WASI featured in an article in El Ciudadano, a popular alternative newspaper in Chile.

Full Content: http://www.elciudadano.cl/2012/05/07/52242/wasi-mujeres-constructoras-de-un-mundo-perdurable/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

10-Week Women’s Earthbag Dome Building Apprenticeship in Canada
Lillooet, British Columbia, July 28-October 6, 2012

Kleiwerks International’s Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) is hosting a 10-week, hands-on natural building Apprenticeship that brings together a group of women apprentices with an experienced team of earthbag builders and native St’at’imc community members. Their project is to construct a Healing & Cultural Arts Centre near Lillooet, BC. This training immersion provides participants with the opportunity to learn construction while building a dome from start to finish, develop leadership skills through facilitating local groups, work side-by-side with a community that is creating culturally appropriate local solutions, and document the story to share with wider audiences.

Ideal participants are women who have follow-up projects, intend to share what they learn, want to work in the natural building trades and be part of the growing natural building movement. “This apprenticeship is a unique opportunity for participants to delve into earthbag construction while building the envisioned creative cultural community commons with the people of T’it’qet and Lillooet who are engaged in proactively creating a vibrant future by combining traditional St’at’imc culture and values with refined sustainable and ecological solutions,” says Susannah Tedesco, local Program Coordinator.

Today’s building industry uses half of our planet’s resources, yet healthy, time-tested, affordable and soulful construction alternatives exist. These alternatives are based on reclaiming and refining the use of local and recycled materials. Coupled with indigenous knowledge and Permaculture design systems, natural building plays a profound role in creating a way of life that is good for people and the planet.

Instructors Fox McBride and Chloe Wolsey are teaming up for the first time, combining their extensive and global earthbag dome construction backgrounds. WASI Delegate Christine Jack is a Nlaka’pamux First Nations leader who resides in St’atimc Territory near Lillooet, BC. Guest Instructors, The Mudgirls are a network of natural builders from BC. WASI Coordinator, Susannah Tedesco, is devoted to rural grassroots initiatives that empower communities to create viable local living solutions.

Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) is an alliance of women leaders who construct, educate, organize, and advocate for strong and empowered communities through ecological design-build practices with the aim of creating a socially and ecologically resilient world.

For details or to apply visit: http://www.kleiwerks.org/wasi-canada-earthbagdome-apprenticeship-2012/. There are 12 seats available. The fee is $3,600, including tuition, meals, lodging and field trips.

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828.279.1955 :: info@kleiwerks.org :: www.kleiwerks.org :: 501(c)3 ID 20-4358819
80 Buchanan Ave, Asheville, NC 28801, USA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

3-Month Women’s Natural Building Apprenticeship in Hawaii:
OCEAN FRONT on the Island of Molokai, September 15-December 15, 2012

Kleiwerks International’s Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) is hosting a 3-Month Women’s Natural Building Apprenticeship that brings together a group of native Hawaiian and off island women to live, learn and build with a team of natural building business owners, industry experts, architects, activists, and local Molokai community members. The building project will be a prototype house for island residents, incorporating bamboo and earthen building technologies. Participating apprentices will learn how to build with natural materials, construct a house from start-to-finish that will be used as a community commons, develop leadership skills by facilitating local groups, engage in documentation and multimedia strategies to
share with larger audiences, and gain understanding of how one community is facing issues of ‘development’.

12 seats are available in this Apprenticeship. Ideal participants are women who have follow-up projects, intend to share what  they learn, want to work in the natural building trades and be part of this transformative and growing movement. “This is an incredible  opportunity to delve into natural building, as well as community connections with the people of Molokai who have a vision of combining Hawaiian culture and modern solutions for a sustainable future for their island. An added benefit is that the site is next to the beach, so we can take daily swims to wash the mud off.” says Emillia Noordhoek, Director of Sust ‘Ainable Molokai.

Today’s building industry uses half of our planet’s resources, yet healthy, time-tested, affordable and soulful construction alternatives exist. These alternatives are based on reclaiming and refining the use of local clays, bamboos and other abundant and recycled materials. Coupled with Permaculture systems, natural building technologies play a profound role in creating ways of life that are good for people and the planet.

