Description: All paper is made from plants but did you know that you can make paper from plants that are growing in your garden or along the roadside? This short course is a special opportunity to work with plants grown on-site at the Oak Spring Garden Foundation's Biocultural Conservation Farm.

In this multi-day workshop, you will learn:

· Types of plant fibers that lend themselves to papermaking

· Harvesting, drying and storing techniques for regionally available fiber plants

· How to prepare pulp from a variety of dried plant matter

· Equipment needed for western style paper making

· Set up and sheet pulling methods to create artist papers for writing, drawing, bookbinding and more

This is a hands-on workshop that engages you in each step of the papermaking process. Participants will take home reference handouts, a stack of handmade paper for personal use and samples to build a reference library for papermaking with plants.

Objectives:

· To introduce participants to various types of plants that can be utilized in hand papermaking

· To deepen participants’ connections to the plant world

· To provide hands-on exposure to a western style hand papermaking process

· Offer an opportunity to create art from readily available plant materials.

Eligibility: This workshop is appropriate for people new to papermaking as well as experienced folks who would like to explore working with raw plant fibers. The workshop does involve repetitive tasks, strong smells, occasional heavy lifting and working with propane burners. Participants will need hand strength but are invited to take as many breaks as needed to care for their bodies.

About OSGF: The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is a philanthropic foundation based at the former primary estate of the late Paul and Rachel Mellon, who were major philanthropists in the U.S. of the arts, humanities, and sciences in the second half of the twentieth century. OSGF is located in the northern Virginia Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains region (ca. one-hour drive from Washington, D.C.). Led by Sir Peter Crane, the Foundation’s inaugural President, OSGF supports residencies for artists and scholars. It is becoming a new center of excellence and stimulation of all things botanical, from fundamental research in plant evolution and conservation, to horticultural and plant conservation practice, to the history and art of plants gardens and landscapes.

Instructor: Alyssa Sacora (she/her) is a crafts person exploring plant-based mediums in the form of papermaking, book arts, basketry and natural dyes. She finds inspiration by observing relationships in the wider world. To reduce her human footprint and encourage creative thinking, she primarily works with locally available and repurposed natural materials. Her artistic pursuits are guided by the process of transformation: breaking down and reassembling plant fibers to create something new.

In addition to her craft, she tends a small homestead in Western North Carolina with her husband, Adam. They grow fruits and vegetables, medicinal herbs, and art plants and tend a flock of chickens and composting worms. They use solar power for electricity and heating, collect rain water and continuously look to design their space with sustainability in mind.

Alyssa has taught for a variety of organizations in WNC and often teaches outside to help her students make the connection that our lives are intertwined with the plants, the soil, and the air around us. She is preparing to get her studio more mobile to share her love of plant-based arts with others on the road.

Dates and Duration: The course runs for three and a half (3.5) days, beginning at 9:00 am Tuesday, June 6, 2022 and ending at 12:30 pm on Friday, June 9, 2022. Participants should plan to arrive between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Monday, June 5, 2022.

Accommodation and Travel Information: Participants will be accommodated with all meals and private lodging on site at Oak Spring. They will need to bring clothes that are suitable for art-making, and shoes that will be comfortable to stand up in for long portions of the day.

Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to the Washington, D.C. area. If flying, please book flights to Dulles International Airport. International applicants are welcome, but fluency in English is necessary. Closer to the start date, our Programs team will assist with coordinating travel arrangements to the Oak Spring Garden Foundation site, as necessary.

Course Fee: $850 (includes course content and all meals and accommodations)

Selection Process: Application review will be done by Alyssa Sacora and OSGF staff.

Application Deadline: March 1, 2023 (expected notification by March 15, 2023)

The Oak Spring Garden Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. Decisions are made on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or any other non-merit factor.