More Books - Workshop with Avril Makula

 Last January I participated in a workshop with Avril Makula. It was one of the many options on offer as part of the Summer Brushes Program organised by Grampians Arts.  Somehow I managed to forget to post about the event so it is long overdue and prompted by my enrolment in this coming January’s program.

It was a fabulous and very productive class. Many different book structures were covered, and we were kept very busy. This is a photo taken of my books taken as part of the exhibition of student work.

This is a Figure of Eight Book that is made from artworks cut from paper cups that I collected from my coffee purchased at the Little Red Caboose coffee van. I had enough cups to make it reversible. I gave it to Prue to display in her coffee van

The event is held at Longerenong Agricultural College in Horsham. My favourite spot for taking a break and enjoying my coffee.

Portfolio and Multiples

 I am just back from the Geelong Fibre Forum. It has been a few years since I attended this event, however, as a veteran of these events it felt a bit like ‘coming home’. The class was Portfolio and Multiples, expertly tutored by Avril Makula.  The week long class was devoted to the construction of a portfolio box and the creation of artwork to go inside the box. The idea was that participants would create a A5 box and a multiple of  A5 artworks and then we would all swap so that our portfolio would then contain a collection.

Over the week I managed to make three portfolio boxes of different sizes and two very sturdy lidded boxes.

This was a class that required very accurate measuring and cutting.

The first box with a two ribbon fastening and collage piece on top.

The box opens out and contains multiple flaps to contain or enclose and protect the contents.

The exchange of multiple, one piece from each participant.

Another portfolio box, this one larger and with an inlay on the lid.

Flight Path, my exchange,  I made a multiple of eight, each piece very similar but not identical. The original background collage was A3 which I then tore into eight pieces. A line of red machine stitching was used to indicate the flight path of the bee. 

 For the instructor, a card made with selvedges of book cloth and machine stitch.

No visit to this event is complete for me without checking out the grounds. This event is held at Geelong Grammar and started in the year 2000. I have watched the growth of the Clivea beds around the beautiful old red brick buildings and  they are always in full bloom at this time of the year.

Avril has produced a book with fabulous imagery 

Good advice!  As an avid baker it resonated with me

Avril is also a book binder and had many lovely books and journals on display

Embroidered Flowers

 Recently, I had the opportunity to to do a workshop with Jennie -Maree Tempest a textile artist that specialises in machine embroidered flowers.

The sculptural forms are created in pieces and then assembled. Jenni - maree carefully examines and  pulls apart the real flowers to create lifelike creations,

Lots of sampling to learn the basics

My first attempts. Daisy, Flannel Flower, Lavender and a Calistemon or Bottle Brush flower. 

A great workshop and I will be making more of these flowers.

Abstract Mixed Media on Synthetic Paper

Just over a week ago I returned home from Summer Brushes, a week long artist retreat held at Longerenong Agricultural College near Horsham in northern Victoria. My class, Abstract Mixed Media on Synthetic Paper was taken by Gaye Nieiwenhof. Gaye is an exceptional tutor and I knew that if I signed up her class it would great. I was not disappointed. This was a fantastic event, there is something really special when you have some one hundred and fifty participants living together on site and undertaking an intensive program spread across fifteen classes. The grounds around the buildings were beautifully landscaped and shaded by big trees.

Despite some initial misgivings about heading to Horsham in the middle of an  hot Australian summer I was so pleased with the event. Great accomodation and food, air conditioned rooms and a fantastic class. 

We spent the week experimenting with selection of the synthetic papers, watercolours, inks, pens, pastels, paints and any mark making materials that we had. This is a taste of some of the papers that I made, we were encouraged to experiment with many different techniques and materials and often times to try colours that we might not usually work with.

 

As is often the case I tend to turn my sample pieces into books. A simple concertina fold book is a perfect way to showcase the work

Sometimes I convert the papers into simple vessels

The evolution of a sheet of paper with layering

Layers can be added and removed. The sheet was then cut up and made into smaller pieces which were made into a book.

The Last Hurrah - Votives

 A few weeks ago I went to the last workshop to be held by Fibre Arts Australia in Ballarat. I have been going to these workshops for many years and have enjoyed them so much. It was full of fun and joy as participants came together to celebrate the end of an era. 

The Banksia Tree, my first project, made with Banksia cones, a rock, rusted wire and some blackbirds cut out ply from a box of offcuts.

The workshop that I attended was Votives with Gordon Bain. We were encouraged to make figurative works and to use recycled material where possible. This piece was a tree made with little crucibles that were thrown away by a school. Each piece was inserted into a hole that was drilled into an old stick. The figure was made with off cuts of ply and painted.

Some more ply figures made with off cuts 

Birds are a favourite subject matter and often appear in my work

It is a tradition of the event for the class to make an artwork for auction on the the final evening. The class project was a vase of flowers made with simple flowers shapes cut from scrap ply, painted and mounted onto springy wire and inserted into the repurposed piece of fence post. Each person made three flowers for the vase.

More ply fun, a vase shaped wall piece with flowers

Participants who had attended ten or more events were encouraged to bring the first thing and the last 

My first class was in 2011, Steampunk Fashion with Kerri Toose. I made several garments, this pinafore was made with recycled men’s suit jackets and incorporated a draped skirt made with Ponti jersey. The book was made in April 2024 in a class with Seth Apter. The white sculpture was made in a class with Jade Peglar in 2012.  

I swapped the tunic for this machine embroidery. 

This was a gift from Glenys Mann, the powerhouse behind Fibre Arts Australia. Whilst it is disappointing that these events have come to an end it is important to celebrate what was and look to the future as Fibre Arts Australia takes a different format and direction.