The Team: Host, Emillia Noordhoek, is the WASI delegate from the Hawaiian Island of Molokai where she is Executive Director of Sust `Ainable Molokai and has spent many years engaged in greening Hawaii’s building industry. Lead Instructor, Sukita Crimmel runs two natural building businesses and is helping to establish international code for cob. Lead instructor, Ilima Smallwood is an architect who has been working with bamboo construction for nearly a decade. Guest teacher, Char O’Brien’s managed a house-building factory for Bamboo Technologies and worked with the International Code Council (ICC) to create a bamboo certification process.

Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) is an alliance of women leaders who construct, educate, organize, and advocate for strong and empowered communities through ecological design-build practices with the aim of creating a socially and ecologically resilient world.

For details or to apply visit: http://www.kleiwerks.org/WASI-Hawaii-Apprenticeship-2012/. For three months, $5,000 covers tuition, materials, three (mostly organic) meals a day, lodging and field trips.

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828.279.1955 :: info@kleiwerks.org :: www.kleiwerks.org :: 501(c)3 ID 20-4358819
80 Buchanan Ave, Asheville, NC 28801, USA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

4-Month Women’s Natural Building Apprenticeship:
Near Asheville, North Carolina, June 3-September 28

Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) is hosting a 4-month, hands-on natural building apprenticeship from June 3-September 28 that brings together a close-knit team of women to live, learn, and build with Liz Johndrow as lead builder, and her assistants, veteran natural builders and community members. The site is at Highland Lake Cove, near Asheville, North Carolina.

Participants will learn how to build an entire cottage from start-to-finish, using a variety of natural building techniques. Hands-on projects will include timber-framing, natural wall systems, an earthen courtyard, natural finishes, basic additions, roofing, and earthen ovens. Participants will also gain skills in: planning and coordinating a building site, working as a team, facilitating volunteers and visiting groups, what it takes to run a natural building business, networking with a global alliance of women leaders, development of media and storytelling strategies to share with larger audiences, as well as how to run a crowd funding campaign.

Today’s building industry uses half of our planet’s resources, yet healthy, time-tested, affordable and soulful construction alternatives exist. These alternatives are based on reclaiming and refining the use of local clays, sand, straw, stone, wood, other abundant and recycled materials. Coupled with indigenous knowledge and Permaculture design systems, natural building technologies play a profound role in supporting the creation of ways of life that are good for people and the planet.

Instructor Liz Johndrow is working with the Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) as the delegate from the United States. Liz is the founder of Earthen Endeavors. Her vision is to use natural building as a bridge to create beautiful and functional spaces while embodying a meaningful connection with the natural world, others and our built environment.

Visiting Instructor Sarah Highland is a principal of Highland Artisan, where she cuts timber frames, designs, and teaches workshops. Highland builds and designs with timber, clay, straw, brick, and slate in an exploration of how to create buildings that feel alive, and how to build community while building structures.

Visiting Instructor Janell Kapoor is the founding director of Kleiwerks International and has led the initial trainings that launched the natural building movements of Southeast Asia, the Southern Cone of South America, the Southeastern United States, and recently, Turkey.

Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) is an alliance of women leaders who construct, educate, organize, and advocate for strong and empowered communities through ecological design-build practices with the aim of creating a socially and ecologically resilient world.

For more information or to apply visit: http://www.kleiwerks.org/wasi-builder-united-states-4-month-apprenticeship/.

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DATES: The Apprenticeship is July 28 – Oct 6. We ask that the assistant be on site the week before.

SKILLS: The woman we are looking for is passionate about the natural building movement, teamwork, women’s empowerment and indigenous community life. Leadership, self-initiation and excellent communication skills are key. You must have extensive experience in documentation and multimedia storytelling.We will give special consideration to women who are experienced in sharing what they know with others and other skills related to this program and project.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Guide and produce the documentation and multimedia storytelling of the project and program. You will oversee and help coordinate the group’s engagement in this process so that: 1) daily footage is collected, 2) weekly updates are created, and 3) the group can learn from your expertise and share in the responsibilities. You will help the group learn how to document and tell the story so they can do it on their own projects following the Apprenticeship.

