Paper Toys Lab with Lucila Biscione
October 2 - 4, 2026
Black Cat Farm | Boulder, Colorado
15 Students
No Experience Necessary
The heart of this retreat is the infinite possibilities of paper – letting ourselves be guided by play and intuition, exploring all that can unfold.
Discover what it means to work in a paper laboratory, an experimental space where sheets of paper are transformed into sculptural objects and playful paper toys. Through folding, paper-mâché and casting, waxing, and 3D mold-making, you will explore the endless potential of working by hand with paper.
Taking inspiration from existing objects and forms, we’ll observe, reinterpret and reimagine our surroundings, translating familiar shapes into new paper creations. Together, we will experiment with layering, modeling and constructing pieces that can be assembled, stacked and transformed into imaginative toys and sculptures. This is a space for the reconnection with our inner child, the trust in our intuition and the letting our curiosity take the lead. Paper becomes both the material and the playground: flexible, resilient and full of surprises.
This retreat welcomes participants of all experience levels, from those who are completely new to working in three dimensions to those seeking fresh inspiration for their practice. Through guided exercises and open exploration, we’ll discover how paper can move beyond the page to take on form, volume and interactivity.
Along the way, we’ll build a shared paper laboratory — a place to test ideas, combine techniques. and reconsider the potential of paper. You will leave not only with a collection of unique paper objects and toys, but also with practical tools and ideas to continue experimenting at home and creating your own paper laboratory wherever you are.
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Learning the art of paper casting: papier-mâché, foam, and 3D molding using objects
Coloring paper pulp with natural pigments (coffee, yerba mate, turmeric)
Exploring all kinds of paper folding techniques
Using waxing and encaustic methods for paper transformation
Fresh farm-to-table organic meals
Handcrafted tea blends each day
The energy of growth and renewal of being on a working farm
Gentle body movement session
About the Artist | Lucila Biscione
Lucila Biscione is an Argentine paper artist based in Berlin. Specialised in collage and papercut, she studied Drawing, Painting and Graphic Design at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. Rooted in drawing and detailed cut paper, her work has expanded into broader explorations of volume, movement and imagination, incorporating paper casting, folding and 3D modeling. Through these investigations, she pushes paper beyond its traditional role as a flat surface, transforming it into sculptural forms and expressive structures.
For over a decade, she has led workshop in Europe and the Americas, creating supportive spaces where participants can reconnect with playfulness, curiosity and hands-on exploration.
About the Venue: Black Cat Organic Farm
Black Cat Farm ~ a place where all are welcome and the seeds of hope surround you. Nestled among the rolling fields just outside Boulder, Colorado, this rustic working farm is home to our Black Cat Makerie retreats. Tucked away from the rush of the world, time stands still. The beauty here isn’t curated, but rather defined by the ever-changing seasons and the pulse of growth and possibility at every turn. No matter where you are coming from or which season of life you find yourself in, you’ll feel the embrace of something so grounding and deeply authentic you might not ever forget it.
Using Black Cat’s Certified Organic farm as a source of creativity, Chef Eric Skokan creates an award-winning cuisine vibrant with seasonality. The kitchen draws heavily from the farm’s more than 250 varieties of organic vegetables, legumes, grains, herbs and flowers, as well as its large flock of heritage sheep and its robust population of heritage pigs, paving the way for a limitless palette of flavors, colors, and textures from which to build each food experience. The farm team devotes hours every day to harvesting ingredients, and then crafting them into outstanding dishes that mirror what is thriving in the fields. We can’t wait for you to experience it all for yourself!
Retreat Schedule
Friday, October 2nd
8:30am to 4pm Workshop, Snacks and Lunch
4pm to 8pm Open Studio
Saturday, October 3rd
9am to 4pm Workshop, Snacks and Lunch
4pm to 6:15pm Open Studio
6:15 pm to 9pm *Optional Black Cat Farmstead Dinner
Sunday, October 4th
9am to 3:30pm Workshop, Snacks and Lunch
3:30pm to 8pm Open Studio
Retreat Experience Pricing
$2,295
includes
3 full creative workshop days
(18 hours of instruction)
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open studio time
(10 hours)
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all workshop materials
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handcrafted herbal tea
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three morning snacks
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three farm-to-table lunches
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three afternoon snacks
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online class page with all the details and inspiration about this retreat
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special gift
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* optional Black Cat Farmstead dinner + $200
Questions? See our FAQs. We’re happy to work with you on a custom payment plan; email ali@themakerie.com.