Gina Siepel

Plant-Based Woodworking: Greenwood Chairmaking

October 25 - 30, 2026

Open to All Skill Levels

Furniture, Wood

Overview

In this workshop, students will explore greenwood chairmaking techniques from an ecological and plant-oriented perspective. Each participant will build a classic greenwood post and rung stool with a seat woven of local plants. Students will learn all the necessary techniques, from riving green logs, shaping parts by hand, understanding and crafting wet/dry joinery, and weaving seats. This workshop emphasizes working holistically, connecting woodworking technique to the natural history and ecology of the plants used. Class activities will include a field trip into the forests of the Great Smoky Mountains to visit trees in their natural habitat, alongside readings on forest ecology, dendrology, and greenwood technique.

Course Fee : $852.00

Scholarships & Material Fees

Need help covering workshop costs? Arrowmont offers financial aid opportunities to broaden access to our arts and craft programs. We believe a diverse community enriches the learning experience for all.

Material fees are not included in our national workshop costs, but are included with the cost of our winter short workshops. A material list with estimated costs will be emailed about 30 days before the national workshop begins.

TUITION & FEES

SCHOLARSHIPS

Cost Breakdown

Registration Fee

$50.00

One Week Workshop Tuition

$852.00

Estimated Cost*
*Fees exclude housing and meal plans

$902.00

VIEW HOUSING & MEAL PLAN COSTS

Artist Bio

Gina Siepel

Gina Siepel is an interdisciplinary artist, designer, and woodworker based in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Their artistic practice reflects an engagement with place, history, queer experience, and ecology, integrating conceptual concerns and craftsmanship with a focus on wood as both a natural and a cultural material. Gina incorporates green woodworking techniques and found wood from the forest into sculpture and chairmaking. Their works have been shown nationally at museums and galleries, including the Museum for Art in Wood, the Colby Museum, the DeCordova Museum, and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art. They are currently a MacLeish Field Station Artist-in-Residence at Smith College, and were a 2023 recipient of a Teaching Artist Cohort Grant from the Center for Craft. Gina has taught at institutions including Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.

Artist Website

Explore the Wood Studio

With a dedicated building to all things wood, the John Jordan Wood Building, it should come as no surprise that our wood workshops have developed a bit of a reputation for being the best of the best. A dedicated woodturning studio, machine room, and woodworking studio offer a wide range of equipment and options for students and instructors alike. From woodturning to furniture making, greenwood appliques to carving, the sky is the limit for what our wood workshops can do.

Explore the Wood Studio