Join local artist Lesley Numbers for an afternoon of botanical papermaking. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn the fundamentals of creating paper using common plants, focusing on Milkweed and Tiger Lily. We will explore the traditional Japanese method of beating fibers by hand and discuss other ways to create paper at home. This is a physically-engaging and watery process; be prepared to get a little messy!
Participants will make their own small stack of handmade paper* and take home a zine with recipes and suggestions for future papermaking projects.
*Paper will need to dry for a few weeks ~ during class we’ll coordinate paper pickup for a later date.
Paper made in this class will also be used to create compostable seed packets in Lesley's upcoming workshop, Every Seed is a Longing. Sign up for both classes and we’ll send you $20 back!
About the Teacher:
Lesley Anne Numbers (she/her) is an artist, educator, mama and dog lover. In 2021, she received her MFA from UW-Madison, where she focused on printmaking, book arts and papermaking. Following the mandate to stay-at-home, Lesley began to create paper with the plants that surrounded her; it became a practice that provided rhythm, grounding and catharsis at a tumultuous time. She is immensely grateful for the mentorship and wisdom of skilled papermakers Mary Hark and Jim Escalante and happy to be extending her knowledge into the community.
Cost: $85
Includes all instruction and materials.
Location:
This 3-hour workshop will be held at Hedge Meadow Herbs + Apothecary located at 25 Brodhead St in Mazomanie, WI.
What to Expect/Bring:
All materials and tools are provided for in this workshop. Please wear clothes you don't mind getting wet; waterproof shoes and an apron are recommended!
We will be working with Milkweed and Tiger Lily fiber that has been cooked with a small amount of soda ash. Okra juice is used as a binding agent. If you have a known allergy to any of these materials, this class is not for you!
Herbal tea will be provided. Please bring whatever else you need to take care of yourself.
Accessibility:
Papermaking by hand is a labor-intensive process. We’ll be standing for a majority of the workshop and use repetitive arm motions when beating the plant fibers and forming sheets of paper (I think of it as the equivalent of kneading bread dough).
Please note that you must go up two stairs to enter the building.
Covid Safety:
The door will remain open throughout the duration of class. Masks are not required but recommended. Please use common sense and do not attend class if you’re sick, if someone in your household is sick, or if you know you’ve been exposed to an infectious pathogen.
Cancellation/Refund Policy:
We reserve the right to cancel class at any point due to a lack of interest. If this is the case, anyone who has signed up will receive a full refund.
If you sign up for class but can no longer attend, please let us know at least 48 hours prior to class for a full refund. If you let us know the day prior to class, you will receive a 50% refund. Sorry, but if you cancel the day of class you will not receive a refund.