Come on out to the farm for a sweeping good time! We are so excited to welcome Portland artist Dan Hawkins to Ridgefield for his first PN Farm Arts workshop! Over the course of a Saturday, participants will have the opportunity to craft porch brooms from two PN Farm-foraged fibers — a native sedge, and the wildly invasive Reed’s canary grass, along with some traditional broom corn (sorghum) to fill things out!

We’ll begin the morning with a brief history of brooms and broom-making in North America and beyond, focusing particularly on the Shakers and their contributions to the craft. This will be followed by a hands-on discussion of different sweeping fibers and broom-making techniques, and finally, a walk into the fields and woods of PN Farm to source our broom materials.

After lunch, we’ll begin to assemble our brooms, using the fiber we collected in the morning. We’ll have time to experiment with multiple sweeping fibers, adapting construction methods to suit the size and style of each broom. Participants will leave with at least one completed broom and the knowledge of how to make more. Hopefully, this workshop will also inspire us to look at the fibers and materials we have on hand, in our various localities, with a broom-maker’s eye!

We’re planning to get out on the landscape for this one, so come prepared for some all-weather tromping! A $20 materials fee is included in the ticket price. 

Coffee, tea, water and light snacks will be provided. Please bring sack lunch and any special snacks you need (you will have access to fridge, stove and microwave if needed).

Please note: This workshop takes place out on the landscape and in a historic home that is not wheelchair accessible. We will work to accommodate access however we can, but recommend that you email arts@pnfarm.com to confirm the space will work for you before you commit to the workshop!

About our teacher: 
 Dan was born in Maine and has worked as an architect & carpenter in China, Denmark, England, and the United States. In 2021, he moved to Portland, OR, where he started Bodge, a platform for his sculpture, woodwork, and brooms. His work explores domestic tools, as well as the craft traditions and techniques associated with those objects. Dan also teaches broom-making and woodworking classes and workshops throughout the Pacific Northwest.