Allerton Park & Retreat Center

Learn how to make paper from local fibers at Intro to Western Papermaking on Saturday, Jan. 24 from 12 to 4 p.m. in the Evergreen Lodge. 

Instructor E. Ainsley will help students form sheets made from miscanthus and corn fiber using a mould and deckle tool. Students can also bring their own dried flowers to add and will leave with several 8.5 by 11-inch damp pressed sheets. Once dried at home, the sheets can be incorporated into their own arts and crafts projects! 

$150/person (Ages 14+). Registration will close Jan. 17 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final. 

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 

E. 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. 

About The Farms 

The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, outdoor education, science, storytelling, and wellness. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.