MOON DO BANG
IN AUSTRALIA
COOROY BUTTER FACTORY ARTS CENTRE, QUEENSLAND
14 / 15 / 16 JULY
Bookings open NOW
|
MOON DO BANG
Intensive Masterclass 14, 15 and 16 July (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) SIX HOURS PER DAY 10am - 1pm LUNCH BREAK 2pm - 5pm $1650 BOOK HERE An unprecedented encounter and masterclass experience with acclaimed Korean ceramics master Moon Do Bang at the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. This is a practical, hands-on three-day intensive masterclass. Students will be working six hours per day, with the focus on large-scale cylinder making, guided directly by the master. Participants will learn throwing techniques and how to prepare the clay for the best results. Demonstrations will be given throughout the event, including hump throwing, wide bowl making, moon jar making and foot trimming. Limited places available for the most beneficial and personal student experience possible. A Korean interpreter will translate into English for the master and facilitate a wonderful flow of communication between teacher and students. LEVEL This masterclass event is suited to intermediate to advanced wheel throwers who understand the complexity and demands of porcelaineous clay. Participants should ideally be able to centre three kilos of clay. Please bring your own tools. @moondobang |
INCLUDED
Refreshments available throughout the day Light vegetarian lunch provided Clay provided (PB103) Firing of your two favourite pieces included We'll be in touch nearer the time so please keep your eye on your email or junk mail folder. Please note our terms and conditions at the end of 2025 event listings, thank you. Before booking please read terms and conditions below, under these event listings After booking please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications |
|
Light and Shade: Make a Lampshade
with Susy Blake DATE: Friday 16 May TIME: 10am – 1pm COST: $185 or $180 members BOOK HERE Light up your home and make a statement! Lamps create ambience and warmth, making a room cosy and inviting. They increase both the aesthetic and functionality of a space, with energy efficiency thrown in for good measure (no burning banks of overhead lights). Join us in the spacious surroundings of our Butterbox Gallery for a creative morning making your own lampshade. You’ll have an abundance of gorgeous fabric designs to choose from, either designed by lampshade-maker Susy Blake or licensed to her, so you are unlikely to see these designs elsewhere! Includes Australian, tropical, coastal and floral themes. Calm neutrals and vibrant colours means choosing your fabric will be the hardest part of the day - they are all beautiful (a small selection in the photo). Pay Susy on the day for your fabric - it will be approximately $25 for your lampshade (the actual fabric costs $120 per metre). Everything else included, with morning tea provided. There are two lampshade sizes to choose from, in the ever-popular drum shape which fits in with both modern and traditional décor. Sizes are 25cm/30cm diameter and 20/30 cm tall, or 35cm/40cm diameter at 20/30cm tall. Once you’ve selected your design, Susy will cut the fabric to order while you enjoy a cuppa, then it’s over to you with Susy’s step by step guidance. This is a small group experience of just six, so you have maximum attention and guidance. |
Please note this workshop is on a FRIDAY. All the information you need is provided on this page. Before booking please read terms and conditions below, under these event listings After booking please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Totem Magic
with Maria Brown DATES: Saturday 17 May and 31 May (two parts) TIME: 10am - 3pm both days COST: $320 or $315 for members BOOK HERE Back by popular demand! Design and build a large, beautiful ceramic totem during this two-part workshop, creating significant objects and symbols that are meaningful to you. Be inspired by nature: trees, leaves, animals, birds, seedpods, flowers, and oceanic forms such as shells, sea life. Completed ceramic pieces will be assembled on a steel rod supported by a sturdy timber base. The finished approximate height of the totem is 1 metre. Before the workshop: PLAN The first day is fast-paced, so drawing your ideas on paper before the workshop is highly encouraged and will make a big difference to your progress during the day. Aim for a harmonious and balanced effect. Design bold, larger pieces and make some smaller pieces to separate. Less is often more. Part one: Saturday 17 May: MAKE Use slab, coil, pinch, and moulding techniques to create a variety of sculptural components. Students are encouraged to develop rich, organic, textural forms. Part two: Saturday 31 May: PAINT AND ASSEMBLE Paint your bisque-fired pieces with a variety of waterproof paints and beautiful patinas, including verdigris, rust, bronze. Use brush techniques to enhance the textural qualities of the components. Understated, rich, earthy neutrals counterbalanced with dark tones and soft colours are always very successful. Skill level Everyone welcome. This is a great chance for new students to go on an adventure and learn the fundamentals of hand building with clay. More advanced potters can use their experience to create more complex components. Materials All materials, tools, equipment and firing included. Bring along your own clay tools if you have them! All the information you need for this beautiful workshop is here on this page. |
Morning tea provided. Please BYO lunch and take time out when you need it as there isn’t a formal break.
Maria Brown After a busy career as an art teacher in both primary and secondary schools in SE Queensland Maria now focuses on her own ceramic arts practice and conducts small-group workshops for all levels of ability. Maria’s experience as a teacher means she is able to provide a highly supportive, structured, encouraging and engaging group environment. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Build Your Own Kiln
with Frank Wright DATE: Saturday 24 May TIME: 9am – 2pm COST: $190 and BFF Members $185 BOOK HERE Learn how to build a kiln for your own backyard firings! This is an exclusive small group experience for maximum learning and enjoyment. Numbers are strictly limited to six. Off-campus event held at Kay Wright’s Lake Weyba studio. Address provided after booking. Attention all lovers of raku, naked raku and saggar fired wares! If you’re fascinated by the beautiful effects of atmospheric firing and want to know how to build a kiln to rapid fire treasures in your own backyard, here’s your chance to get all the information you need during an actual kiln construction. Experienced kiln-builder Frank Wright and passionate saggar-firer Kay Wright are your hosts for this instructional, collaborative build and have a wealth of information and expertise to impart on the building and firing processes. You’ll be taking part in the construction for some hands-on learning and will therefore experience in real time all the steps needed to build a kiln from start to finish, using materials easily obtained locally. Film any part of the demo and ask as many questions as you like. In addition, you’ll be provided with full written instructions to take home. Frank will also detail how to source the best type of burner – literally, a plug in and play burner with no need for a licensed fitter. This is the start of your raku and saggar firing adventures! |
EXCITING BONUS TO THE DAY:
Names in a hat! The completed kiln will be available to purchase at the cost price of materials to one lucky person. Morning tea provided. BYO lunch. Important: keep an eye on your email and junk mail for follow-up student information, which includes Frank and Kay’s address and what you need to wear for safety. Before booking, please carefully read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Cardamom and Rush Vessel
Julia Kitto DATE: Sunday 25 May TIME: 10am – 3pm COST: $150 or $145 members BOOK HERE Fibre weaving with foraged materials Enjoy a day of contemporary weaving using traditional techniques with fibre artist Julia Kitto. Julia goes on foraging missions for all the materials she weaves with, so your fibres have been hand-gathered by the artist especially for this workshop. Make a unique, strong, attractive and useful woven vessel, using sweetly scented cardamom stems and freshwater rushes, creating your one-of-a-kind artwork using the oldest of all weaving methods, twining. These fibres are a delight to weave with, both being soft on your hands yet durable and sturdy. The natural hues create soft, subtle changes of gentle variation throughout the weaving. Make either a water bottle carrier or garlic keeper, or enjoy the vessel as a work of art in your home, made by your own hands. Julia will discuss alternative natural fibres and techniques, and go into important details about finding locally-sources fibres including local harvesting, drying and processing techniques. This means you can find and produce your own fibres and continue weaving with Mother Nature’s abundant and beautiful materials. Level: beginners to experienced weavers welcome. All materials and fibres supplied. No need to bring anything except a notebook and pen. Morning tea included. |
Julia Kitto Julia's woven works are created from locally sourced plant life such as lomandra, philodendron, cordyline, palms, cats’ claw, jacaranda, agapanthus, lilies, banana and flax, to name but a few, with plant life also the source of natural dyes. By the very nature of the material, Julia believes weaving connects us to our environment and to countless generations of culture, practice and tradition, whatever our global origins. Before booking, please carefully read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss potential notifications. |
