Failing up!

Instructor: Anne Eder | Dates: Tuesdays, June 10 - August 19 (every other week) | Time: 6-8 PM | Tuition: $395 (Members) $465 (Non-Members) | Class Size Max: 10

One of the greatest obstacles in the creative process is the fear of failure. While the desire to appear successful, knowledgeable, and competent is natural, true discovery requires experimentation, and some experiments are bound to fail. As any scientist can attest, breakthroughs emerge through hypothesis and testing, and the same applies to creative practice. Innovation thrives when ideas are put into action, allowing possibilities to expand exponentially. Sometimes, the most unexpected mistakes lead to transformative new directions and breakthroughs to a new process or approach. Often, the bigger the accident or mistake, the more we learn!

This course invites participants to embrace mistakes as an essential part of creative growth. Through readings, discussions, and leaps into the unknown, students will explore the power of trial and error. The class meets biweekly, providing time between sessions for reflection and testing new ideas. A digital classroom will be available for sharing work in progress and engaging with peers. For those eager to push boundaries in their creative practice, this course offers a supportive environment, constructive feedback, and inspiration. 

ANNE EDER is an interdisciplinary artist and educator. She is faculty at Harvard University Ceramics program, guest faculty at Princeton University, and holds a master’s degree in Photography and Integrated Media from Lesley University College of Art and Design where she studied with Christopher James, author of the Book of Alternative Processes. 

She has won multiple awards, including four Julia Margaret Cameron Awards, a first place series JMC and two International Pollux Awards for alternative process. Her work has been published internationally and her gum bichromate images and studio practice are featured in Gum Printing: A Step-By-Step Manual Highlighting Artists and Their Creative Practice by Christina Z. Anderson, published by Focal Press/Routledge. She teaches a range of courses in experimental analog and interdisciplinary processes. anneeder.com