• COMMUNITY,  Education

    Artistic Sculpture in Unfired Earth – Earthen Hand Class

    Artistic Sculpture in Unfired Earth – Sept 14th, 10am – 5pm – Portland, Oregon – $75 / day,  classes (paid at least 1 week in advance). $30 or less materials/tools. This class explores the infinite artistic possibilities of unfired clay/sand/fiber mixtures. We will use pigments, and a wide variety of techniques to create vastly different effects. Learn how to make earthen plasters, paints, pigments, and construct skeletons to support the sculpture. Class size is limited to 6 people.

  • Earth Bag House built by Earthen Hand
    BUILDING

    Earthen Hand

    The Local Application of Traditional Building Techniques According to Scott Howard, founder of Earthen Hand Natural Building, the materials and methods in natural building construction are highly sustainable because they are readily available and easy to use. Structures built of earthen materials are more likely to last for many centuries in contrast to a few decades for most contemporary stick-framed buildings. Wood-framing remains the most popular way to build homes in the Pacific Northwest where plentiful forests were once thought of as monstrosities to be cut into submission. The popularity of wood construction over time is a contributor to deforestation worldwide. Some estimates state that we have used 90% of…