A two day workshop in the fields of our ranch south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, on how to make adobe bricks from the land. We will cover all steps of the process, including how to test the soil, build the wood forms, make the screens, mix the mud, fill the forms, and cure the adobe bricks. This workshop will give you the tools and knowledge to make your own adobe bricks, the foundation for building your own adobe masonry.
No previous experience required, all skill levels and backgrounds are welcome. All that is necessary is a desire to connect more deeply with the land and learn the magic of building something with the ground beneath our feet. If you like playing in dirt and making things with your hands, and want to learn to build with the earth, this workshop is for you. There is enough one on one time built into the workshop to allow for all backgrounds and levels of experience. Lunch will be served both days.
SCHEDULE
Saturday
We’ll jump straight into it with some hands-on brick making. Then we’ll move back in time and learn how make our own wood adobe forms from scratch. You will have the option to take the form you make home with you. Then learn about finding the right soil mixture and make some more bricks.
Sunday
On the second day we’ll keep practicing our feel for the right mud consistency, then we’ll learn how to make our own screens, as well as strategies for curing the adobes. We’ll also explore what we can make with adobes bricks.
PRACTICAL GEAR
- Weather appropriate clothing you don’t mind getting mud on (wide brim hat for sun protection, sunglasses, layers)
- Closed toed shoes
- Water and snacks
Gloves will be provided.
ABOUT AMAURY
Amaury Bargioni a professional Adobe Horno Builder based in Santa Fe and originally from Paris, France. Amaury’s interest in Land Art led him to Adobe, from making compositions rearranging elements of the landscape to literally making things out of the earth. He is the founder of Eye of the Horno, an organization dedicated to maintaining the practice of earth building and wood-fired cooking using earthen ovens.
Amaury is a student of Ernest Aragon, a legendary adobe builder in New Mexico and a recipient of the The Earthbuilders’ Honorary Lifetime Member Award. Over the last few years, Amaury has introduced over 150 people to the craft of adobe through his building workshops, partnering with organizations such the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps, The Semilla Project, the Santa Fe Indian School, and the Santa Fe Botanical Garden. His Adobe work has been commissioned by private individuals in Rio Rancho, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and most recently by Site Santa Fe.
EYE OF THE HORNO SERIES
This workshop is the first in a series of three workshops taught by Amaury of Eye of the Horno. The next workshop is Horno Building and the last is Baking in the Horno. If you register for all three workshops at the same time you receive 20% off. Or you may take only one or two of the workshops in the series.
SCHOLARSHIPS
A limited number of scholarships are available. The last day to submit a scholarship application is August 7th. All recipients will be notified by August 10th. If you would like to sponsor a scholarship as a Moon Horse Ranch Partner be in touch here.
TRAVEL AND LODGING
Workshop participants are responsible for their own travel to and lodging in Santa Fe. For those traveling from out of town, the nearest airports are in Santa Fe, 20 minutes away, and Albuquerque, which is an hour drive away. Lodging wise, we recommend the El Rey Court, who has offered all registered workshop participants 25% off up to a four night stay the weekend of the workshop. The exact location of the workshop will be sent to registered participants the week before arrival. Moon Horse Ranch is 30 minutes south of downtown Santa Fe, between the villages of Cerillos and Galisteo.
REFUND POLICY
Due to the nature of these workshops and how much long term planning and preparation goes into each one, refunds cannot be given. Exchanging a workshop ticket for a future workshop at Moon Horse Ranch may be possible and will be considered on a case by case basis.
The workshop will be entirely outside in the open air under the western sky. We hope you will join us in learning Adobe brick making.