|
Winter Saggar Firing for Six A Weekend with Kay Wright DATE: 7 and 8 June (two-part workshop) TIME: 9.00am – 12.00 noon both days COST: $195 and $190 for members BOOK HERE This is an off-campus event at Kay’s home studio in beautiful Weyba Downs. An exclusive small group firing, capped at six, for a truly warm and inviting experience. A small group is definitely a great way to learn! Come along and enjoy personal tuition from Kay and learn all the secrets for saggar success from someone who loves to share her knowledge. This is always a surprising process - you can expect the unexpected! A variety of organic materials in combination with atmospheric effects inside the kiln create unique, impossible-to-repeat results, each piece a truly individual statement. We’ve divided the workshop into two parts for two relaxed, streamlined mornings. Day 1: wrap materials, create your saggar, fire up the kiln, and load. Day 2: open up the kiln, remove wares, discuss and debrief. Kay always adds in a little something extra to cap the morning off, which may include feathers and horse-hair - so look forward to something lovely! An intermediate level is required for this workshop. The reason: the making and preparation of pots is your own responsibility, including terra sigillata application (provided) and organising your own bisque firing before the workshop. Please carefully factor in the time needed for each stage. IMPORTANT: after booking you’ll be emailed a student information pack (sent within two weeks of booking). Please check your junk email folder! The information pack contains all the essential details you need re:
|
PHOTO: student example from a previous workshop
Morning tea provided. Kay Wright Kay formed an instant connection to the saggar firing process during her Diploma in Visual Art. Fascinated by its serendipitous nature and unpredictable results, she set off on her own single-minded exploration. Kay uses techniques to emulate natural elements and effects in her ceramic pieces. A regular exhibitor and finalist in numerous art awards, Kay works from her home studio, firing in kilns she built herself. Her saggar vessels can be found in private collections overseas, as well as Australia. Before booking, please carefully read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Winter Raku Firing Day
with Carol Watkins DATE: Saturday 21 June TIME: 8.30am - 1.30pm (please note early start) COST: $145 or $140 members BOOK HERE Join Carol Watkins in her hinterland studio for an exciting alternative firing experience. Raku is a rapid method of firing pottery outdoors that involves all the elements: earth, fire, air and water. Open surroundings, the drama of flame, red hot wares, smoke and water make for a truly visceral experience. The interaction of combustible materials and hot glaze during the smoking phase, in concert with thermal shock means that a simple piece can be transformed into a thing of uncommon beauty. Expect the unexpected! Outcomes are unpredictable, diverse and highly individual. This is a small group experience, capped at eight. Please follow the instructions below for a beneficial communal outcome. Only use RAKU CLAY to make your pots. In a communal firing we need to follow this instruction to prevent wares shattering, which could ruin other people’s work. Carol recommends KEANE’S WHITE RAKU, as you will experience a better colour response on white clay. STUDENT TO-DO LIST BEFORE THE DAY:
We recommend you make your own wares, but Carol will have a limited number of pots available at $10.00 each on the day. Glazes included in workshop fee. IMPORTANT After booking, please keep an eye on your email or junk mail folder as student information will be sent out to you approximately one week after booking. This includes Carol’s studio address, which is about 10 minutes from the Butter Factory. |
Photo: some student results from Carol's event in 2024
Please note early start! Morning tea included. Please BYO lunch. Address provided after registering. Carol Watkins Carol has been making pots for 16 years and specialises in alternative and atmospheric firing, including raku, naked raku and saggar. She is drawn to its quick, exciting and unpredictable process, which can give rise to spectacular results. Before booking please read terms and conditions below, under these event listings After booking please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Hinterland Raku Firing Day
with Carol Watkins DATE: Saturday 26 July TIME: 8.30am - 1.30pm (please note early start) COST: $145 or $140 members BOOK HERE Back by popular demand! For those who missed out, join Carol Watkins in her hinterland studio for this second opportunity for an exciting alternative firing experience. Raku is a rapid method of firing pottery outdoors that involves all the elements: earth, fire, air and water. Open surroundings, the drama of flame, red hot wares, smoke and water make for a truly visceral experience. The interaction of combustible materials and hot glaze during the smoking phase, in concert with thermal shock means that a simple piece can be transformed into a thing of uncommon beauty. Expect the unexpected! Outcomes are unpredictable, diverse and highly individual. This is a small group experience, capped at eight. Please follow the instructions below for a beneficial communal outcome. Only use RAKU CLAY to make your pots. In a communal firing we need to follow this instruction to prevent wares shattering, which could ruin other people’s work. Carol recommends KEANE’S WHITE RAKU, as you will experience a better colour response on white clay. STUDENT TO-DO LIST BEFORE THE DAY:
We recommend you make your own wares, but for those who are newer to ceramics, Carol will have a limited number of pots available at $10.00 each on the day. Glazes included in workshop fee. IMPORTANT After booking, please keep an eye on your email or junk mail folder as student information will be sent out to you approximately one week after booking. This includes Carol’s studio address, which is about 10 minutes from the Butter Factory. |
Photo: just a few student examples from a previous firing with Carol
Please note early start! Morning tea included. Please BYO lunch. Carol Watkins Carol has been making pots for 16 years and specialises in alternative and atmospheric firing, including raku, naked raku and saggar. She is drawn to its quick, exciting and unpredictable process, which can give rise to spectacular results. Before booking please read terms and conditions below, under these event listings After booking please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
BFAC MASTERCLASS AND WORKSHOP PROGRAM TERMS AND CONDITIONS
REFUND POLICY
A full refund can be provided when written notification is received at least fourteen days before the workshop start date and time. This allows us time to readvertise your space as we need full numbers to make workshops viable. Refunds are not provided for cancellations received after this time, for non-attendance, or for part-attendance (applies to a two or three-part workshop/course). We cannot offer a credit towards future workshops.
To cancel (must be 14 days minimum before the workshop date) click the CONTACT EVENT ORGANISER button on the bottom left of the booking page for your event, or email [email protected]. The BFAC masterclass and workshop program coordinator is the event organiser. Please do not ring the office as gallery staff are not the event organisers.
CORRESPONDENCE
Click the CONTACT EVENT ORGANISER button on the bottom left of booking page, or email [email protected]. The BFAC masterclass and workshop program coordinator is the event organiser. Please do not ring the office as gallery staff are not the event organisers.
CANCELLATION OF AN EVENT DUE TO NOT REACHING CLASS NUMBERS
This is an unusual occurrence, but does occasionally happen. If we don't reach the minimum number of bookings required to go ahead, we will notify you within seven days of the workshop date and issue a refund.
WEATHER
1. On site at the Butter Factory
We work in an undercover outdoor area, well-protected from the weather. However, when driving here is a safety issue, we may need to cancel. We will do our best to advise you by email before the start-time, but this may not always be possible due to power failures./internet reception/staff being stranded. Please check your email and junk mail for notices before leaving home. Refunds issued in full.
2. Working off-campus or outdoors
Being Queensland, cancellations for off-campus or outdoor workshops may be necessary at very short notice ie: the morning of the event. We will do our best to advise you by email before the start-time, but this may not always be possible due to power failures./internet reception/staff being stranded. Please check your email and junk mail for notices before leaving home. Refunds issued in full.
FAQ
What do I need to bring?
The information on the website includes all the information you need. NB If more extensive info needs to be emailed to you, this will always be made very clear in the event information. The event info will ask you to keep an eye on your email and junk mail so you don't miss these notifications.
REFUND POLICY
A full refund can be provided when written notification is received at least fourteen days before the workshop start date and time. This allows us time to readvertise your space as we need full numbers to make workshops viable. Refunds are not provided for cancellations received after this time, for non-attendance, or for part-attendance (applies to a two or three-part workshop/course). We cannot offer a credit towards future workshops.
