Credits: 2
Format: Live-Instruction Workshop in Tres Orejas, NM (Taos area)
Dates: August 9 & 10, 2025 (Saturday & Sunday)
Workload: 8 hours per day (9am to 5pm)
Instructor: Carole Crews
Fee: $250
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Adobe in Action's next "Owner Builder Support Workshop" is being held on August 9 & 10, 2025 (Saturday & Sunday) in conjunction with an ongoing project in Tres Orejas, NM (15 miles West of Taos). The owners of the project have plastered all straw bale walls with earthen plaster and would now like to add clay paint to select walls as a final finish. This workshop will teach you alíz finishing techniques (a traditional clay slip paint used on the interior of adobe walls) perfected by artist & natural builder Carole Crews - author of Clay Culture: Plasters, Paints and Preservation.

Topic Overview (tentative): importance of respiratory and eye safety when preparing and mixing plasters & clay paints, helpful tools and materials for clay paints, importance of work site and material organization for finishing work, locating and testing soil for clay paints, fiber (straw) preparation and chopping techniques, basic clay paint ingredients and recipes, application and finishing of clay paints, calculating surface area and materials needed for finishing work, troubleshooting earthen plasters & paints (cracking, adhesion problems, etc.)

PLEASE NOTE: Due to site safety protocols this workshop will be limited to a maximum of 8 participants. Tres Orejas is a fairly remote (mixed use) neighborhood so plan on bringing ample water and a sack lunch to the workshop each day. Carole would also like to have the students come to her dome a couple miles away for additional lecturing and experimenting with the materials. Directions to the exact workshop site will follow.