Vicki Conley to Lead Hands-On Noncarving Block-Printing Workshop in Dolores

Artist-in-residence Vicki Conley will teach a hands-on block-printing workshop at the Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum, 27501 CO-184, Dolores, CO 81323, on Saturday, March 14, 2026. The Bureau of Land Management lists two identical sessions to accommodate participants: 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., with each session limited to 12 participants and open to ages 8 and older.

The BLM event description invites attendees to "Join Artist-in-Residence Vicki Conley for a hands-on block printing workshop inspired by the landscapes, plants, and wildlife of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Participants will design and create a small relief printing block using simple, non-carving techniques, then print their designs on paper and fabric. One fabric print can be turned into a stitched patch for clothing or a backpack, and selected pieces may become part of a collaborative quilt." Visitor Center Manager Jennifer Humphreys reiterated that fabric prints can be turned into stitched patches for clothing or backpacks, and selected pieces may be incorporated into a collaborative quilt.

All supplies for the workshop will be provided, and organizers note that space is limited; The Journal encourages early registration. Interested participants can register via the monument's events page at swcocanyons.org/events or by using the event QR code listed on the BLM posting. The event contact line is (970) 882-5600 and the event email is aposeymonk@blm.gov for questions about materials, age suitability, or session availability.

The Visitor Center and Museum serves as the recommended starting point for exploring Canyons of the Ancients, offering maps, brochures, and hands-on exhibits such as microscopes and looms to connect visitors with regional archaeology. Visitfourcorners notes the monument contains more than 8,500 recorded locations, representing the highest known density of archaeological sites in the United States and a landscape inhabited for at least 10,000 years.

For readers planning a longer visit, trail guides and site details are available at the Visitor Center. Visitfourcorners describes Sand Canyon Pueblo as having "420 rooms, 100 kivas, and 14 towers," while Mesaverdecountry describes the same ancestral village as having "over 400 rooms and 90 kivas" in its trail notes—two published characterizations that underscore the monument's archaeological scale.

The workshop is sponsored by the Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance, Ancient Echoes, and the Bureau of Land Management. Organizers frame the March 14 sessions as a practical, hands-on way for Dolores County residents and visitors to translate the monument's landscapes and cultural history into wearable art and community pieces such as a collaborative quilt.