Focus and Flow - Online Course with Take Two Arts
Karen Olson
Develop a restorative art practice shaped by nature, photography, and handmade paper.
Registration open from March 13 - April 7, 2026
Experiment with papermaking, photography, fire painting, sculpting, embossing, and printing on handmade papers.
Use creative processes as a personal resilience toolkit, helping you process experience through making.
Practice grounding and restorative forest immersion techniques that bring calm, clarity, and connection.
Learn how to access creative flow intentionally, without waiting for inspiration to arrive.
Develop a sustainable creative rhythm that supports both your art practice and inner life.
Join a global community. Connect with like-minded artists, and show your work in a curated online exhibition.
Exploring Accordion
Artist Books
Joelle Webber
Saturday, April 4, 2026, 1 - 4 pm
Joys of the Accordion!
Join Joelle to explore three variations of the accordion artist book, the Simple, Window & Pamphlet accordions. These structures include three different types of text & cover techniques. We will touch on where accordion book structures came from historically. Discussing modern creativity of adding content to these versatile and highly accessible artist books. Tools & materials provided.
Water Fall Arts, 256 High Street, Belfast, Maine 04915, 207-338-2222, info@waterfallarts.org
Pamphlet Books
Joelle Webber
Thursday, April 16, 2026, 5 - 7:30 pm
The perfect beginner book!
This class introduces the vocabulary, tools and materials of hand bookbinding. We will learn how to bind a soft and a hard covered version of these beginner, single gathering books. Tools & materials provided. A materials fee of $10 payable to the instructor is due on the first night.
Merrymeeting Community Adult Education, 35 Republic Ave, Topsham, ME 04086, 207) 729-7323
Decorative Paste Papers &
the Basics of Collage
Joelle Webber
Saturday, May 2, 2026, 1 - 4 pm
Collage with unique papers!
We will begin this class with paste papering. Like adult finger painting, this is a wet, seemingly sloppy, but intentional method of decorating paper. In this class we will explore different types of pigments combined with wheat paste to decorate papers. Using various scraping tools to create multiple textures. Allowing those to dry a bit, the second half of class will focus on the basics of collage.
Collage, from the French coller, meaning “to stick together,” is a simple way of creating a picture with scraps of paper and other found materials. Using scissors & wheat paste, we will collage a piece of book board with decorative papers. Joelle, will introduce the importance of material grain, along with board carving techniques & paper sculpture, to give dimensionality to collages. Students are encourage to bring other materials such as ribbons, threads, buttons, photographs, postcards or other bits & bobs. Together we will find creative solutions to attach cherished items.
Water Fall Arts, 256 High Street, Belfast, Maine 04915, 207-338-2222 info@waterfallarts.org
Accordion Artist Books
Joelle Webber
Thursday’s, May 14, 21, 28, 2026, 5:30-7:30 pm
Playing with Accordions!
We will explore three variations of the accordion artist book, the Simple, Window & Pamphlet Accordions. These books include three different text & cover techniques. We will also touch on the basics of book binding vocabulary & where the accordion book structures came from historically. Tools & materials provided.
Merrymeeting Community Adult Education, 35 Republic Ave, Topsham, ME 04086, 207) 729-7323
Italiana Tours - Paper Sculpture
Karen Olson
Transforming paper into captivating forms and textures
June 21-27, 2026
This workshop focuses on paper sculpture, teaching you how to transform dry papers into captivating forms and textures. You'll explore both ancient and contemporary techniques from across the globe and learn innovative ways to create armatures that elevate your work from wall to tabletop displays.
You'll work with a diverse selection of materials—including Karen's handmade papers harvested from the Maine landscape, alongside Japanese and Korean papers. Drawing inspiration from the Le Marche countryside, we will experiment with Japanese dyes and Italian pigments to color papers either before or after sculpting. Photographers will have the opportunity to print their work on handmade paper to use in their sculptures. We'll conclude by exploring display techniques as we prepare for our class exhibition in the studio.
Full details below.
The Basics of
Paper Backed Fabrics
Joelle Webber
Saturday, June 6, 2026, 1 - 4 pm
Create Unique Book Fabrics!