Tasks include:
• Documentation – Help capture the project and program using video and still shots on a daily basis
• Coordination – Organize videos, photos and interviews on a regular basis to ensure easy usage
• Facilitation – Help guide the group so they can partake in documentation & multimedia storytelling
• Outreach – Oversee usage of the footage so that it tells a clear, compelling and high-impact story
• Social media – Use KI’s social media networks (website, facebook, twitter, etc) to get the word out
• Video production – By the end of the 10 weeks, complete three short videos, 2-5 minutes in length
• Book production – Using an already established online template and with group participation, use footage to fill in the pages and complete a photographic book that tells the story of this project and program

Please note: You must be experienced in working with digital media, photography, videography, video editing/production and social media outreach. You will need your own camera and computer equipment.

OPPORTUNITY: This is an excellent opportunity to participate in WASI, the growing alliance of the women’s natural building movement. As assistants to the lead design-build specialist, the Canadian delegation and host community, and in support of the WASI Apprentices, you will play an important part in the overall success of this powerful program and project. Our ideal assistant is passionate about women’s empowerment, learning earthbag construction through a living immersion, as well as rich relationship building with the native indigenous host community.

You will:
• Gain a working affiliation with the lead instructors (Fox McBride & Chloe Wosley), guest instructors, the St’at’imc community, the Ucwalmicw Centre (a nonprofit cultural centre) and Kleiwerks International/WASI, all of which are run by women.
• Participate in deep-level skill building in earthbag construction.
• Share what you know and strengthen your skills in building, teaching, organizing, documenting, promoting and participating in a group of women apprentices on a start-to-finish earthbag construction project.
• Learn how a full-scale natural building program and project works
• Build a relationship with the native St’at’imc community, an inspiring network of people committed to working together to create a vibrant, thriving local and sustainable way of life.
• You will be surrounded by the stunning power and diverse beauty of the mountains, rivers and creeks of the St’at’imc Territory in Lillooet, British Columbia in Western Canada. You will live in the central commons of the reserve adjacent to the community garden and orchard, and the Ucwalmicw Centre – a nonprofit cultural centre and community hall.

COMMITMENT: Arrive on site by July 22nd and be there throughout the duration of the program, July 28 – October 6 (except for a 1-week break). The schedule will be Monday through Friday. Once you are confirmed, we will ask that you help promote the Apprenticeship via social media and other outlets. You will be expected to bring your own tools, equipment and camping gear, get yourself to the site and cover your share of the meal plan, which is $600 over 10 weeks. In exchange, the entire tuition will be waived and camping will be free. Once your position is confirmed, please send your non-refundable deposit of $600 to: “Kleiwerks International,” 80 Buchanan Ave, Asheville, NC 28801. Memo: “Canada Apprenticeship + YOUR NAME.”

APPLY: Send a letter of interest, resume and two references to Janell Kapoor janell@kleiwerks.org. We expect these positions to fill quickly, so apply soon.

WOMEN’S ASSISTANT POSITIONS AVAILABLE: MUD BUILDERS, CARPENTERS & MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLERS.

DATES: Early September til mid-December, 2012

RESPONSIBILITIES: This position includes the following, which will be shared between two experienced women.

• Building coordination
• Some teaching
• Logistical support
• Assisting group flow
• Documentation
• Multimedia storytelling
• Promotion

SKILLS: The women we are looking for are passionate about the natural building movement, team work and women’s empowerment. Leadership, self-initiation and excellent communication skills are key. You must have a basic working knowledge of carpentry with a general understanding of framing, foundation and roofing systems. Previous experience with natural building is a must. We will give special consideration to women who have a background in group facilitation, event coordination, multimedia storytelling, documentation, social media outreach and/or marketing and promotions.

OPPORTUNITY: This is an exciting opportunity for two emerging natural builders/teachers to participate in the women’s natural building movement and be an important part of the WASI team and project.

