Junk Assemblage with Lori Siebert, a July 2025 art retreat at The Smiley Manse in Southern Vermont

Junk Assemblage with Lori Siebert

DATES: July 7-11, 2025

Lori Siebert LOVES a good junk or antique store visit, and even more, turning the used and well loved into something new and magical! Her junk bird class is a TRUE FAVORITE, and this week artists brought their own treasures and learned how she curates and creates using her assemblage techniques.

Artists of all levels followed Lori’s process of upcycling materials into new masterpieces, and she shared how she gathers inspiration from all kinds of new and used materials and works them into her art.

The week kicked off with a welcome, then a day of hunting, gathering and curating treasures to work with. From there, artists moved into sculpting and making, bringing their junk birds and other creations to life in the barn studio.

Assembling and finishing filled the next day, and the retreat wrapped up with everyone sharing their work and saying farewell. It was a week at The Smiley full of happy finds, clever making and plenty of laughs.

Watch the video on Instagram: highlights from Lori Siebert’s Junk Assemblage retreat at The Smiley Manse in Southern Vermont
Lori Siebert talking with two artists beside a flower-shaped assemblage of painted shapes and found objects on the table
Junk assemblage bird made from a vintage tin box with green wings and feather tail hung on a whitewashed barn wall

Junk Assemblage Retreat Schedule

MON, JUL 7: Welcome

TUES, JUL 8: Hunting, Gathering and Curating

WEDS, JUL 9: Sculpting and Making


THURS, JUL 10: Assembling and Finishing

FRI, JUL 11: Sharing Work & Farewell

Smiling artist holding up her small assemblage beside a worktable of finished pieces in the barn studio
Artists sitting together on the sunny lawn with green trees and a grape arbor beyond
A tan rabbit sitting on the porch dining table while Lori Siebert looks on
Hand-painted What Fun card with a colorful bird beside a bowl of oranges and apples and a yellow sunflower
Smiling artists gathered around a table on the porch wearing handmade assemblage name tags
Carved wooden cabinet assemblage with a bird inside on a barn studio worktable among ferns and art supplies
Artists gathered in chairs on the covered deck under string lights on a summer evening
Pink and pale yarrow flowers in bloom with a hoverfly against gray stones
Group selfie of laughing artists gathered in the dining room at night
Bunny sculpture covered in vintage paper with a flower collar on a mossy pedestal, set on weathered porch boards

“The space is welcoming and so very conducive to making, imagining, wonder, joy and connection that you will live every minute of your time there and will not want to leave! The food is wonderful and is presented beautifully and is so delicious! Highly recommend, 10/10, would definitely tell all my friends, would definitely go again!”

— Yvette
Smiley Retreat Artist