To cancel (must be 14 days minimum before the workshop date) click the CONTACT EVENT ORGANISER button on the bottom left of the booking page for your event, or email [email protected]. The BFAC masterclass and workshop program coordinator is the event organiser. Please do not ring the office as gallery staff are not the event organisers.
CORRESPONDENCE
Click the CONTACT EVENT ORGANISER button on the bottom left of booking page, or email [email protected]. The BFAC masterclass and workshop program coordinator is the event organiser. Please do not ring the office as gallery staff are not the event organisers.
CANCELLATION OF AN EVENT DUE TO NOT REACHING CLASS NUMBERS
This is an unusual occurrence, but does occasionally happen. If we don't reach the minimum number of bookings required to go ahead, we will notify you within seven days of the workshop date and issue a refund.
WEATHER
1. On site at the Butter Factory
We work in an undercover outdoor area, well-protected from the weather. However, when driving here is a safety issue, we may need to cancel. We will do our best to advise you by email before the start-time, but this may not always be possible due to power failures./internet reception/staff being stranded. Please check your email and junk mail for notices before leaving home. Refunds issued in full.
2. Working off-campus or outdoors
Being Queensland, cancellations for off-campus or outdoor workshops may be necessary at very short notice ie: the morning of the event. We will do our best to advise you by email before the start-time, but this may not always be possible due to power failures./internet reception/staff being stranded. Please check your email and junk mail for notices before leaving home. Refunds issued in full.
FAQ
What do I need to bring?
The information on the website includes all the information you need. NB If more extensive info needs to be emailed to you, this will always be made very clear in the event information. The event info will ask you to keep an eye on your email and junk mail so you don't miss these notifications.
PREVIOUSLY
|
Saggar Firing for Six: a Weekend with Kay Wright
DATE: 12 and 13 April (two-part workshop) TIME: 9.00am – 12.00 noon both days COST: $195 and $190 for members This is an off-campus event at Kay’s home studio in beautiful Weyba Downs. Beginners welcome! An exclusive small group firing, capped at six, for a truly warm and inviting experience. A small group is a great way to learn! Come along and enjoy personal tuition from Kay and learn all the secrets for saggar success from someone who loves to share her knowledge. This is always a surprising process - expect the unexpected. A variety of organic materials in combination with atmospheric effects inside the kiln create unique, impossible-to-repeat results, each piece an individual statement. We’ve divided the workshop into two parts for two relaxed, streamlined mornings. Day 1: wrap materials, create your saggar, fire up the kiln, and load. Day 2: open up the kiln, discuss and debrief. Kay always adds in a little something extra to cap the morning off - so look forward to something lovely! With only a short time to go, the skill level for this workshop has changed from intermediate to beginner! How so? We've run out of time for you to make your own pots for firing, so Kay will provide her own hand-made pots for a small fee of $10 per pot so you can walk right into the workshop without any pre-workshop preparation and take part in the fun stuff! Perfect for beginners or anyone who wants to enjoy a unique weekend creating magic. |
Kay Wright
Kay formed an instant connection to the saggar firing process during her Diploma in Visual Art. Fascinated by its serendipitous nature and unpredictable results, she set off on her own single-minded exploration. Kay uses techniques to emulate natural elements and effects in her ceramic pieces. A regular exhibitor and finalist in numerous art awards, Kay works from her home studio, firing in kilns she built herself. Her saggar vessels can be found in private collections overseas, as well as Australia. Before booking, please carefully read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Abstract Landscape Collage
with Odessa Mahony-de Vries DATE: 5 April TIME: 10am – 3pm COST: $145 and $140 for members Join artist Odessa Mahoney-de Vries in the playful creation of abstracted landscapes. You’ll be gently guided into producing less figurative work by employing collage, drawing and painting techniques to construct a series of series of layered, textural landscapes. Your abstract landscapes will be a blend of reality and imagination, using a mix of found images and expressive mark-making. This workshop will focus on experimentation, as well as building skills in composition, layering, and colour mixing to help you build confidence in your artistic process. We’ll work on a minimum of four pieces throughout the day. Level: beginners and intermediate. There is something to learn for all skill levels, especially beginners in abstraction. 1. Collage the Landscape Using the source material, we’ll begin by selecting and arranging images to build the foundation of a landscape. This could include sky, land, water, or any elements that inspire you. 2. Painting the Gaps Using paint, we’ll fill in the blank spaces between the collage pieces, bringing everything together while exploring colour mixing and composition. 3. Adding Layers and Texture Once dry, we’ll add another layer of detail by drawing and painting over the collage. This step enhances depth, texture, and abstraction in the landscape. To bring list:
|
Recent works by Odessa Mahony-de Vries
Morning tea provided. Please BYO lunch (to eat whenever you need - we don't take a set lunch break, it's up to your tummy). Odessa Mahony-de Vries Odessa Mahony-de Vries is known for her large-scale 2D paintings, luminous digital works, and ceramic sculptures. She is motivated by the materiality of paint and colour and works quickly and intuitively, surrendering control to follow where the work leads her, finding beauty in the unexpected. Each mark, texture, and boundary represents a willingness to embrace mistakes, discoveries, and transformation. Odessa Mahony-de Vries holds a Bachelor of Fine Art from RMIT and exhibits regularly, with upcoming solo exhibitions at CA Gallery Coolum and Gympie Regional Gallery. Please read terms and conditions below, under event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Eco-dying on Ceramics
with Sue Bradshaw DATE: Saturday 22 March TIME: 10am - 2pm (4 hours) COST: $150 and $145 for members You can step into this workshop without having to make and fire pots. Sue includes two beautiful hand-made bisque-fired ceramic vessels for you to work on and keep. Following the workshop, you’ll have all the skills needed to eco-dye your own ceramic pieces (fabrics and paper too!). Join Sue Bradshaw in this four-hour hands-on workshop to discover the secrets of transferring natural dyes and tannins onto bisque-fired ceramic surfaces. This beautiful technique is often seen on paper and fabric but rarely on pottery. Learn how the alchemy of foliage, mordants and the act of steeping releases natural colours and patterns, creating a three-dimensional canvas to treasure! Sue will show you how to enhance the natural results of the eco-dyeing process with other media such as gouache, acrylic, ink and pastels. Once you’ve applied further decoration, Sue will show you how to seal your pieces to make them waterproof, ready to take home. While our pots are simmering in the vats, you’ll also have the chance to create some beautiful greetings cards using the same processes. Suitable for all levels. All materials provided, but please bring the following to help you work:
Can I bring my own plant material? Sue will provide plant material but you’re welcome to bring your own freshly picked flowers and leaves. Small, simple forms with lots of definition are best. Anything that easily stains as you pick it should yield a good result. Avoid large flowers like grevillea as these can look 'blobby' after transfer. |
Morning tea provided, BYO lunch.
