Leaf Leather Collage – Botanical Bliss

Join us for a grounding, deeply tactile morning as you transform preserved organic elements into an atmospheric, late-autumn landscape. In this workshop, you will work step-by-step with a rich palette of custom-preserved “leaf leather” and flat-pressed botanical specimens.

I create our leaf leather entirely in the studio using a slow glycerin soak, allowing raw, foraged autumn leaves to permanently retain their rich tones and suppleness. Rather than relying on traditional drawing or painting skills, we will use the natural contours, veins, and gradients of leaves. We tear, cut, and layer rolling hills, deep valley horizons, and autumn skies directly onto a solid 5×7 canvas board.

What We Do

• Build the Landscape: Using your palette of leaf leather and pressed botanicals, cut and layer the natural contours, veins, and gradients into rolling hills, deep valley horizons, and autumn skies directly on a 5×7 cotton canvas panel.
• Fuse and Accent: Add delicate pressed foliage to accent your low-relief landscape, and learn how to cleanly fuse the layers using professional artist gel mediums.
• Seal and Finish: Hand-apply and buff a layer of professional wax medium across the face of the collage—a traditional method that permanently seals the botanicals, removes any harsh plastic sheen, and leaves a rich, tactile matte surface.

Your completed archival landscape will be displayed on an elegant, minimalist wooden stand. You’ll leave class relaxed, with a finished, freestanding gallery artifact ready to anchor a shelf or desk as soon as you get home.

The Details

• Date: Sunday, November 8, 2026
• Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM (3 hours)
• Location: Red Cedar Zen – 2509 Cedarwood Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225 (workshops hosted at the RCZ location and operated by Harmony Thiessen Art)
• Tuition: $45 — includes botanical materials, cotton canvas substrate panel, gel mediums, finishing wax, and a wooden display stand
• Ages: 14+
• Limited to 16 participants to ensure a peaceful, spacious, and mindful classroom environment

No prior art experience is necessary. Come ready to explore texture, slow down, and enjoy the creative process.

Cancellations and Refunds

A quick note on cancellations: I know plans change! If you need to cancel 7 or more full days before class, you’ll receive a full refund within 3 business days. Canceling 3–6 full days before class earns you 100% store credit of the amount paid, toward a future class. Canceling less than 3 full days before class earns 50% store credit of the amount paid. Unfortunately, day-of cancellations and no-shows aren’t eligible for a refund or credit, since we prep materials per person in advance. Thanks so much for understanding!