• You will gain a working affiliation with Sust ‘ainable Molokai and Kleiwerks International, both of which are run by women.
• You will have the opportunity to participate in deep-level skill building in natural construction, with some focused workshops in bamboo, earthen wall systems and natural plasters.
• You will be able to share what you know and strengthen your skills in building, teaching, organizing, promoting and interacting with a group of women apprentices on the building of a start-to-finish building project.
• You will learn the ins and outs of running a natural building program and project
• Another plus of this position is that you will be living right next to the beach and will have time to enjoy the community of Molokai, the least developed Hawaiian Island with only 7,500 residents and not a single traffic light. Molokai exemplifies the beauty of a past era with much aloha. Although not much in the way of nightlife (there are two bars on the island), there is much in the way of water sports, stand-up paddling, surfing, ocean kayaking, as well as hiking in pristine conservation areas. There’s a daily ferry to Maui when you need to remember the hustle and bustle of city life.

COMMITMENT: The on-site part of this position runs from September until mid-December. Assistants need to arrive at the beginning of September and will have off the week of October 29th and a long weekend over Thanksgiving. The  schedule will be Monday through Friday, with occasional need to work extra days. There may be some open-to-the-public workshops that could require extra time, but maintaining a balanced schedule is an important part of these three months. Some initial promotion support will be expected as soon as you are confirmed. The entire Apprenticeship tuition will be waived and camping is free, but you will need to contribute $750 toward food, which will serve as your non-refundable deposit to reserve this position. Once your position is confirmed, please send the $750 to: “Kleiwerks International,” 80 Buchanan Ave, Asheville, NC 28801. Memo: “Hawaii Apprenticeship + YOUR NAME

APPLY: Please send a letter of interest, resume and two references to Janell Kapoor at janell@kleiwerks.org. We expect these positions to fill quickly, so apply soon.

Nena Alava is a Bioconstructor, permaculturist and event organizer. She graduated from the Instituto de Permacultura e Ecovilas do Cerrado in Brasil. Nena has been a specialist in, and teacher of geodesic domes and tensile structures for more than 12 years. Since 2000, she’s been the Producer of the Boom Festival in Portugal — an independent art, music and cultural event that won the outstanding award of the Greener Festivals organization three times over. This independent award covers event management, travel and transport plans, CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, fair trade, waste management and recycling, water management and noise pollution, and use of sustainable power. The Boom Festival is also part of the United Nations Music & Environmental Stakeholder Initiative, using the popularity of music as a means for raising public environmental awareness. Boom Festival was the only independent, underground, and no-corporate logo event included in the list of 10 festivals. It is considered to be one of the worldwide leaders in sustainable events solutions.

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Sarah Highland builds and designs with timber, clay, straw, brick, and slate. Her work is an exploration of how to create buildings that feel alive, and how to build community while building structures. As principal of Highland Artisan, she cuts timber frames, designs, and teaches workshops. In addition, she works with owner-builders and community groups as consultant and build leader.

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Liz Johndrow is working with the Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) as the delegate from the United States. Liz is the founder of Earthen Endeavors. Her vision is to use natural building as a bridge to create beautiful and functional spaces while embodying a meaningful connection with the natural world, others and our built environment. Working with low impact and resource-efficient materials that are non-toxic and healthful, durable and recyclable, Liz integrates beauty and function into living spaces – through a process that inspires creativity, joy and greater human connection. Liz works with earthen plasters and floor systems, and timber-framing and enjoys the exploration of natural building as a localized, sustainable way of building using the resources we have at hand. Liz has several past lives including raising her son, owning of a small futon business, cooking at a natural foods restaurant, studying midwifery and herbalism, 18 years as a massage therapist, gardener and two years as a wilderness school instructor.

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Janell Kapoor is the founding director of Kleiwerks International, a nonprofit organization and global network of ecological design-build specialists who have worked with people from over 45 countries. Over the past decade, Janell led the initial trainings that launched the natural building movements of Southeast Asia, the Southern Cone of South America, the Southeastern United States, and recently, Turkey. Thousands of teachers, education centers, communities, businesses, training programs, and homes have been created by her students and collaborators. Janell walks her talk in her own backyard, which is the demonstration site of the Ashevillage Institute, one of North America’s premier urban permaculture demonstration sites. She is dedicated to the champion within each of us, and to the possibility that we may live in balance with ourselves, each other, and this most beautiful planet we are blessed to inhabit.