What to wear
Sue Bradshaw Multi media artist Sue Bradshaw hand-makes paper, eco prints with plants onto paper and ceramics, and enjoys combining these techniques. Sue studied for a Diploma in Ceramics following an IT career and has been busy creating ever since. Sue has won BFAC Eclectica awards for Pisces, a wet cyanotype (2024) and Sea Needles a eucalyptus oil print and pastel on handmade paper (2022). She is currently exhibiting work in Exit through the Teapot at artisan in Brisbane. Her work is 100% cruelty-free, without animal products, and plant materials are spray-free and hand-harvested. Please read terms and conditions below, under event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
The Poetry of Still Life: an Oil Painting Workshop
with Tony Coles DATE: Saturday 15 March TIME: 10am - 4pm (six hours) COST: $185 or $180 for members BOOK HERE Turn a still life arrangement into a quiet meditation in form, tone, line, and colour. This workshop is a lesson in finding atmosphere and poetry in a work, and definitely not about recreating objects in photographic detail. With a subdued palette, careful attention to light, shadow, and the nuances of form, your still life can become an artful contemplation in the style of Georgio Morandi, whose works are depicted here. Tony will explain why this influential artist’s works are so successful and how we can try to achieve Morandi's restrained, yet very expansive quality in a still life work. Morandi painted the same group of beloved objects throughout his life and excelled in transforming everyday objects into things of beauty. A sense of quietude and space is achieved by simplification, a limited palette and honest observation. With these principles as our guide, we'll aim to represent our objects as abstracted, elemental shapes using subdued colours, a non-ornamental composition, with a pared-down setting. We’ll begin with preparatory drawings referencing the source objects, then work alla prima with oil on canvas to produce a finished piece to take home. SUPPLIED This workshop includes a high quality 40 x 50 cm canvas and stretcher. We'll supply numerous supplementary materials. A table of objects will be available to choose from or bring five much-loved or much-used items of your own. It is okay if they are similar height. Morandi often used repeated shapes. Objects such as bottles, candlesticks, jugs, vases, basins, pitchers, and packets of flour, rice or tea are ideal. STUDENTS TO BRING
|
Georgio Morandi: various still life works
This is the perfect workshop for anyone who appreciates art history as well as art - Tony's understanding of this subject and this artist runs deep. Practising artists will really resonate with this one, but ALL LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE WELCOME.
Morning tea provided. Please BYO lunch (to eat whenever you need - we don't take a set lunch break, it's up to your tummy). Tony Coles Tony Coles is an established contemporary artist with an extensive exhibition history, and has won numerous major art awards. As well as working as a professional artist, Tony has a teaching background, and has held various positions as guest lecturer at university and TAFE institutions. Tony's knowledge of art history adds a rich seam to all his courses. In his own work, he's inspired by the dynamics of land and sea meeting atmosphere, with his paintings tending towards abstraction. Please read terms and conditions below, under event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Life Drawing Weekend
with Zoe Awen DATE: Weekend of 1 March and 2 March (two-day workshop) TIME: 1.30pm – 4.30pm both days COST: $175 and $170 for members For women - be part of our International Women's Day 2025 workshop program! This is a nurturing, women-only workshop, held in response to our four-week International Women's Day exhibition. Led by artist, educator and experienced life drawing facilitator Zoë Awen, this weekend workshop provides you with a series of dynamic activities and exercises to awaken your artistic instincts, with a nude female model as your muse. In this female-only environment, learn how to capture the beauty of the human form, while also connecting to your own body through the act of creation. Develop your skills over this two-day intensive and enjoy the sense of accomplishment as you progress steadily through the study exercises and challenges, with Zoë at your side every step of the way. Zoe has a unique embodied approach to drawing from life and believes the artist and their own body is integral to the process. During this transformative workshop, expect to learn new ways of seeing and looking at shape and form, and explore intuitive expression alongside contemplation of beliefs around the body. This workshop is part of the Butter Factory's International Women's Day exhibition The Pursuit of Ideal Content, a four-week exhibition, which examines the self-objectification, body surveillance and dissatisfaction that may be experienced by women as a result of the idealised content they are exposed to on social media. This life drawing workshop is offered as a wholesome antedote to stereotyped perceptions of the female body and subsequent limiting self-beliefs. |
Skill level No experience is required to join this welcoming and supportive workshop. Materials All materials supplied. Just bring your enthusiasm and a willingness to explore. Please note: this is a women-only two-part workshop. Days are not available separately due to the incremental learning structure of the content. Zoe Awen Zoe Awen has worked in the arts sector as a tertiary art and life drawing teacher, graphic designer, assistant gallery coordinator, and exhibition manager. She has held both solo and group exhibitions, received awards for her creative work, and contributed to the ArtsCoast Sunshine Coast Arts Plan as an arts influencer. She is passionate about connecting people and creativity and dedicated to art and culture. Please read terms and conditions under event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Sculpting the Female Torso
with Linda Douglas DATE: Saturday 22 February TIME: 9am – 3pm (please note: earlier start than usual) COST: $195 or $190 members Be part of our International Women’s Day (IWD) workshop program for 2025. Everyone welcome. This workshop is held in conjunction with our upcoming exhibition The Pursuit of Perfect Content, which focuses on the rise of social media and its effects of on women. In the spirit of the exhibition, you are encouraged to represent the body in a realistic way (as opposed to idealised or augmented). Learn essential sculptural techniques to build a strong three-dimensional form, specifically the human form. Rolling out and moulding clay slabs to form and build shapes is a very effective alternative to working with coils and Linda will instruct students step-by-step in all the techniques required. The completed work will be approximately 45cm high. These skills can transfer to any sculptural form of a human or animal body. Level This technique is accessible to anyone and, in a day, students can achieve very successful results. This is an intensive day of work and some experience with clay is ideal, though beginners are welcome. Includes terracotta clay and firing costs! Figures will be bisque-fired in the studio by our experienced kiln masters, and students emailed when the work is ready collect. A further glaze firing is possible, but would be at your own cost. We believe the figures are at their most beautiful in their natural, bisque-fired state with the material showing mark-making and gestures, expressing the body's subtleties and nuances. Bring a towel, a plastic bag to stop clay from drying out, and wear old clothes and covered-in shoes. TOOLS TO-BRING LIST (The studio can usually supplement what you don’t have; please ask on the day.) Hand building tools Serrated metal rib, non-serrated metal rib, and rubber kidney Wire harp Sponge |
Morning tea is provided, please BYO lunch.
Linda Douglas After studying a Diploma in Ceramics Linda built a custom studio where she ran courses and held group exhibitions. She has facilitated many courses over the years while continuing to work on her own practice and exhibit her work, for which she has won numerous awards. With a teaching background, Linda now enjoys facilitating speciality workshops around the state. Please read terms and conditions under event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Still Life Intensive
with Tony Coles DATE: Saturdays 1, 8 and 15 February TIME: 10am - 2pm (12 hours total) COST: $320 and $310 for members This is another wonderful opportunity to work with artist Tony Coles to explore and experiment with still life studies. With Tony's guidance, strengthen your technical, conceptual and critical skills so you can look, see and clearly understand your subject matter. Dynamic tasks will see you creating multiple works each session, and exploring abstraction using a variety of materials and colour. You’ll identify and interact with line and negative space, reducing forms to their elemental shapes. You’ll also visit traditional approaches to still life with an exploration of volume and values. During the series, we'll take inspiration from a number of Tony's favourite artists. This will be a lively expansion of Tony’s still life series from last year, so if you took part in 2024, this approach is a little different and you won’t want to miss out. If you're new to still life, you'll enjoy the whole experience. Tony’s method of teaching is very purposeful and motivating and produces exceptional student results. Participants will play, thrive, evolve, and grow in confidence and, importantly, enjoy all the processes along the way. What do I bring? For week one bring along: An A2 or A3 210 gsm sketch pad, plus an A3 sketch pad of a lower quality paper. 6B pencil Willow charcoal medium size sticks Kneadable eraser Old toothbrush NB Participants of this course will have access to priority booking for Tony’s upcoming still life oil painting workshop on 15 March (released soon). |
Skill level Everyone will benefit from working with Tony, no matter which level you're at. Tony Coles Tony Coles is an established contemporary artist with an extensive exhibition history, and has won numerous major art awards. Tony has a teaching history and has been guest lecturer at university and TAFE institutions. Tony is inspired the dynamics of land and sea meeting atmosphere, with his paintings tending towards abstraction. The balancing of elemental forms with light and temporal references are a preoccupation. Please read terms and conditions under event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Black and White Portrait Photography
with Christine Hall APP DATE: Saturday 11 January 2025 TIME: 1pm - 6pm COST: $180 and $175 for members For women - be part of our International Women’s Day (IWD) exhibition for 2025! Not only is this workshop an incredible opportunity to take home a wealth of information from a professional full-time photographer who specialises in portraiture, it is also an opportunity to build or raise your profile as an exhibiting artist! This innovative black and white portrait photography workshop guarantees your work a place in a thought-provoking women-only 2025 group exhibition entitled The Pursuit of Ideal Content (a show which responds to the rise of social media and its effects on women).
