Natural Building
Design, Build & Educational Services

Mission

Muddy Hands is a platform facilitating design, build and educational services specializing in natural and sustainable building practices. Services are provided in collaboration with experienced designers, builders and teachers; all whom are integral parts of a community that networks to seek sustainable solutions for our built environments that contribute to the industry of natural building.

Muddy Hands is a resource for natural building education and houses a directory of Northern California and Southern Oregon builders currently offering services. Services include: design & construction drawings, county-ready construction drawings, consultations, connections to experienced building teams, specialized plastering and wall finishes, specialty earthen floors. We also offer educational opportunities for the community to get involved with construction through intern programs, workshops, work parties, and other educational resources to help clients achieve their dream of creating more naturally built structures.

This website offers a directory of natural builders providing services in the Northern California and Southern Oregon regions of the U.S. Each builder has their own unique set of skills and services that they are currently offering. Muddy Hands connects clients with available builders that will provide specific services for each individual project’s needs. This directory is a team that has worked independently but also collectively on various projects over the years. The goal of Muddy Hands is to create collaborations between builders to help clients on their way to creating their natural structures.

"The world will not evolve past its current state of crisis by using the same thinking that created the situation." - Albert Einstein

History

Amanda Fischer is the founder and organizer of Muddy Hands and project manager and architectural designer for Healthy Home Artisans Inc. She is a designer, teacher, builder, project manager, adventurer, traveler and avid learner! Amanda has been designing, building and teaching conscious and sustainable structures for over 8 years. Prior to this, she attended university and holds a Masters of Architecture with a focus on Interior Architecture & Design and a minor in Business. She taught as an Instructor in universities on the east coast prior to moving to Northern California where she obtained a certification as a Sustainable Building Advisor in San Francisco. This certification guides her in promoting sustainability through all stages of our built environments. It also guided her to passionately dive into the Natural Building industry which she has been specifically focused on for the last years. Upon diving into the natural building realm, she has had the pleasure of learning from and co-instructing with Michael Smith author of the Hand Sculpted House. She volunteered her time learning as much as she could during the beginning stages of her journey and has ambitiously embarked on teaching and building with these amazing natural building techniques. Amanda has worked on structures throughout Northern California and Thailand; teaching these skills to all enthusiasts that come her way.

Amanda’s passion focuses on the art of empowerment through the use of natural and renewable materials to create spaces. As an ever evolving teacher, builder and designer Amanda focuses on creating built environments that inspire deeper relationships with the land, habitat and home by utilizing natural and locally sourced materials to create spirit filled spaces! Education and community are extremely important to her; she continues to teach workshops in California and beyond spreading the love and knowledge that reconnects us and home.

Amanda is currently building and teaching in Nevada County, California.