Do I need prior art experience?

No—this workshop is designed for beginners and experienced makers alike. Instruction covers basic collage techniques.

Where is the meeting point?

The meeting point is 4013 Douglas Rd. Miami, FL 33133—check your booking confirmation for arrival time.

Are materials provided?

Yes. All paper, adhesives, and basic tools are supplied so you can travel light.

Can I bring my child?

This session is for adults; there are separate kid-friendly Creative Expression Session dates listed for younger participants.

How many people are in a class?

Group size is up to 20, keeping instruction personal while allowing group interaction.

Use the provided referral link to view availability and reserve a spot for the scheduled class.

Garden-Inspired Paper Collage Workshop with Alejandra Bunster in Miami | Workshop

On a warm morning at 4013 Douglas Rd. in Miami, Handmade Paper Collage invites visitors into a garden-centered workshop led by artist Alejandra Bunster. This two-hour session walks adults through collecting visual inspiration among tropical plantings—palm fronds, bromeliads, and bright bougainvillea—before translating found shapes into layered paper compositions. No prior experience is needed; Bunster supplies materials and step-by-step instruction, guiding makers through cutting, tearing, arranging, and adhering papers into a finished collage that reflects South Florida’s subtropical light and textures. The setting is part studio, part cultivated green space: shaded paths, potted specimen plants, and quiet corners that encourage slow looking. Key features include the garden beds and shady canopy that provide motifs and loose sketches—leaves, seedpods, and the rhythmic repetition of fronds—that become the building blocks of each piece. This is an intimate creative encounter that ties a tactile craft to a specific place; the workshop feels like an afternoon distillation of Miami’s plant life and low-rise urban neighborhoods rather than a generic classroom. What sets this offering apart is the combination of a practicing artist’s eye and an on-site natural palette. Participants don’t only learn collage technique; they learn how to translate color and edge from living specimens into paper, creating compositions that read like small studies of Florida flora. The group size (up to 20) keeps instruction personal while encouraging exchange among neighbors and visitors. Materials are included, so you can travel light—arrive with curiosity rather than a bag of tools. Practical details matter: the meeting point is 4013 Douglas Rd. Miami, FL 33133, and the class runs two hours. The pace is deliberate but accessible for beginners; the experience suits an evening neighborhood outing or a midday break between Miami visits. For families, check the kid-friendly Creative Expression Session offered on scheduled dates. Why book this now? It’s a low-impact, high-return way to engage with Miami’s outdoor culture without needing hiking gear or tickets to a gallery. Instead, you translate sunlight and leaf shadows into a handmade object you can take home. For travelers seeking a portable memory of place—something you made that was directly inspired by where you stood—this workshop is an efficient and rewarding stop on a Florida itinerary. Beyond the class itself, the workshop is a small node in Miami’s growing culture of hands-on creativity and outdoor learning. It provides a moment of low-tech concentration that complements time spent at nearby parks, museum districts, or waterfront promenades. Whether you’re a local looking for a creative ritual or a visitor carving out a unique half-day, you leave with more than a souvenir: you gain a practiced eye for pattern, color, and composition shaped by South Florida’s vegetation. Booking is simple via the provided link.

About The Kampong - National Tropical Botanical Gardens

The Kampong — part of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens — is a historic tropical garden located in Miami, Florida on the shores of Biscayne Bay. The site preserves the Fairchild-Sweeney House and showcases the legacy of plant explorer David Fairchild through extensive exotic fruit trees, rare tropical species, and curated collections. Visitors can choose docent-led guided tours that highlight the estate’s history and plant collections, or self-guided tours that allow leisurely exploration with a provided map.

The Kampong hosts a rotating schedule of hands-on workshops and classes set in the garden landscape. Offerings include cyanotype printing for fabric, community indigo dip workshops teaching Shibori resist dyeing, edible gardening programming presented with UF/IFAS (recommended for ages 12 and up), watercolor courses led by local artist Eileen Seitz, and all-levels yoga with Sam Reynolds. Forest bathing sessions guided by neuroscientist Karina Del Punta focus on sensory practices grounded in science; evening Moonrise Forest Bathing is offered under the full moon.

Several specialty experiences such as macrophotography, ikebana, functional movement, and seasonal events invite creative engagement with plants and place. Cyanotype workshops note limited spaces to encourage advance booking. The Kampong combines plant conservation, education, and cultural programming on a historic estate, offering both structured interpretation and independent discovery for visitors interested in botany, art, sustainability, and Miami’s tropical landscape.

Public programs emphasize hands-on learning, conservation-minded practices, seasonal plant highlights, and the site supports research, education, and community engagement for residents and visitors from Miami and beyond, with year-round programming and volunteer opportunities available.