The workshop Work with professional photographer Christine Hall, who will teach the skills required to achieve successful black and white portrait images using your own DSLR camera. Christine will then lead you into a collaborative hands-on session where you become both subject and photographer. You will be working inside the gallery after-hours in a private, nurturing and safe environment in a female-only setting, given the theme of our exhibition.
Includes afternoon tea. Please note: keep an eye on your email (or junk mail) as we'll be sending you some important information before the workshop. |
Odessa Mahony de Vries by Christine Hall
Required
Christine Hall Associate Professional Photographer (APP) Christine Hall specialises in Giclee art reproduction and commercial photography. Christine exhibits widely and has recently been a finalist in the Percival Portrait Prize, the Ravenswood Australian Women's Art Prize (Australia's highest value art prize for women) and the Brisbane Portrait Prize Refuse. She also supports over 138 regional artists by capturing their artwork on film for marketing, cataloguing, exhibition, archive, and website purposes. Christine's recently released book The Studio Project documents by portraiture 42 established, emerging and experimental artists, all of whom are in practice in our region. Please read terms and conditions under event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
2024
|
Totem Magic Summer Workshop
with Maria Brown DATES: Saturday 16 November and Saturday 30 November TIME: 10am - 3pm both days COST: $280 or $275 for members This popular workshop returns for a surprise summer treat! Build a beautiful totem, creating objects and symbols that are meaningful to you, or be inspired by nature: trees, leaves, animals, seedpods, flowers, and oceanic forms such as shells, sea life. The first day is fast-paced so drawing your ideas out on paper before the workshop is highly encouraged and will make a big difference to your progress during the day. Aim for a harmonious and balanced effect to help make the final day streamlined. Finished approximate height of the totem is 1 metre. Part one: Saturday 16 June: MAKE Use slab, coil, pinch, and mould techniques to create a variety of sculptural components for your totem. Students are encouraged to develop rich, organic, textural forms. Part two: Saturday 30 June: PAINT AND ASSEMBLE Paint your bisque-fired pieces with a variety of waterproof paints and beautiful patinas, using brush techniques to enhance the textural qualities of the components. Aim for 'less is more' regarding colour: understated, rich, earthy neutrals counterbalanced with muted colour is always very successful. Completed ceramic pieces will be assembled on a steel rod supported by a sturdy timber base. This is where your forward planning comes in handy! Skill level Everyone welcome. This is a great chance for new students to learn the fundamentals of hand building with clay, while more advanced potters can use their experience to create more complex components. Materials All materials, tools and equipment included. Bring along your own tools if you have them! Morning tea provided. Please BYO lunch |
Maria Brown After a busy career as an art teacher in both primary and secondary schools in SE Queensland Maria now focuses on her own ceramic arts practice and conducts small-group workshops for all levels of ability. Maria’s experience as a teacher means she is able to provide a highly supportive, structured, encouraging and engaging group environment. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
In the Open: Painting en Plein Air with Ben Winspear DATE: Saturday 2 November TIME: 10am – 3pm COST: $150 or $145 members Fresh air, sunshine, the sound of birds, a magnetic landscape directly in front of you, and the colour palette loaded ready to translate it all onto canvas. These are the joys of painting in the great outdoors and if you’d love to start working this way, visiting teacher Ben Winspear will guide you through plein air painting processes so you too can capture the essence of the landscape you’re standing in. Painting this way is wonderful, immediate and honest and means you can take home a little of every place that affects you, whether home or abroad. The workshop will include information on materials, colour mixing and composition via group and individual tuition. Enjoy the camaraderie of being in a group of outdoor painters and the friendly, non-competitive vibe as we work together. For your comfort and protection bring: hat, sunscreen and water. Please BYO camp chair if you have one and a mug for morning tea. BYO lunch. For your convenience, the location will have parking nearby, shade, picnic spots, and toilet facilities. Choose your own medium, whether oils, acrylics. pastels, watercolour, charcoal, pencil. Ben suggests you stay with one medium for the duration of the workshop. Suitable for all levels! Most painters would already have necessary materials and equipment, but here's a list to follow if you're new. If you want to work with paint: 2 reds (Cadmium Red and Alizarin Crimson) 2 blues (Cobalt/Prussian/ Ultramarine) 2 yellows (Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre) Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, any Black, any White Feel free to bring any colours you already have, rather than make fresh purchases - but you’ll need at least one red, yellow, blue and black and white. Brushes: bring a selection of larger and smaller brushes and a detail brush. |
Work by Ben Winspear
You’ll also need:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION Roughly two weeks before the workshop, you’ll be sent an email with the specific meeting place for our workshop (not too far from BFAC). Please check your junk mail so you don’t miss notifications! Ben Winspear Ben Winspear is an award-winning professional artist of 25 years standing. With a particular love for painting landscapes direct from life en plein air, Ben enjoys passing on his knowledge of processes and skills to others. He seeks to ground students solidly in the traditions of observational drawing and painting with an informed use of quality materials. Ben has been involved in numerous arts projects in the education field, teaches extensively and conducts private European painting and gallery tours. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
In the Studio
with Dennis Forshaw DATE: Saturday 12 October TIME: 10am – 3pm COST: $150 or $145 members BOOK HERE An off-campus event at Dennis Forshaw’s hinterland studio and gallery. Fine tune your ceramic work and shift from mediocre to meticulous! Appreciate and acquire professional standards by observing one of the best in the business. This is a purely observational and instructional workshop where you’ll learn the traditional ‘apprentice’ way – by proximity to a master. Join us for a day of learning, ceramics wisdom, gems and advice from master potter Dennis Forshaw, with demonstrations of a variety of processes to consolidate your understanding. Dennis will also sit with you and share his extensive knowledge on the mysteries of gas firing and all its steps and processes from lighting the kiln correctly to the effects on your glaze. If your ceramics is heading in this direction you won’t want to miss out. Also included, efficient workshop practices, a tour of the kilns, how to blend clays, and much more! Bring a note book and pen. Dennis is open to your filming any part of the day. Level: This is one for the more advanced potters and the information-hungry, but everyone would benefit from being part of this group. Location: Dennis’s studio is in 17 minutes drive from the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre in Doonan (east of Eumundi). We’ll send out the address a few weeks before the event. (Please keep an eye on your junk folders). Plenty of parking on site. Morning tea provided. BYO lunch and enjoy Dennis’s beautiful garden surroundings. BYO camp chair if you have one. |
Dennis Forshaw With over 30 years at the wheel behind him, professional potter, teacher and mentor Dennis Forshaw is known both internationally and at home. His large vessels follow formal design elements which are metamorphic in essence, generating powerful visual and emotional impacts in the viewer. His mastery of glaze and its relationship to form, space, and light is the result of 20 years of research and testing. Dennis is represented by CA Gallery, Coolum and was formerly Head of Ceramics at Townsville TAFE. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Into Blue
with Charmaine Lyons DATE: Saturday 28 September TIME: 10am – 3pm COST: $140 or $135 members The art of cyanotype image transfer Step straight into this workshop with no prep required! All materials are provided too, just bring your creative energy. This wonderful workshop with Charmaine Lyons explores a traditional process of professional image production which will extend both your skills base and art practice. Harness the power of light to make art! Enjoy the opportunity to experiment with new ideas in image creation and production by learning the art of cyanotype image transfer onto muslin. The day includes sourcing botanicals and resist materials from our surroundings, cyanotype applications and exposures. The process also involves deconstruction of the primary material, with reconstruction using hand stitching. You’ll produce a beautiful length of printed muslin that can be used either as a gorgeous summery scarf or a wall hanging to beautify your home. The workshop will give you a basic understanding of the history, processes and possibilities of cyanotypes. By working on introductory cyanotypes you’ll then have the skills to reproduce images that push beyond the limits of the traditional cyanotype. During this workshop, you’ll be encouraged to let go and completely embrace the unpredictable and spontaneous qualities of this method of printing. Enjoy a fast paced and experimental flow, and yield to the response and interaction that presents itself through the processes of this fascinating medium. Beginners to intermediate welcome! |
All materials are included in this workshop.
