Youth Printmaking Workshop
On Monday, October 6th, 2025, Tó Nizhóní Ání organized a Youth Printmaking Workshop at the Hardrock Chapter House, which began at 8 AM by setting up and receiving community to ending the event by mopping, wiping the last countertop, and giving away the last bowl of tóshchíín (blue corn mush). The Printmaking Workshop was an event organized by Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) in collaboration with the Sierra Club AZ, Center for Biological Diversity and Wingbeat 88. The workshop was directed to reach and educate the youth of Hardrock, AZ on environmental justice and water conservation issues in the region, and how art plays a role in organizing around water protection. Over 50 community members joined us for the day, with some folks traveling from as far as Bird Springs, AZ to attend.
In preparation for the workshop, TNA worked with the folks at Wingbeat 88 to create the design as seen on the back of workshop t-shirts. Kalama Ku’ikaji the Program Director of Land & Body Healing with Wingbeat 88 was able to turn our design into a burned screen using their screen-printing equipment. Tó Nizhóní Ání team members Adrian Herder and Makaius Mark and Sierra Club’s Mattea Goetz helped to screenprint the design on the workshop shirts. Learn more about Wingbeat 88 and their mission and vision by visiting their website here.
“I felt that bringing youth and community together to discuss the importance of ground water with art and creativity was a great use of the Hardrock Chapter’s junk food tax funds.”
– Kalama Ku’ikaji, Wingbeat 88
Originally, the workshop was geared toward youth, but some families traveled far to attend the event; transforming it into a family printmaking workshop. As the workshop began, event co-facilitator Adrian Herder and Mattea Goetz grounded workshop participants with the basics of groundwater and what that looks like within the community. This part of the presentation eventually morphed into a discussion about water being used for livestock/wildlife, farming, and basic human needs. Much like the greater southwest region, groundwater is essential to the lives and ecosystems of the Dził Yíjiin (Black Mesa) Region on the Navajo Nation.
“Water in this region is constantly under attack by big corporations looking to profit at the expense of the land, water, our communities, and families. Art evokes emotion, inspires conversation, and builds community. Developing, creating, and sharing art, together, around the protection of water, emphasizing Tó bee iina, water is life, plays a key role in organizing to resist water desecration in this region.”
– Mattea Goetz, Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter
Our workshop facilitators shared the two-printmaking methods with participants; block printing and a DIY screen-printing. For those unfamiliar with these two printmaking techniques, block printing requires the removal of the negative space via a carving tool, of the block to reveal the positive space. This revealed positive space is what the ink touches for printing. In contrast, the DIY screen-printing method requires the addition of the negative space via mod podge, to highlight the positive space. The ink passes through the mesh that is not covered in mod podge which prints the positive space. In addition to teaching the screen-printing techniques, participants were taught how to make their own screen out of low-cost materials found in supermarkets and hardware stores. Our organization chose the DIY screen printing method for how accessible the tools and supplies are for our communities. With this style of screen printing, participants were able to create their own designs for less, as compared to traditional screen-printing processes. Learn more about printmaking by visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Art website here.
During the last one to two hours of the workshop, also known as Community Hour, we welcomed families and community members to join us to print and learn. Having our community witness the prints created by families and youth alike, celebrating the importance of water continues to empower our organization as we work to bring power back to our Diné (Navajo) communities impacted by coal. Tó Nizhóní Ání is proud and honored to have made space for Diné youth of Dził Yíjiin to learn and create using the two printmaking methods.
“As someone who grew up in the community attending the local youth programs, I was excited to be able to contribute to this tradition of molding resilient and creative young Diné minds around the issue of water celebration and protection.”
– Adrian Heder, Tó Nizhóní Ání
Tó Nizhóní Ání thanks the Hardrock Chapter House for working with our organization to make this workshop happen. We appreciate the chapter house’s willingness to support youth programs within the community. TNA would also like to thank the Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter and the Center for Biological Diversity for providing some of the tools and supplies to make this event possible. Lastly, TNA would like to thank Wingbeat 88 for joining us during the event and helping to print the workshop designs on our t-shirts.
If you would like to learn more about this workshop please email adrian@tonizhoniani.org.
