Surreal Salvage Specimens Workshop by Cath Whiteoak
Saturday 16th May 2 - 5pm
Surreal Salvage Specimens is a hands-on art workshop where participants transform
discarded, forgotten, and found objects into imagined artifacts, curious specimens, and
surreal relics. Drawing inspiration from surrealism, cabinets of curiosity, and natural history
archives, this workshop invites you to invent new stories for things that no longer belong
anywhere.
What You’ll Do
• Explore a curated collection of salvaged and found objects
• Select objects from the Scrap Space that spark curiosity
• Assemble a unique “specimen” using mixed-media techniques
• Name, label, and classify your creation with an imagined history
• Contribute to a temporary Lost & Found Archive exhibition (Optional)
No art experience required—just curiosity and imagination.
What You’ll Create
Each participant will produce:
• One original surreal specimen (assemblage or mixed media)
• A handwritten classification label
• A short fictional backstory or description
You’ll leave with an artwork and a new way of seeing overlooked things.
Who It’s For
• Artists and non-artists alike
• Curious adults and teens (16 and over)
• Anyone who loves strange objects, storytelling, or hands-on making
Themes Explored
• Loss, recovery, and transformation
• Creating meaning through imagination
• Archives, taxonomy, and invented histories
• Beauty in the discarded and overlooked

