Hojalata: Tin Embossing

Women & Their Work are hosting a tin embossing workshop at the Terrazas Branch Library on Wednesday, September 30, from 6 to 7:45 PM. It's part of their programming for Hispanic Heritage Month, and the whole thing centers on hojalata—the Spanish word for tin.

That's the starting point for the session. The workshop frames the craft as a way to go all the way back to 16th-century Mexico, where hojalata became a distinct folk art. From there, you'll get to make your own embossed tin project. The library provides all the supplies, so you don't need to bring anything but yourself. If you've never worked with metal before, this is a low-stakes way to try it: you're pushing shapes and patterns into the tin rather than cutting or soldering, so it's more about texture and line than heavy machinery.

There's a bit of a first-come, first-served element to the night. The first 20 people who show up get a spot right away, and more open up as the session goes on, so arriving early is the best bet if you want to be sure you're in. It's a hands-on class, not a demonstration, so you'll spend the time actually working on your own piece.

It runs from 6 to 7:45 PM at the Terrazas Branch Library, 1105 E. Cesar Chavez, in East Austin.