In book binding, fabrics are backed with paper so that they can be glued to book board covers without wet adhesives seeping through and marring the fabric. Join Joelle in learning how to back your favorite fabrics for future use. Students will be required to bring a variety of fabrics that they want to back. Please choose natural fibers – cotton, linen, flax, silk. To prepare them - wash in hot water, using mild soap & iron when dry. Cut pieces to 13" square or less. Bring a variety of pieces and we will see how many we can make in class. All other tools & materials will be provided.
Water Fall Arts, 256 High Street, Belfast, Maine 04915, 207-338-2222, info@waterfallarts.org
Repair Cafe
Joelle Webber
Saturday, June 13, 2026, 10 am - 12:30 pm
Bring Your Unhappy Books!
Connecting members of the community familiar with repairs and those that aren't, but are excited to learn! Join experts able to repair electronics, lamps, mend clothing, small appliances, sharpen tools, wooden furniture, jewelry & more. Including Joelle Webber of Mermaid Bindery who will help with book repairs.
Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St, Brunswick, ME 04011, (207) 725-5242
Pocket Accordion Book
Joelle Webber
Thursday, June 18, 2026, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Family Book Arts Fun!
This workshop is open only to adults with minors. Create a book that can be filled with your favorite recipes, postcards, secret notes, poems or other journaling and gift ideas. Learn to use basic book binding tools and techniques, including some collage fun. Tools and materials provided.
Merrymeeting Community Adult Education, 35 Republic Ave, Topsham, ME 04086, 207) 729-7323
Modern Coptic Books
Joelle Webber
Tuesdays, July 7, 14, & 21, 2026, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
A Serious Binding Made Easy!
Based on a historic binding, my Modern Coptic was designed for materials of today. To create this complex book, we will learn to back fabrics, cover book boards, cut down text blocks, shape concertinas, punch sewing stations, sew the unique linked stitched pattern & glue the finishing touches. Tools & materials will be provided.
Merrymeeting Community Adult Education, 35 Republic Ave, Topsham, ME 04086, 207) 729-7323
Repair Cafe
Joelle Webber
Saturday, July 11, 2026, 10 am - 12:30 pm
Bring Your Unhappy Books!
Connecting members of the community familiar with repairs and those that aren't, but are excited to learn! Join experts able to repair electronics, lamps, mend clothing, small appliances, sharpen tools, wooden furniture, jewelry & more. Including Joelle Webber of Mermaid Bindery who will help with book repairs.
Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St, Brunswick, ME 04011, (207) 725-5242
Repair Cafe
Joelle Webber
Saturday, August 8, 2026, 10 am - 12:30 pm
Bring Your Unhappy Books!
Connecting members of the community familiar with repairs and those that aren't, but are excited to learn! Join experts able to repair electronics, lamps, mend clothing, small appliances, sharpen tools, wooden furniture, jewelry & more. Including Joelle Webber of Mermaid Bindery who will help with book repairs.
Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St, Brunswick, ME 04011, (207) 725-5242
Japanese Books -
Family Friendly
Joelle Webber
Tuesday, August 11, 2026, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Family Book Arts Fun!
This workshop is open only to adults with minors. We will explore the decorative sewing patterns of the Japanese Stab Binding, while learning a bit about the eastern traditions of book binding. Hammers and awls are used to create this book. Tools & materials provided.
Merrymeeting Community Adult Education, 35 Republic Ave, Topsham, ME 04086, 207) 729-7323
USM Summer Book Arts
Richard will, also, be part of the 2026 USM summer program. The 2026 summer class will run from July 6th through July 17th (Monday through Friday, no weekends).
Richard will be teaching two days (July15 & 16) : One day of binding (Folded vs Sewn) with some unusual options and one day of boxmaking (Boxes from two structures) using my system of folio and tray templates to build multiple structures.
Please see the 2026 Summer workshop info for more information below.
Wild Light Retreat
Karen Olson
Paper Sculpture and Artists Books in San Miguel de Allende.
October 7-13, 2026
San Miguel de Allende offers a wonderfully diverse culture and a thriving arts scene, and I’m delighted to return to teach this workshop.
This immersive, retreat-style workshop invites participants on a transformative creative journey—one that opens the heart-sense and awakens intuitive awareness. Through discussions and demonstrations, we’ll discover ways to let the inherent qualities, textures, and characteristics of each material guide the creative process and shape unique compositions.
Linda Laino will be our host in San Miguel. Full details below.