Transform an old, discarded book into a deeply personal, tactile masterpiece. In this relaxed, process-driven series, you will learn how to deconstruct, reinforce, and reimagine a hardbound book into a rich canvas for self-expression. Across three hands-on sessions, we will alter existing book pages by gluing them into sturdy base spreads, painting over text to create dramatic background washes, and layering vintage letters, photographs, and everyday recycled ephemera into evocative collages.
This workshop is designed as a creative sanctuary—whether you want to use your journal as a gentle space to process a personal theme or simply want to play, explore color, and experiment without expectation. There are no rules, no mistakes, and no pressure for perfection. Join us for six hours of cozy, cathartic making, and leave with a one-of-a-kind art book and a set of intuitive techniques you can keep building on forever.
What You’ll Learn & Do:
Session 1: Structure & Prep – Select your vintage base book, prep and glue pages to construct heavy-duty spreads, and lay down initial gesso/paint washes.
Session 2: Paint, Color & Texture – Explore intuitive color palettes, mark-making, and dry-brushing to leave hints of underlying text while building rich backgrounds.
Session 3: Layering & Storytelling – Integrate photo fragments, handwritten notes, fabric scraps, and recycled paper into balanced, meaningful collages.
All materials provided. Feel free to bring your own personal photos, old letters, or sentimental paper scrap bits to personalize your journal, too!
Three Sundays: November 15, December 6, and 27
1:00-3:00 PM
Full tuition $60
Ages 16+
Mary Hill
Mary is an artist who moved around a lot and has been part of many different communities. Her work reflects her willingness to change direction and begin again with a fresh view of the world and the people in it.
Recently, Mary has showed at Studio Place Arts in Barre, Vermont, and River Arts in Morrisville, Vermont. Her work includes portraits of people using charcoal, collage paper, and graphite. In the last 10 years, she’s exhibited at the South End Art Hop and Vt. Crafts Council Open Studios, BTV Airport, and the UVM Medical Center.
Mary also writes personal essays on Substack; here is a link to her writing: https://substack.com/@maryhillstudios
Other projects include The Paper Doll Project, Come as you Are Co-Working Sessions, and Unbound & Unfiltered: The Art of the Junk Journal class. You can learn more at her website maryhill.studio