Allerton Park & Retreat Center

Experience Level: Beginner (Ages 14+)

Create a handmade paper replica of a cherished object at Sculptural Papermaking on Sunday, March 29 from 12 to 4:30 p.m. in the Evergreen Lodge.

Instructor E Ainsley will guide students through making a mold of their chosen object. Students will then create a new sculpture with their mold using pulp from meaningful papers, journal pages, photos or old documents. The process of breaking down old notes and letters and transforming them into something new can be magical! Because the fibers have the potential to hold so much history, the medium works on its own to tell stories, disrupt or establish an archive, and ask questions about origin.

Each student will leave with a paper replica of their original object as well as a silicone mold for future use.

$150/person*. (Ages 14+; 14-17-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult, who does not need to register.) Registration will close March 22 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*Students should bring 1-3 cherished objects to be made into molds along with papers, journal pages, photos, and old documents to turn into pulp. Student should plan to wear non-slip shoes and clothes that can get wet.

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Ainsley uses handmade paper to speak to internal dream states and (attempts at) meditation. They combine eight years of working in the western yoga wellness industry with sincere study of Zen Buddhism and express their relation to the rhythm of the world through collage and cast paper. Ainsley creates vibrant mandalas, spirals, spirits, still lives, grids and forms infused with a sense of humor about the way things appear to be.

Their practice is an inquiry into the space between self and environment, the transition between conscious and subconscious landscape and the grey area that evokes curiosity and wonder.