From Field to Page: A Hands-On Papermaking Experience at RTPI

Step outside and discover the ancient art of papermaking using plants gathered from the landscape around you. In this two-hour outdoor workshop, you’ll learn how raw botanical materials — think cattail leaves, milkweed stalks, iris leaves, or whatever the season offers — are transformed into the silky pulp that becomes handmade paper.

Local artist Deb Eck will walk you through the full journey of the fiber, from harvest to preparation, so you understand exactly what went into the pulp waiting in your vat. Then it’s your turn: scoop, pull, and press your own sheets using a traditional mold and deckle, and watch as a cloudy suspension of plant and water becomes something solid, textured, and entirely your own.

No prior experience is needed — just curiosity and a willingness to get your hands wet. You’ll leave with a small collection of handmade sheets, each one a unique record of the plants and place where it was made.

What to expect:
A guided introduction to the papermaking process — including how local plants are harvested and prepared into pulp — followed by hands-on sheet pulling and pressing at our outdoor station. All tools and equipment are provided. Dress for the outdoors and expect to get a little damp.

Ideal for nature lovers, artists, families, and anyone who has ever wanted to make something beautiful from scratch.

Each sheet tells a story of this place — and now, of you.

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