Morning tea is provided. Please BYO lunch. Charmaine Lyons Charmaine Lyons is a multidisciplinary artist with a specific focus on ceramics, photography and image making. She practices as an ‘available-light’ photographer and works with cyanotype as part of her creative process. Charmaine has a Diploma of Photography and Photo Imaging and has held a ceramic artist residency at the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre. She is workshop facilitator at Barambah Pottery, Cherbourg and curator at ART POST, Gympie. Charmaine has exhibited both nationally and internationally. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Fired Up - a Saggar Firing
with Kay Wright DATE: Saturday 21 September TIME: 9am – 3.30pm COST: $155 or $150 members Saggar fired work - clay imprinted with nature, mysterious and smoky. Impressionistic, blushed and speckled. Shadowy, warm, smudged. Just some of the sensuous and magical elements of a saggar-fired pot. Let go of all expectations and explore this serendipitous process with Kay Wright in this full-day workshop. An intermediate level is required. All the making and preparation of pots will be your own responsibility including organising your own bisque firing before the workshop. Please carefully factor in the time needed for each stage. The saggar firing will be limited to ten people and each person will need to keep to limits on pot numbers and sizes as this is a communal firing. An information pack will be sent soon after registration, which will also explain how to access Kay’s terra sigillata to prepare the surface of your pots. (You don’t need to take this step, but the terra sigillata application does result in a beautifully silky surface.) PREPARATION FOR FIRING DAY Instructions for making your pots: Clay type is important, as the terra sigillata Kay makes is formulated for white clay: For best results the most suitable clay types are: White Raku, any Mid Fire (Cone 6) White Clay or White Stoneware, such as Walkers 10.
More information will be sent about the workshop upon registration, but you now have the basics to start making your pots! |
IMPORTANT: ensure you check your junk email folder regularly so you don't miss essential student information email or any notifications!
Kay Wright Kay formed an instant connection to the saggar firing process during her visual art studies. Fascinated by its serendipitous nature and unpredictable results, she set off on her own single-minded exploration. Kay is intrigued by patterns in nature and uses the techniques she has developed to emulate natural elements and effects in her ceramic pieces. A regular exhibitor and finalist in numerous art awards, Kay works from her home studio, firing in kilns she built herself. Her saggar vessels can be found in private collections overseas, as well as Australia. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Experimenting with Acrylics
with Fiona Groom A three-week Sunday morning course DATES: Sundays 8, 15, 22 September TIME: 10am – 1pm COST: $215 or $210 members All levels welcome from beginners upwards. An art course, with project. If you’re completely new to acrylics or more seasoned, this three-part Sunday morning course is a brilliant opportunity to learn something new, try a different medium, or fine-tune skills. You’ll learn and practice painting methods and brush techniques and create a handy example chart to refer to. You’ll also work on a step-by-step project to build confidence and skills so you can take home a finished painting – a beautiful penguin portrait! All the techniques you learn are applicable to general acrylic painting, not only animal painting. Week 1: Introduction to painting techniques and brushwork - 3 hours Week 2: Experimentation with techniques, brushes and colour - 3 hours Week 3: Create a penguin painting using our techniques - 3 hours TO BRING
|
All other materials and equipment are provided. An A4 visual diary is included in your course fee, as well as a 30 by 40 cm canvas for the final project.
Morning tea is provided. Fiona Groom Popular animal artist and experienced art tutor and facilitator, Fiona Groom is widely involved in the Sunshine Coast artists’ community, volunteering for several community galleries in our region and working with community-based artisan markets. A seasoned exhibition curator, Fiona holds a BA Double Major Fine Arts and Visual Culture and has shown work in state and national exhibitions, as well as group and solo shows. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Hinterland Raku Firing Day
with Carol Watkins DATE: Sunday 25 August TIME: 8.30am - 1.30pm (please note early start) COST: $135 or $130 members Join Carol Watkins in her hinterland studio for an exciting alternative firing experience. Raku is a rapid method of firing pottery outdoors that involves all the elements: earth, fire, air and water. Open surroundings, the drama of flame, red hot wares, smoke and water make for a truly visceral experience. The interaction of combustible materials and hot glaze during the smoking phase, in concert with thermal shock means that a simple piece can be transformed into a thing of uncommon beauty. Expect the unexpected! Outcomes are unpredictable, diverse and highly individual. This is a small group experience, capped at eight. Please follow the instructions below for a beneficial communal outcome. Only use RAKU CLAY to make your pots. In a communal firing we need to follow this instruction to prevent wares shattering, which could ruin other people’s work. Carol recommends KEANE’S WHITE RAKU, as you will experience a better colour response on white clay. STUDENT TO-DO LIST BEFORE THE DAY:
Glazes included. Carol will have a number of pots available at $10.00 each to supply on the day if you don’t make your own, opening this workshop up to those who haven't made pottery before! |
Please note early start!
Morning tea included. Please BYO lunch. Address provided after registering. Carol Watkins Carol has been making pots for 16 years and specialises in alternative and atmospheric firing, including raku, naked raku and saggar. She is drawn to its quick, exciting and unpredictable process, which can give rise to spectacular results. Before booking please read terms and conditions below, under these event listings After booking please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Making an Impression: Lino Cuts on Clay
with Linda Douglas DATE: Saturday 17 August TIME: 9am – 3pm (please note earlier start) COST:$ 190 and $185 Explore two skills during this exciting mixed-media workshop with multimedia artist Linda Douglas! Use traditional print-making techniques and tools to carve into a sheet of lino and, once completed, apply the finished lino cut to the beautiful surface of white clay. This embossed clay will then be formed into a three-dimensional item, with the help of a template. Enjoy the relationship that develops between yourself, the material, and the process, as step-by-step the design is revealed in this lively cross-pollination of techniques! Lino cutting tools are provided and are yours to take home afterwards to continue your practice, as we're sure you'll get hooked on the experience. Applying lino to clay is a technique with an element of unpredictability, with special characteristics provided by the material. Linda will instruct on the best type of design to use with small, graphic-style designs working best for this technique. Remember, the lino cut you design can be used again and again, not just on clay but also on paper, card and fabric for future projects. Think about designs before the workshop and bring along your ideas! Suitable for intermediate students. Linda will demonstrate how to use lino tools safely and correctly. Lino, lino cutting tools and a beautiful quality clay (Keane's White Midfire) are included. Your lino cutting tools are yours to take home. Bisque firing included. We'll email you when your piece is ready to pick up. NB Glazing and subsequent firing is not included. Underglazes can only be applied when the piece is dry. Morning tea included. Please BYO lunch. Please bring: Pencil, paper, ruler, eraser, your usual pottery tools (we have some to share) an old sock. Rolling pins and boards supplied. |
Linda Douglas After qualifying as a teacher, then completing a Diploma in Ceramics, Linda established a custom studio where she taught and ran regular ceramics courses and held group exhibitions. She has maintained her own thriving practice, participated in many group and solo exhibitions and won numerous awards for her work. Linda continues to facilitate specialty workshops, now taking her unique masterclasses to art centres around the state. With a wide repertoire of skills to draw upon, she integrates techniques from many disciplines to provide students with an original and innovative workshop experience. Linda has been a print maker for many years, lino being her chosen printmaking method. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Design for Living: Creating Beautiful Textiles
with Ruth Horton DATE: Saturday 10 August TIME: 10am – 3pm COST: $145 or members $140 Explore the design possibilities of printing shapes on a length of beautiful 100% linen using Permaset fabric ink. Your design will stem from the playful use of collage as a starting point, referencing Matisse and Marimekko. You will love the sense of freedom and play involved in creating patterns from stencils you'll cut out yourself. This method is brilliant for its simplicity and the way a limited number of individually cut stencils can be moved around the linen surface with creative freedom. Your free form shapes can overlap, overlay and create a wonderful sense of movement and colour. Making your own textile art during the workshop will give you the confidence to make more beautiful designs at home! For this workshop, choose either to print a length of material designed as a runner, fully hemmed and ready to use, or pick a length of material suitable for converting into a 'drum' shaped lampshade. All materials and equipment included. No need to bring anything except your creativity! Morning tea provided. Please BYO lunch Workshop outline of the day
