Paper Casting for Collage with Sharon Robinson and Nan Roche

About this event

A 2-day Workshop:Class meets Sundays, November 8 and 15, 12-5pm

Take paper casting in a new direction and learn how to incorporate it into dimensional collage. Students will create small to medium size sheets of handmade paper from cotton linters and shape it using foam stamps and batik wood block stamps. See fine detail emerge as you form the sheets over the stamps. Further experimentation includes methods for enhancing molded sheets by adding color, metallic highlights and other features using dry brush techniques, stamp pads and bleeding art tissue. Then we will use the molded forms to create dynamic collage compositions while learning design principles and various collage techniques.

Day 1 – Paper forming, molding, beginning enhancement

Day 2 – Further enhancement and collage

Level: Beginner/Intermediate – Suitable for beginners and those more advanced. Basic experience in either papermaking or collage is helpful, but not required.

Registration closes November 1, 2026. Material fees are included with your registration to cover the supplies provided in class. Students may want to gather additional (optional) materials for class—see the materials list below. This list will also be provided with the registration confirmation email.

Sample images by Sharon Robinson and Nan Roche

WORKSHOP SUPPLIES:

Registration includes a $42 materials fee to cover consumable materials provided in class, including cotton paper pulp, inks, pigments, paints, access to tools and various stamps, and collage materials. Students will need to supply additional materials of their own, including:

(optional) Personal apron (we’ll have some on hand) – waterproof is recommended, but you can also substitute a heavy cooking apron

(recommended) Rubber boots or comfortable shoes with good tread (you will be on your feet most of the day and the studio floor will get wet)

(optional) Notebook and pen for taking notes if you like

(optional) Gloves for those who may be sensitive – your hands will be in almost constant contact with water most of the day on day 1. We’ll have nitrile gloves available, but feel free to bring your own if preferred.

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS:

Sharon Robinson is a mixed media, collage and assemblage artist residing in the Washington, D.C. area. She earned a Master’s of City Planning degree from MIT and worked in the urban transit and development field for 20 years on the west coast prior to becoming a full-time artist in 1999. She has also been a muralist, instructor, gallery manager and arts program administrator. She has exhibited her work extensively on both coasts, and teaches mixed media classes at the Smithsonian, The Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center. Her community activities include serving on the board of Pyramid Atlantic, the Mt. Rainier, MD Arts Commission and SCRAP-USA, a network of nonprofit creative reuse centers. Learn more about her work at www.therobinsonstudio.com.

Nan Roche is a retired scientist, poet, and artist who spends a lot of time at Pyramid and is currently creating work using watersoluble charcoal, collage, and monoprinting techniques.