Sculpting with Earth
Sculpting with Earth Workshop
Join us for this hands-on workshop where we will be playing with the versatility of earth to create artistic functional forms such as garden walls, benches and sculptures.
You’ll learn about the essentials of earthen wall building techniques, such as adobe, cob, earthbags and wattle and daub as the skeletons for both houses and sculptures. We’ll also touch on stone foundations. You will also learn how to sculpt with our clay basecoat, contributing to lasting structures of art that combine form with function.
This course is perfect for anyone interested in earthen building techniques or creating art with earth. It is appropriate for both complete novices or those looking to deepen their knowledge.
Over the course of six days, you’ll learn the foundational techniques of natural building:
- Adobe Making and Laying: Discover the traditional method of creating adobe bricks using a mixture of earth, water, and straw. Learn how to properly form, dry, and lay these sturdy bricks to construct walls that are both environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing.
- Cob: We will explore the versatile world of cob, a mixture of subsoil, water, some kind of fibrous organic material (typically straw). You will practice mixing and sculpting cob by hand to create structures that are durable and have excellent thermal properties.
- Wattle and Daub: We will dive into this ancient technique that involves weaving a lattice of wooden strips or bamboo (wattle) and covering it with a sticky material (daub) made from soil, clay, sand, and straw. This method provides a fascinating insight into historic building practices and their modern-day applications.
- Earthbag: Learn the fundamentals of earthbag building, a technique that uses polypropylene bags filled with moistened earth to create strong, stable forms. You willl practice filling, tamping, and stacking bags in courses, shaping curves and structural elements. This method is excellent for sculptural walls and benches.
- Earthen Plaster: Learn the fundamentals of earthen plaster, a beautiful and sustainable sculpting mix as well as a finish for natural structures.We will cover the preparation of the mix, application techniques, and how to shape and sculpt while creating a smooth finish.
This is an opportunity for us to engage in a conversation with our natural surroundings through design and local materials. We welcome you to come and create with us.
- Dates: This course begins with orientation and dinner Friday evening, May 8, and ends Thursday May 14 at 12:30pm, with a lunch provided after the morning class.
- Meals: All meals are included in the workshop price.
- Accommodations: Camping is included in the workshop price. We have a private rooms available for $40 p/night and a bunkroom available for $10 p/night.
- Deposit: A $400 deposit is required to register for this workshop.
Read more on our General Workshop Info.
Workshop Syllabus
- Arrival previous evening, Tuesday 7pm dinner and introduction
- Wednesday – introduction to different earth walls systems
- Bamboo Harvesting and tying wattle to create garden wall
- Mixing and applying Daub on wall
- Making adobes & straw-clay blocks, and mixing Cob
- Stone foundations
- Create benches & sculptures – laying adobes and cob
- Mix base coat plaster
- Earth bag sculpture
- Plaster benches, walls and sculptures
- Detailing on sculptures with base coat and finishes
- Half day: Finish plastering and details
- Course finishes at 12:30 with a lunch provided
Instructors
Athena Steen grew up building with clay and adobe. She loves creating sculpted spaces that connect form with function, and walls rich with pattern, texture and color.
Through the Canelo Project, a small non-profit organization, Athena has been teaching workshops for over thirty years, in strawbale construction and earthen building. Focused on simple, low-skill, low-cost methods that build community between people, culture and nature.
Co-author of The Straw Bale House, Small Strawbale, and Built by Hand, her influence in the natural building world has been wide-spread. When Athena does not have her hands in the mud, she also enjoys publishing and designing books.
Danielle Felgenhauer is an artist and builder with a passion for creating with natural materials. With a background in fine arts and geography, her journey has been an exploration of the relationship between people and their environment.
Art isn’t just about expression; it’s a profound connection to the world around us. Believing that working with local materials is a poetic way to delve into our relationship with the earth, Dani finds joy in the knowledge that every creation crafted from clay will eventually return to its origins.
Over the past five years, Dani has immersed herself in different forms of natural building, deepening her appreciation for sustainable practices and the beauty of using earth-based materials. Now, she is excited to share her knowledge and passion with others.
Nicolas Avalos is a dedicated builder with a background in civil engineering, specializing in natural and alternative building methods.
Passionate about fostering a deeper connection with our environment, Nico empowers owner-builders to utilize natural, healthy, and locally sourced materials in their construction projects.
For the last six years he has been dedicating himself to deepening this knowledge in Europe and Central and North America, promoting environmentally conscious building practices that harmonize with the natural world.
Both Danielle & Nicolas have lived as residents at the Canelo Project for 3 years, worked with the Steen’s and taken on independent building and plastering projects.