Portland Fall 2026

The Art of the Upcycled Book

Give new life to the overlooked. In this hands-on workshop, we transform the mundane into the magnificent by looking past the "scrap" pile to find the hidden potential in tea boxes, old papers, and forgotten textiles. This class is about more than just traditional bookbinding; it’s about the art of paper alchemy. You will learn how to deconstruct everyday recyclables and reassemble them into a unique artist book. Throughout the process, you will prep your tea boxes and recycled materials, and create your own custom collage elements using expressive mark-making techniques with paint and drawing tools.

Once your book form is bound, you can continue layering with collage and adding embellishments at your own pace, incorporating ephemera from your personal stash to make the piece truly yours. My teaching philosophy is rooted in intuition rather than rigid planning; I prefer to let the materials themselves dictate the process. By embracing what you have on hand and allowing it to guide your hands, you will embark on an unexpected creative journey. You’ll leave this workshop with a finished artist book that tells a compelling story through its texture and form before you even add a single word to the page

Materials Fee $10 paid at beginning of class includes:

Link to a binding video and instructions
Papers to paint on for making painted collage papers, drawing paper, text pages, magazine pages, b&w copies, fabrics
Paper towels, palette, and water container
White gesso
Wax paper
Gromets

Use of:
Grommet tool & hammer
Heavy hole punch
Small stapler
Paper corner cutter
Stencils

Supplies Needed  to bring for Class:

Small recycled boxes, I recommend 3 tea boxes
(2 for the book and one to make a storage box
A foam sanding block or a piece of sandpaper
Damp rag or wet wipes
Pencil
Big and small paintbrushes, one or two, the cheap ones!
UHU Glue stick and matt medium
Bookbinding thread, waxed linen, or 6-strand Embroidery floss with bookbinding wax
Acrylic paint: (no heavy body), any color you like; you may consider a limited color palette to work in. You will also need some neutrals: unbleached titanium or titan buff, Payne's gray, black, and white.
Scissors
Your favorite collage materials, paper & fabric scraps, small envelopes, tags, photos, magazine pictures, ephemera, etc.
Pencils and favorite drawing tools: crayons, China markers, and POSCA pens, Sharpies, etc.

Optional: Apron & gloves & mask