple, commonly available household ingredients.

From there, students will experiment with selecting and preparing different paper stocks before making exposures, discovering how light, time, and material choices shape the final image. The workshop will also introduce multiple fixative methods—from borax to baking soda—each producing subtle variations in tone, contrast, and permanence.

By the end of the session, participants will leave with at least one completed exposure, along with several additional prepared sheets of paper to continue experimenting at home. No prior darkroom or alternative process experience is necessary—just curiosity, an open mind, and a willingness to play.

Please bring one (or several) small, dry objects you’d like to expose (and don’t mind getting a little messy), and be ready to embrace experimentation, chance, and discovery.

About the instructor: 

Alejandra Spruill is a photographer, educator, and attorney based in Western Massachusetts. Alejandra began her artistic training at Artists for Humanity, a nonprofit youth arts organization where she now sits on the Board of Advisors. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Media Arts from Emerson College in Boston, where she is a third-generation instructor. Finally, in Brattleboro, she is on the Board of Directors at In-Sight Photography Project. Her work explores a sense of place, memory, and the materials that bind us to what we’ve loved. Find more of her work at withlovealejandra.com or @newafricancompany on IG.