BArts Academy is the educational arm of the Barberton Innovative Artist Society. We teach artists to make their own studio materials directly from local riverbeds and flora.
By mastering paper pulping, pigment grinding, and clay preparation, our students build self-reliance and preserve heritage studio techniques.
Chapters of the academy
Our practical course areas are structured like hands-on studio manuals, guiding creators through physical raw material preparation and traditional art disciplines.
Earth pigments & paint
Pulp vat & paper
Pottery & raw clay
Grind local minerals on glass slabs, bind with pressed oils, and prepare archival painting grounds for studio use.
Harvest local plant fibres, pull damp paper sheets from wooden pulp vats, and master classic hand bookbinding techniques.
Shape native clay on the wheel, formulate natural ash glazes, and master wood firing in our Barberton studio.
Upcoming Barberton workshops
Mastering Pigment Grinding
Spend three days in Barberton foraging local minerals and processing archival earth paints for authentic studio application.
Paper from Reed & Bark
Learn traditional pulping methods, vat sheet creation, and natural sizing techniques from your home or studio workspace.
Hand-Building with Clay
Master ancient coil vessel building, surface burnishing methods, and natural glaze preparation using raw regional earth minerals.
Receive monthly studio recipes, raw material field notes, and upcoming workshop announcements directly from our Barberton craftsmen.