|
Ruth Horton
Ruth is a life-long art educator and practising artist, whose travels have generated a deep interest in textiles and printing techniques. With experiments in Batik, dyeing, and silk screen printing, Ruth currently enjoys the simple art of printing with stencil cuts. In collaboration with fellow textile artist Trudie Hood, Ruth works with single motifs which are applied individually onto lengths of linen, a technique which allows the design to evolve organically, resulting in one-off fabric prints suitable for interior design projects. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Japanese Book Making
with the artists from ‘Through the Window’ DATE: Sunday 4 August TIME: 10am – 3pm COST: $125 and members $120 Work with the artists from this current exhibition and connect with traditional Japanese paper, books and cultural practice. Learn how to create and stitch unique and customisable books for a variety of uses. During this workshop, create four beautiful, easy-to-make Japanese books, an accompanying slipcase to keep them in, and a lovely origami Kimono piece in Japanese paper. Enjoy gaining insights from our artists into the history of traditional Japanese books, paper and bookbinding techniques. Leave this workshop being able to recreate all these items, so you can always make something unique for a special gift or celebration. This fascinating workshop is held in conjunction with the artists’ exhibition Through the Window. As part of the experience, the artists will take you through some of their exhibition pieces, pointing out specialised techniques and skills. The artists will provide templates and a list of suppliers and resources for you to take home so you can continue learning more about making Japanese books. Decorative Japanese papers will be available for purchase so you can pursue your book making at home if you wish. The workshop will appeal to a range of levels of experience. Beginner’s welcome! All equipment and materials supplied, no need to bring anything. A sushi treat awaits you as part of this workshop. Morning tea provided. BYO lunch. |
The Artists from Through the Window Your skilled teachers are a group of professional artists who are exhibiting at the Butter Factory in July and August. Each artist has individually exhibited their hand produced books, printmaking and paper work widely in Australia and their works are held in significant collections both here and overseas. Together they offer a wealth of experience and opportunity for students and artists to learn a beautiful new skill. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Sgraffito, Relief and Carving
with Ellen Terrell DATES: Sunday 28 July 10am – 3pm Sunday 18 August 10am - 1pm COST: $295 and $290 members Step right into this ceramics workshop with no prep required! Everything is provided for a seamless workshop experience. Guided all the way by life-time ceramics teacher and master potter Ellen Terrell, you’ll be learning and practising the three techniques of sgraffito, relief and carving on three beautiful leather-hard fine, white porcelaneous pots thrown especially for this workshop by Ellen to ensure consistency of learning. This means the workshop is open to those who aren't wheel throwers! Once completed, you’ll carefully paint coloured underglazes or slips onto the raw, leather-hard clay. Return for part two to learn the techniques to apply simple pale or clear glazes to your pots. Students will be emailed once their work is second-fired and ready to collect. Bring:
|
Three beautifully-made leather hard pots are included in this fee. An extra pot may be purchased directly from Ellen if you have time to work on another - please bring cash.
All materials, glazes and firing included. Morning tea provided, please bring your own lunch. Ellen Terrell Ellen Terrell is lifelong potter and a ceramics/sculpture tutor who has headed Douglas Arts, Mossman NQ for over 20 years. She has run workshops for Yalanji artists from Mossman Gorge as well as worked with many other arts communities in QLD and NSW. Until the recent catastrophic floods, she was able to combine the pleasures of living in the Daintree rainforest with work as a full-time artist, exhibiting regularly in solo and group shows in Queensland and northern NSW. Ellen has now relocated to the safer ground of the Tablelands and is establishing her studio and practice again. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Embodying your Strengths
with Cate Savant DATES: Saturday 20 July: 10am - 3pm (part one) Saturday 3 August: 10am - 1pm (part two) COST: $260 Members $255 A multimedia workshop, with a focus on ceramics. This two-part workshop is a chance to work with a qualified art therapist in a safe, small group environment. Negativity bias tends to control us and our responses, but this wonderful multi-media workshop is an opportunity to start to change these perceptions. With Cate’s expert guidance, this is your chance to go safely and gently inward to uncover and focus on your unique strengths and values. By recognising and acknowledging these essential parts of yourself, you can begin to change negative neural pathways. With patience and kindness towards our selves, our strengths can become the guiding force in our lives, a more true reflection of who we are. DAY ONE day starts with a meditation, a preliminary art therapy practice, and somatic movement. You'll then go onto the main creative activity, making your wall hanging components out of soothing tactile clay, an empowering activity as well as an opportunity for beautiful and meaningful creative expression. DAY TWO sees you assembling your fired pieces into a wall hanging using all-natural materials. Your completed piece will offer an ongoing reminder to recognise and recall your powerful attributes. No preparation required! All materials included. Bring a notebook and paper. This workshop is limited to eight participants for a beneficial group experience. |
Cate Savant Cate Savant is qualified art therapist, whose professional background includes paediatric nursing, palliative care and personal coaching. With a lifetime interest in neuroscience and psychology Cate is also deeply connected to nature where her own creativity emerges and blossoms, allowing a flow state to arise. Cate’s therapeutic practice has evolved from a love of helping others figure out their unconscious blocks, and walking beside them as they grow and remember who they truly are. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Sculpting a Bird's Head
with Ellen Terrell DATES: Sunday 14 July: 10am – 3pm Sunday 11 August: 10am - 3pm COST: $230 and $225 for members In this two-part sculpture workshop students will create the head of an Australian native bird. Day one comprises the sculpting component, learning skills and techniques to achieve the realistic features and characteristics of the native bird you choose to model. Once bisque-fired, students return on the second day to finish their head with a stunning bronze- effect treatment which also waterproofs the pieces. Each head will be approximately 20 – 30 cms high and will be suitable for mounting on timber posts in the garden. Being a life-time birdwatcher and experienced nature guide, Ellen is keen we focus on our own magnificent Australian birds! All materials, clay and firing included. Morning tea provided, please BYO lunch. TO BRING LIST
|
Ellen Terrell Ellen Terrell is lifelong potter and a ceramics/sculpture tutor who has headed Douglas Arts, Mossman NQ for over 20 years. She has run workshops for Yalanji artists from Mossman Gorge as well as worked with many other arts communities in QLD and NSW. Until the recent catastrophic floods, she was able to combine the pleasures of living in the Daintree rainforest with work as a full-time artist, exhibiting regularly in solo and group shows in Queensland and northern NSW. Ellen has now relocated to the safer ground of the Tablelands and is establishing her studio and practice again. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
ON FIRE: Raku Firing Day
with Carol Watkins DATE: Saturday 29 June TIME: 8.30am - 1.30pm (please note early start) COST: $135 or $130 members Join Carol Watkins in her hinterland studio for an exciting alternative firing experience. Raku is a rapid method of firing pottery outdoors that involves all the elements: earth, fire, air and water. Open surroundings, the drama of flame, red hot wares, smoke and water make for a truly visceral experience. The interaction of combustible materials and hot glaze during the smoking phase, in concert with thermal shock means that a simple piece can be transformed into a thing of uncommon beauty. Expect the unexpected! Outcomes are unpredictable, diverse and highly individual. This is a small group experience, capped at eight. Please follow the instructions below for a beneficial communal outcome. Only use RAKU CLAY to make your pots. In a communal firing we need to follow this instruction to prevent wares shattering, which could ruin other people’s work. Carol recommends KEANE’S WHITE RAKU, as you will experience a better colour response on white clay. STUDENT TO-DO LIST BEFORE THE DAY:
Glazes included. Carol will have a number of pots at $10.00 each to supply on the day if you don’t make your own, opening this workshop up to those who haven't made pottery before! |
Please note early start!
