Exploring Craft and Creativity: Woodcarving and Printmaking Workshop at RC4
Exploring Craft and Creativity: Woodcarving and Printmaking Workshop at RC4
Written by Anannya Madhu Kumar
For a week in October 2025, RC4 hosted a series of inspiring Woodcarving and Printmaking Workshop, spanning four days, led by local artist Zhang Fuming, whose works explore the intersection of traditional craftsmanship and modern expression. The session brought together students from diverse disciplines, all eager to experience the tactile and meditative process of working with wood and ink.
The workshop began with an introduction to the fundamentals of woodcarving; the artist demonstrated how to sketch out designs onto wooden blocks using charcoal, carve with precision, and appreciate the grain of the wood as both a constraint and a collaborator. Participants were guided through safety techniques and tool handling, learning how subtle shifts in pressure or angle could alter the texture and depth of a line.
What began as tentative strokes soon evolved into confident carvings, each piece reflecting its creator’s individuality. As one participant shared, they “loved the calming, mind-emptying feeling of continually carving out the wood with the least possible force by gliding through it with the tool and seeing the wood grain flake off in long chunks,” describing it as “a good respite from academic work.” (Li-Yam, Year 3)
That sense of meditative rhythm seemed to permeate the room, where the quiet sound of carving blended with soft conversations and laughter.
After some preliminary practice on smaller blocks, attendees split up into groups to brainstorm ideas for their final pieces, all with a common theme - “What Does RC4 Mean to You?” and this is where one could really see everyone’s artistry shine- from snapshots of the RC’s exterior to intricate thematic designs, each artwork was unique and undoubtedly beautiful. “Because the final image could only appear in black and white, every change in carving depth, direction, and removal created a completely different outcome, which made it even more exciting to imagine various possibility before each process. I loved the quiet moment when everyone was fully absorbed in carving their own wooden blocks,” shared Minjoo (Year 3).
Finally, after finishing up all the carvings, the group transitioned into printmaking, where they learned the delicate process of inking and transferring their carved designs onto paper. As rollers and ink trays filled the room, the atmosphere shifted from quiet concentration to lively excitement. Each group pressed their wooden block onto paper, lifting it to reveal a one-of-a-kind print, a moment met with gasps, laughter, and the satisfaction of seeing effort translated into art.
Throughout the session, the artist shared insights about the various techniques of carving and printmaking, using different blades and grips. Students were encouraged to view imperfection not as error but as character, an idea that resonated strongly in a generation accustomed to digital precision.
By the end of the session, participants left not only with the knowledge that their handmade prints would be displayed on RC4’s mural, but also with a renewed appreciation for slow art, art that demands patience, rhythm, and presence. The workshop was a reminder that creativity flourishes when hands and minds work together, and that art need not be grand to be meaningful.
For most, this was their first encounter with the tactile beauty of printmaking, whereas for some, it reignited a dormant creative spark. Either way, RC4’s workshop proved that art, in its simplest and most human form, continues to carve its place in our modern lives as both a creative sanctuary and a much needed escape from the fast-paced life that we all find ourselves immersed in.
View the artwork by students!