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Fox McBride is a highly organized and skilled earthbuilder who is reliable, enthusiastic, and passionate about building. Primarily focused on Superadobe domes, Fox began acquiring her mighty earthbuilding skills through a long-term apprenticeship at Cal-Earth, and has since worked on projects in Hollywood, British Columbia, Vermont, Puerto Rico and the Mojave Desert of southern California. She possesses skills in plaster, paint and remodeling, is fluent in Portuguese and is working on her Spanish. Fox is available for consulting, design assistance, good conversation and honest friendship. She believes strongly in the power of community, solidarity, open communication, the spiritual search for love and the DIY spirit. Humans have a right to shelter and the means to produce it!

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The Mudgirls are a network of women builders on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada. They specialize in using local, natural and recycled materials to create whatever their client’s heart desires. They are experienced in building everything from cob cabins, ovens and benches to installing natural insulation, earthen floors and wall plasters in any style of home. The Mudgirls live and work in Vancouver, Nanaimo, Saltspring Island, Cumberland, Denman Island, Lasqueti island and other places around Vancouver Island. They can be hired as a crew or to facilitate work parties, and will build whatever you want.

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Char O’brien is a seasoned carpenter and specialist in bamboo. During her nine-year love affair building with bamboo in Hawaii and Vietnam, Char helped to manage a house building factory for Bamboo Technologies and was key in getting bamboo through the International Code Council (ICC) certification process, thus making it a permitted building material in the United States. Being a true bamboodist, Char learns and shares all she can about this noble plant, the cultures that embrace it and the possibilities it holds for reversing global warming. With 1,500 documented uses, bamboo is perhaps the most useful plant on the planet that deserves to become a widely used building material. Bringing bamboo and bamboo biochar to the forefront of the carbon draw down movement is Char’s passion. Be prepared for her evening power points on bamboo as well as the climate change issues that face every sentient being on the planet. In addition to her devotion to bamboo, Char was  an early adapter of the strawbale house and rubble trench and has spent many years farming organically and working with high genetic dairy cattle. Here are several videos of Char and her work: www.vimeo.com/4874396, www.vimeo.com/11748218, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Czs3kI8Rk4

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Lina Ogar was inspired to “live in a manner more natural and in accordance with the cycles of nature,” which led her to the Center of Permaculture in Mallin, Argentina in 2007. There, she found natural building as a form of expression and teamwork as the key to her vision’s purpose. Since then Lina has participated with the Department of Natural Building and Appropriate Technology, where her expertise has been the production of natural building materials and work in natural finishing (scratch coat, modeling, natural paints fine plaster). In addition, she actively participates in the Volunteer Program which promotes and coordinates the daily activities of the center with the team and promotes education through living experience. Five years ago, she was part of the creation, facilitation and production of Summer Workshops in Natural Building for CIDEP in different parts of Patagonia and is a member of the group: Bioconstruyendo Patagonia.

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Paulina Avila Rivera is partnering with WASI as a Permaculturist, natural builder and community organizer. She is the Founder and Director of the Appropriate Technology Department of CIDEP (Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo y Enseñanza de Permacultura)–a Permaculture center in Patagonia, Argentina. Paulina is a specialist in bioconstruction with a passion for the finishing details. Since 2005, she has led bioconstruction courses in Argentina, Chile and Brasil, empowering thousands of enthusiastic new builders and other professionals. She initiated a number of cooperatives, innovative community projects, training programs, and policy changes that are setting new trends throughout the Southern Cone of South America. Paulina is also the project and event coordinator for Bioconstruyendo, an annual international gathering that she co-founded in 2007. Paulina organized and hosted WASI’s inaugural training convergence in March 2012.

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Adriana Simic joins WASI as an instructor of the two-week training in Patagonia, Argentina and as a consultant to the community field projects that will happen throughout South America. Adriana specializes in sustainable participatory development and popular education. She has always been connected to living with nature through connecting with plant and animal communities in diverse geographies. She has also worked with trade union camps on educational and recreational activities throughout Argentina. The combination of these experiences and her background in Science Education inform and strengthen her passion for teaching and facilitating groups. She is part of the Black River Middle Level Education Reform in Patagonia where she coordinates workshops for educators and teens. She has also been a coordinator for a rural cooperative middle school, for exchanges between service cooperatives and small regional producers, and for a group of rural women developing productive enterprises and activities. Since 2005, Adriana has been working at CIDEP (Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo y Enseñanza de Permacultura), training Permaculture participants during meetings and workshops and working in the native plant nursery.

