STAMFORD - On Saturday, May 30, the Roxbury Arts Group will host the revival of its Handcrafted Broom Workshop at the Headwaters Arts Center, inviting participants to spend an afternoon learning a skill that predates electricity, plumbing and most modern conveniences.
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., under the guidance of fiber artist and educator Poliana Danila, attendees will construct a 16-inch broom using traditional techniques rooted in agrarian life. The material — sorghum — is humble, but the process is exacting, requiring both patience and precision. By day’s end, each participant will leave with an object that is at once utilitarian and symbolic.
Brooms, long associated with domestic labor, carry a quieter folklore as well: a belief that they sweep away not only dust, but misfortune. In that sense, the workshop arrives at a fitting moment, positioned between seasons, offering a tactile way to mark transition — from winter’s residue to summer’s promise.
Danila’s approach reflects a life shaped by both tradition and study. Raised in Romania, she grew up watching family members tend gardens, spin wool and work with their hands. She later pursued formal training in landscape design and horticulture, while continuing to study textile arts, plant dyeing and broom making in studios across New York. Her work, grounded in natural materials, emphasizes what she describes as an ongoing dialogue with what plants provide.
Participants will have the option to personalize their brooms, adapting them for decorative, ceremonial or practical use. All materials and tools are supplied.
The workshop is offered on a sliding scale — $40, $60 or $80 — a structure intended to broaden access while sustaining the program. Organizers recommend registering in advance due to limited space.
Registration details available at roxburyartsgroup.org or email headwatersartscenter@roxburyartsgroup.org
