What You Will Learn

You will be introduced to the complete botanical casting process, including:

• How to identify plants suitable for pressing and casting
• How to gather plants without damaging their delicate forms
• How to create balance, movement and negative space in a composition
• How to prepare and flatten clay for mould-making
• How to press botanical material into clay without losing detail
• How to remove plants cleanly from the mould
• How to mix casting plaster to the correct consistency
• How to pour plaster carefully and avoid air pockets
• How to release the finished relief
• How to refine edges and clean the final surface
• How to prepare the finished work for display

No previous experience with clay, plaster or mould-making is required.

A Calm and High-End Studio Experience

This is not a fast craft activity or a mass-produced class.

The workshop is designed as a calm, carefully guided studio experience with attention to composition, material quality and finishing.

Participants will have time to gather, experiment, arrange and refine their work rather than rushing toward a fixed result.

The atmosphere will be creative, thoughtful and relaxed. You will be encouraged to work with intention while also allowing the natural forms of the plants to guide the composition.

The process is tactile and deeply satisfying. It combines the immediacy of gathering from nature with the precision of mould-making and the permanence of sculpture.

Inspired by Icelandic Nature

The landscape surrounding us becomes part of the material.

Grasses, meadow plants, leaves and small flowers can all produce extraordinary details when pressed into clay. Even familiar plants can reveal unexpected beauty when their forms are isolated and preserved in relief.

The workshop invites you to look more closely at what grows around you and to see ordinary natural forms as potential works of art.

Rather than copying nature, we will work directly with it.

Materials and Equipment

All essential materials and tools are included in the workshop price, including:

• Clay for mould-making
• Fine casting plaster
• Studio tools
• Mixing equipment
• Protective studio materials
• Guidance in preparing and finishing the work
• Materials needed for creating the relief

Participants are welcome to bring a few plants from a garden or meaningful location, provided they are suitable for pressing. We will also gather plants together during the workshop.

What to Bring

Please bring:

• Comfortable clothing suitable for outdoor gathering and studio work
• Suitable shoes and outerwear for the weather
• A small bag or container for collected plants
• A water bottle
• Optional gardening scissors or small secateurs
• Optional plants from your own garden or another meaningful place

Clothing may come into contact with clay or plaster, so delicate garments are not recommended.

Workshop Schedule

16:00–16:20 — Welcome and introduction
We begin with an overview of botanical casting, materials and composition.

16:20–17:00 — Gathering plants
We go outdoors to select and collect suitable flowers, grasses and leaves.

17:00–18:00 — Preparing clay and designing the composition
Participants prepare their clay moulds and arrange their chosen plants.

18:00–18:40 — Pressing and mould preparation
The plants are carefully pressed into clay and removed to reveal the impressions.

18:40–19:20 — Mixing and pouring plaster
Participants prepare the casting plaster and pour their reliefs.

19:20–19:50 — Releasing and refining the work
The pieces are removed from the moulds and the edges are cleaned and refined.

19:50–20:00 — Final gathering and closing
We finish by viewing the work together and discussing display and finishing options.

The timing may vary slightly depending on the scale of each piece and the drying of the plaster.

Who Is This Workshop For?

This workshop is suitable for:

• Complete beginners
• Artists and designers
• Potters and ceramicists
• Garden and nature lovers
• Interior enthusiasts
• Anyone looking for a peaceful and meaningful creative experience
• Friends, couples or individuals who want to make something lasting together

The minimum recommended age is 16.

Workshop Information

Date: Sunday, 21 June 2026
Time: 16:00–20:00
Location: Studio Esja, Álafossvegur 27, Mosfellsbær
Age: 16+
Experience level: No previous experience required
Materials: Included
Language: English and Icelandic
Group size: Limited to maintain personal guidance and a calm studio atmosphere

Important Notes

Botanical casting is an organic process. The natural material, clay and plaster may all behave slightly differently from one piece to another.

Small imperfections, variations and traces of the making process are part of the character of the finished work.

Some delicate plants may not release perfectly from the mould, and certain details may appear more strongly than others. Participants will be guided in choosing suitable plants and arranging them in a way that gives the best possible result.

This workshop is an opportunity to preserve more than the shape of a plant.It is a chance to hold onto the atmosphere of the longest days, the softness of evening light and the feeling of the landscape in bloom.By pressing plants into clay and casting them in plaster, we freeze a brief summer moment in time and create something that can remain long after the flowers have faded.The finished artwork becomes a quiet reminder that summer will return.