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Ilima Smallwood became interested in building by watching her father build houses as a child. It seemed like magic…first nothing…then mounds of dirt, then sticks, then voila…an amazing building. Ilima’s curiosity led her to a career in Architecture, initially studying at the University of Miami and then at Pratt Institute, where she earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 2000. Her training was in both the Beaux Arts tradition and an innovative approach to building design. Ms. Smallwood has 10 years of experience in residential design and hands on construction. Her first carpentry project was with bamboo and she’s been fascinated by it ever since. Through workshops, research, and even volunteering her carpentry skills to build large scale projects with Bamboo DNA, Ilima became increasingly familiar with how to work with bamboo in construction. She is passionate about the use of this incredible grass and it’s sustainable properties. Originally from the Hawaiian islands, Ilima believes whole heartedly that the islands and its people could live completely sustainably were that the goal. This would include developing housing models using locally available earth & bamboo. Ilima hopes to see this way of building become a viable and affordable way to create a future for Hawaii that is truly sustainable.

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Shelley Su (Sukran) Stenzel is a technical specialist in earthen building and the administrator of the collective, VernaculArt. She is from the United States where she began her work with earthen building at a permaculture center in North Carolina. For several years, Shelley Su deepened her knowledge about earthen building and its use in Argentina and Uruguay. In 2008, she co-founded the collective. Vernaculart, which is born from the cultural and social need to attend to and resolve every day sustainable and ecological issues. The team is made up of specialists who manage and apply bioclimatic, earthen, and conventional building. The work is sustainable intervention. It seeks to better the energetic efficiency of homes and buildings using design and appropriate materials. Shelley Su is also a mountaineer who collects clays from all corners of the world to create natural finishes.

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Chloe Wolsey has been building since she was a kid, starting with tree houses with pulley systems and bucket-lifts. She has renovated several homes and worked in a forge with Hot Creations, making multiburner stoves out of recycled VW parts. During 2010, she taught at Cal-Earth, having previously helped build a triple dome in London for a primary school with Small Earth. In 2011, she co-taught a dome workshop in Melbourne with Permastructure. Chloe has also trained in Devon, with Mike Wye and Associates, in lime and cob techniques. With her partner Helen, she has recently founded OzEarth in rural Tasmania, Australia to involve the community in natural building, permaculture, and appropriate technology. OzEarth’s current project is creating a pizza oven, cob benches and preparation areas for the kitchen garden at their local school. Upcoming projects include building enclosures, a native animal orphan centre, and an education building at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. Chloe is also a seasoned teacher, exhibited artist, published author of fiction, passionate gardener and former employee of De Hortus Amsterdam, one of the Northern Hemisphere’s oldest botanical gardens.

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Other KI Instructors

Steveo Brodmerkel is a teacher, consultant, designer, and builder with over 20 years experience in the building trades. After conventionally re-modeling more houses than he cares to count, Steveo discovered the mud, and went on to build one of the most beautiful earthen homes in the United States. Steveo is in awe of the beauty, simplicity and possibilities that lie within earthen construction. He is an enthusiastic teacher, ready to share his discoveries of building. Steveo is based in Asheville, North Carolina.

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Meka Bunch has been teaching with Kleiwerks International since 2003. He has been an avid natural builder since 1997 when he began the creation of a gorgeous cob studio in Wolf Creek, Oregon. Ever since, he has been muddin’ it up, creating public community kiosks, benches, sweat lodges, wood-fired baking ovens and small living spaces. Meka has worked with community groups in Argentina, Brazil, Thailand, Oregon, California and North Carolina. He loves sharing with people who are excited about implementing sustainable practices into their lives.

