2-Day Clay Plaster

Dates: May 23rd-24th, 2026

INSTRUCTORS: Greg + Danielle

STUDENT #: 15 students [maximum]

COST (includes meals):

$380 Early Bird Rate (register 30 days in advance)
$430 Regular Rate
5% discount for family + friends participating together!
10% discount for BIPOC participants

DESCRIPTION:

Natural plasters are important both functionally and aesthetically. They protect your wall from the elements, and also provide an opportunity to add color, texture, and beauty. Our students often refer to the plastering stage as the “icing on the cake!”

Join us to get hands-on experience mixing and applying clay plasters. We will apply a base coat on day 1, and a finish plaster on day 2. You'll also get to experiment with using plaster for sculpting. Along the way, you'll see many examples of plaster layers on different substrates (from cob through drywall!), and learn about processing clay soil and straw. For topics we don't have time to cover through hands-on work, we'll provide hand-outs or digital resources to keep for future reference.

In addition to our scheduled learning time, there is a wonderful community aspect to our workshops. Students are able to stay on campus - either tenting or renting a cottage. All meals are provided from Saturday's breakfast through Sunday’s lunch, which are shared as a group in our community gathering space. Friday night will be a pizza dinner, utilizing our cob pizza oven!

HANDS-ON:
* mixing a base coat plaster by foot
* plastering a wall with a base coat as a group
* applying finish plaster on individual panels
* experimenting with sculptural plaster
DISCUSSION/DEMONSTRATION:
* processing clay soil
* plaster additives
* trowel and tool options
* different substrates, and prepping walls for plaster
* CAMPUS TOUR! - We’ll tour campus buildings, as a general Q+A
8:00-9:00 Breakfast
9:00-12:45 Morning work session
12:45-1:45 Lunch
1:45-5:30 Afternoon work session
5:30-6:30 Unscheduled (Shower, relax)
6:30 Dinner! (only on Saturday)
And all meals are provided from Friday’s breakfast through Saturday’s lunch. Food is vegetarian, with vegan and gluten-free options available.
We provide a simple breakfast spread of fresh fruit, oatmeal packets, yogurt & granola, coffee, and tea. (Non-dairy oat and almond milk are available)
Lunches are hearty vegetarian meals, catered by local small businesses. Vegan and gluten-free options are available upon request.
For this course we’ll get to include a Cob Oven Pizza Night! We always look forward to these fun evenings, making pizzas together in our community dining space.
**There is no dinner on Saturday
Tent sites are free!
We have 6 tiny sleeping cottages available to rent - 4 with natural walls, and 2 wooden A-frames. See the options here. Each cottage provides the basics- a mattress with fresh bedding, a lamp, and a fan. If you’re interested in a cottage, there is space to let us know on the registration form.
Check out our FAQ page for more info about nearby towns.
This workshop is held at the Mud Dauber campus, adjacent to our small homestead, in Snow Camp, NC.
We are 10 min away from Saxapahaw, 20 minutes from Siler City & Pittsboro, 30 minutes from Carrboro/Chapel Hill, and one hour from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).

REGISTER:

Click below to fill out the registration form and we’ll get back to you within 48 hours to confirm availability and send your invoice. Your spot will be confirmed once we receive payment. Thank you!

Please read our Refund Policy here.