Jobs & Opportunities » Opportunities

Papermaking

Type: Residencies, Workshops, Exchanges [View all]
Posted by: Oak Spring Garden Foundation
Deadline: Mon, June 22nd, 2026

Overview: 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.

Please note that papermaking involves extended periods of standing throughout the process.

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 immersed in plant based mediums of papermaking, basketry, natural dyeing and weaving. She finds inspiration in observing plant-human relationships in the wider world. To reduce her 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. 

Alyssa is based in western North Carolina where she and her husband, Adam, tend gardens with fruits and vegetables, medicinal herbs, and art plants. They utilize solar power for electricity and heating, collect rain water for irrigation, and are working to restore the forested areas around their home with woodland medicinal plants and native species.

Alyssa has taught for a variety of organizations in WNC, often teaching outside to help her students make the connection that our lives are intertwined with the plants, soil, and the air around us. She finds great joy in sharing her love of plant based craft with others, tapping into the our deep knowing that humans and plants have collaborated to take care of each other for thousands of years. 

Dates and Duration: The course runs for three and a half (3.5) days with participants arriving on Monday, August 31, 2026 and leaving on Friday, September 4, 2026. Participants should plan to arrive between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Monday, August 31, 2026.

Accommodation and Travel Information: Participants will be accommodated with all meals and private lodging on site at Oak Spring. They will need to bring proper clothing suitable for art-making, and shoes comfortable to stand in for long portions of the day (a suggested list will be provided after acceptance).

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: $1250 is all-inclusive and covers full tuition, lodging on-site for four nights in our comfortable suites, and all meals on-site (from dinner on Monday through breakfast on Friday). A limited number of full or partial Fee Waivers are available for this course. 

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

Application Deadline: Applications are now due Monday, June 22, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. 

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.

Posted on Fri, May 22nd, 2026
Expires on Mon, June 22nd, 2026

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