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Mollie Curry has been teaching with Kleiwerks International since day one. She is founder of Earth Circle Natural Building, and co-founder of MudStrawLove with her partner Steve. Mollie started her career in natural building in 1996, and has been teaching and building throughout the southeastern United States ever since. Mollie teaches cob, plastering, straw bale, straw-clay, earthen paint, earthbag, and carpentry, as well as permaculture.

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Lydia Doleman has years of experience working with various methods of ecological construction. As founder of Flying Hammer, Lydia has helped bring natural construction to Portland, Oregon. She works with Dignity Village, a homeless tent city, demonstrating how to build low-cost, environmentally friendly housing. Lydia led the construction of their first strawbale house with scrap lumber and recycled windows that cost only $500USD. The City of Portland was so excited they officially declared Dignity Village a campground, allowing Lydia, Village residents, and suporters to build more straw & clay housing. Lydia loves working with community members in participatory processes that enable everyone to learn by doing while having a good time and meeting new people. She has been a lead instrucutor at Colorado’s Solar Energy International, and worked with Kleiwerks International in Argentina in 2003.

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Eva Rose Edleson is a builder with over 10 years of experience. She specializes in cob and pallet construction as well as in natural finishes. Eva has trained and worked with the most-respected natural builders in North America, as well as in Argentina. She has combined research and experience into a successful natural building practice called Firespeaking, based out of Eugene, Oregon. Eva was an instrumental founder behind the nationally-recognized City Repair’s annual Village Building Convergence in Portland, Oregon — an example of urban revival through the strengthening of neighborhood communities and the introduction of earthen building in the city landscape.

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Steve Kemble, with his partner, Mollie Curry, co-founded MudStrawLove, a design/build company that specializes in natural building. He is an engineer who has been consulting on, designing, and constructing natural buildings since 1990. When the strawbale revival started, Steve attended the first ever class on the subject, immediately went home and designed his own house, then hosted the second ever strawbale workshop the following year. Steve has produced two landmark videos and a booklet on straw bale construction. Last, but not least, he is an African drummer aficionado, living in Asheville, North Carolina.

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Kevin Rowell has worked with community leaders and organizations in Haiti, Laos, Thailand, Mexico, Costa Rica, and throughout the United States. Kevin is devoted to the study of sustainability in international development with a passion for natural materials and their use in construction. In Haiti, Kevin worked with The World Monument Fund to preserve traditional architecture, and with the United Nations to facilitate over 100 NGO’s, professional groups, and governmental officials to improve the use of local materials in the reconstruction of Haiti. He has cultivated networks of international and Haitian sustainability experts to shape positive community driven redevelopment. Kevin co-founded The Natural Builders, a contracting company does cutting-edge green building and development, as well as large scale international art installations. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Home Energy, the documentary “Dirt,” and at industry conferences and universities. Kevin engages audiences to act on behalf of our planet, while providing powerful ways to work with communities locally and globally to create a more sustainable and peaceful world. Kevin has worked with Kleiwerks International in Thailand, Laos, Haiti and the United States since 2003.

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Carol Stangler is author of The Craft and Art of Bamboo. As an environmental artist she started earnestly working with bamboo in 1991 when she received grants to experiment artistically with bamboo. Since then she has traveled to Japan, built distinctive fences, discovered and developed techniques and has researched sources for tools and materials…all for her love of bamboo. Along with workshops and residencies she also teaches at the School of Art and Design at Georgia State University in Atlanta. She has received numerous grants and honors, including the 1997 Georgia Arts Commission on Women Award for her “Outstanding Contribution to the Visual Arts.” She currently lives and works in her “Bird Tribe Studio” in Asheville, NC, and has been a guest instructor with Kleiwerks International since the early days.

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(USA) 1-Week Timber Framing Workshop

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(USA) 1-Week Wise Water Management Training

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(CANADA) 10-Week Women’s Earthbag Dome Building Apprenticeship

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(USA) 1-Week Natural Building Workshop

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(TURKEY) 1-Week Natural Building Workshop

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(HAWAII) 4-Month Women’s Bamboo & Mud Building Apprenticeship

DATES: September 15th to December 15th, 2012, Mondays thru Fridays
LOCATION: The Island of Molokai, HAWAII, Ocean Front!!!
FEE: $5,000 includes everything. Read more for payment plan options.

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