Paverpol is a fairly new type of artwork originally from Holland that has gained a great deal of popularity worldwide.
The Estevan Arts Council held a paverpol workshop on Saturday. Loretta Metzger was the teacher who was invited by the arts council to come to Estevan and teach paverpol to participants.
“I have come down here hoping someone gets excited about it and maybe even becomes a paverpol instructor for the Estevan area,” said Metzger. “It was with the arts council that helped me to come here and they found me a room and did the registration for me, and I am very grateful for their efforts.”
Paverpol art allows people to make sculptures with natural textiles such as cotton and based cloth. When the sculpture dries, it becomes hard enough that it can have such uses as a lawn ornament.
Metzger said that when she goes to art shows a lot of people come by her table and pick and examine her art because it looks very similar to painted tin.
Since her retirement as a teacher, Metzger has gotten involved with paverpol.
“I started with art in 2010, and back then, I started doing some pieces with a teacher from Red Deer, and after that I became an instructor in 2012 and recently in 2016 I then moved to being a distributor,” said Metzger.
Metzger wanted to come to Estevan because there is a large art community here and she wanted to show people how to create paverpol sculptures.
“The people that came out today are working on an introductory piece that isn’t very high skill,” said Metzger.
All the participants that came out to the class were very happy to attend the event and enjoyed it.
Marleen Vicary said it was her first time being exposed to paverpol, and if Metzger ever were to come back to Estevan, she would like to be a part of her class again.
“The art I created today can go outside but I am going to put it in my living room and make another one,” said Vicary.
The art sculptures that were being made in class started as a tightly wrapped tin foil that later had cloth affixed to them. Tape was used to hold the compressed foil in place and when the cloth dried, it created a hard exoskeleton that held everything together.
Metzger said she is passionate about her work, and she is happy art allows her to continue to teach.
“The value I think this art class and paverpol bring to the community is it’s new to them. I find women like generally doing these art classes,” she said.
