By late November, the woods are full of quiet beauty — textured bark, soft moss, skeletal leaves, and fallen twigs, all the small things we usually walk right past.
This workshop is your pre-holiday sanctuary: no pressure to sketch or paint, just an invitation to slow down and see the extraordinary in the ordinary. Together, we’ll select the best natural elements and arrange them into striking, modern 3D shadow boxes that bring the quiet energy of the woods into your home.
A quick but important note on timing: If you’d like to forage your own materials (highly encouraged!), plan to gather in early October. Pressing and drying takes about six weeks, so anything you collect now will be perfectly ready by our November class. Don’t worry if you can’t get out to gather — I’ll bring a gorgeous buffet of pre-dried natural elements too.
What we’ll explore and create:
- Double the fun — You’ll design and create two custom shadow boxes: one to keep, one to give.
- Staining & prep — Learn to stain raw pine for a warm, finished look.
- The forager’s eye — Master visual balance using organic textures and shapes.
- Tactile materials — Work with dried flowers, pebbles, shells, birch bark, twigs, and grasses.
- Artistic accents — Layer in colorful yarn, glass tiles, and ceramic pieces.
- Seasonal aromas — Add dried citrus peel for a cozy, wintry scent.
- Hang it up — Want it on the wall instead of the shelf? We’ll attach a twine handle so your shadow box can hang.
- The perfect gift — These make beautiful, personal Thanksgiving tokens for the people you love.
Art Medium(s): Foraged Art in Wooden Boxes
Instructor: Harmony Thiessen
Cost: $45 – includes two boxes, stains, and all materials
Class size: 18
Age Groups: 14+
Experience level: No experience required
Materials to bring: Bring things you forage in your travels. Be sure to give it time to dry completely. Don’t try to rush the drying procedure. It doesn’t work. :-)
Registration: Register here Harmony Thiessen Art to sign up and pay for this class. Seats are limited!
Instructor Bio:
Harmony Thiessen is a multidisciplinary artist and creativity educator with over 25 years of experience teaching in communities around the world. Her work invites people to reconnect with creativity as a natural, everyday way of seeing—offering simple, hands-on experiences that bring both beauty and a fresh perspective into daily life.
Instructor Links:
- Website: https://harmonythiessenart.com/
- YouTube: Harmony Thiessen Art – YouTube
- Instagram: @Harmony.Thiessen
- FaceBook: HarmonyTheissenArt