Morning tea included. Please BYO lunch. Address provided after registering. Carol Watkins Carol has been making pots for 16 years and specialises in alternative and atmospheric firing, including raku, naked raku and saggar. She is drawn to its quick, exciting and unpredictable process, which can give rise to spectacular results. Before booking please read terms and conditions below, under these event listings After booking please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Totem Magic Winter Workshop with Maria Brown DATES: Sunday 16 June and Sunday 30 June TIME: 10am - 3pm both days COST: $280 or $275 for members Let your creative thinking fly! Your totem can describe your inner self, with objects that are symbolic and meaningful for you alone. Or be inspired by nature: trees, leaves, animals, seedpods, flowers, shells, sea life. Drawing some ideas out on paper at home before the workshop is highly beneficial. Finished approximate height is 1 metre. Part one: Sunday 16 June - MAKE Slab, coil, pinch, and mould techniques will be used to create a variety of sculptural components for your totem. Students are encouraged to develop rich, organic, textural forms. Part two: Sunday 30 June - PAINT AND ASSEMBLE Paint your bisque-fired pieces with a variety of waterproof paints and beautiful patinas, using brush techniques to enhance the textural qualities of the components. Completed ceramic pieces will be assembled on a steel rod supported by a sturdy timber base. Materials All materials, tools and equipment included. You're welcome to bring your own tools if you have them. Morning tea provided. Please BYO lunch |
Skill level
Everyone welcome. New students will learn the fundamentals of hand building with clay, while more advanced potters can use their experience to create more complex components. Maria Brown After a busy career as an art teacher in both primary and secondary schools in SE Queensland Maria now focuses on her own ceramic arts practice and conducts small-group workshops for all levels of ability. Maria’s experience as a teacher means she is able to provide a highly supportive, structured, encouraging and engaging group environment. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Abstracting the Landscape
with Tony Coles DATE: Saturday 22 June TIME: 10am – 3pm COST: $160 or $155 members A wonderful opportunity to learn directly from renowned landscape painter and art teacher Tony Coles. Tony will introduce students to a new way of looking and interacting with landscape by using dynamic multimedia techniques that include drawing, painting and montage. Students will be encouraged to let go of suppositions and and build a relationship with abstraction. Drawing, painting, tearing, cutting and pasting will all be utilised. Tony will explain how to achieve balance, dimension and depth of field in a work, employing a range of colours based on mixing primaries. Join us for this fantastic workshop experience and take home your own very special large scale (made on A1 board) work of art at the end of the day. STUDENT TO BRING LIST: Preparation for the workshop 1. PRINTING OUT YOUR REFERENCE MATERIALS Please prepare for the workshop by printing out large (A4 minimum) colour photos or colour photocopies of a landscape that is significant to you in some way. Hard copies are essential for this process! (Referring to phone images will not work.) 2. MATERIALS LIST
|
Other materials will be provided.
Morning tea is provided. Please BYO lunch. Level The workshop is suitable for students of all levels. Tony Coles Tony Coles is an established contemporary artist with an extensive exhibition history. He has won many major art awards and lectured at University and TAFE institutions. Inspired by his local environment and the dynamics of land meeting atmosphere, Tony’s paintings often tend towards abstraction. The balancing of elemental forms with light and temporal references are a preoccupation. Before booking, please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking, please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Charcoal Portraits
with Shyanne Clarke DATE: Sunday 9 June TIME: 10am – 3pm COST: $145 or $140 members Learn a wonderful drawing technique that can be applied to portraits or other subjects! Charcoal is very expressive and forgiving, a great sculptural medium that allows you to bring your own style forward. The drawing technique Shyanne teaches is simple and effective, allowing you to build your seeing eye swiftly. As it’s not a mathematical approach, you’ll be able to employ the method quickly and with confidence. Workshop structure
Suitable for beginners! STUDENTS TO BRING:
Everything else is supplied! Morning tea is provided. Please BYO lunch. |
Shyanne Clarke
Shyanne Clarke is a multidisciplinary artist inspired by the Romantic Sublime era. Her expressive, moody works utilise marks and fluidity to animate line and medium to tell a layered story. Clarke has exhibited regularly in group shows with a solo show Linger at CA Gallery in 2022. Her portrait Sailors View was highly commended at this year’s 40 under 40 Art Prize Exhibition. Clarke is a teacher of fine art at Art School Co on the Sunshine Coast, QLD. Before booking please read terms and conditions at the bottom of these event listings. After booking please check your junk email folder so you don't miss notifications. |
|
Sculpting the Female Form
with Linda Douglas DATE: Saturday 8 June TIME: 9am – 3pm (please note early start) COST: $180 or $175 members Learn essential sculptural techniques to build a strong three-dimensional form, specifically the human form. Linda will demonstrate how moulding clay slabs to form and build shapes is an effective alternative to working with coils and will demonstrate all techniques. The completed work will be approximately 45cm high. Level Some experience with clay is ideal but beginners are welcome. Linda loves that this technique is accessible to anyone and, in a day, students can achieve successful results Includes clay and firing! Each student will be provided with a full block of clay to work with. Figures will be fired in the studio by our experienced kiln masters and students emailed when the work is ready collect. Bring a towel, small plastic bag, wear old clothes and covered-in shoes. TOOLS TO-BRING LIST (The studio can usually supplement what you don’t have; please ask on the day.) Hand building tools Serrated metal rib, non-serrated metal rib, and rubber kidney Wire harp Sponge Rolling pin |
Morning tea is provided, please BYO lunch (cafes nearby)
Linda Douglas After studying a Diploma in Ceramics Linda built a custom studio where she ran courses and held group exhibitions. She has facilitated many courses over the years while continuing to work on her own practice and exhibit her work, for which she has won numerous awards. With a teaching background, Linda now enjoys facilitating speciality workshops around the state. Please read terms and conditions under event listings |
|
Making and Using Underglazes
with Marc Sauvage DATES: 1 June and 15 June TIMES: 10am - 3pm COST: $320 and members $310 Work with glazing expert Marc Sauvage to learn the process of mixing your own underglazes and the art of applying them to a ceramic surface. You’ll love their ease of use, as well as their reliability, consistency and the wide range of colours available. Making your own underglazes will also save you money! Become confident working with coloured underglazes on your ceramic forms by practising different techniques on a series of test tiles, which you will make yourself ahead of time and bring along to the workshop. During the workshop we’ll follow recipes to make up a range of colours and explore different underglaze application techniques including sgraffito, inlay, banding, texture wash, stencils, tissue transfer, sponging, trailing, varnish etching and stamping. LEVEL: This workshop is designed for intermediate ceramics students. IMPORTANT INFORMATION
IN ADDITION TO THE TILES, ALSO BRING:
|
Marc Sauvage After completing a Diploma in Advanced Ceramics Marc taught ceramics at Southbank TAFE. With an ongoing passion for ceramic chemistry Marc developed and manufactured his own commercial range of underglazes, Deco Colours, while also running workshops and continuing his own thriving ceramics practice. A qualified teacher, Marc taught visual art and ceramics at high school for 15 years, inspiring students to switch onto clay. Marc is currently running our popular glazing workshops at the Cooroy Butter Factory pottery and holds weekend workshops for us. Please read terms and conditions under event listings |
|
The Fundamentals of Landscape Painting
with Tony Coles A five-week Sunday morning course DATES: SUNDAYS April 28 / May 5 Break for Mother's Day May 19 / May 26 / June 2 TIME: 10am - 1pm COST: $390 Connect deeply with your natural environment or a remembered, significant landscape through the art of landscape painting. This is an amazing opportunity to work with renowned landscape artist Tony Coles. With Tony’s step by step guidance, build foundational knowledge and technical skills in landscape painting, working in the medium of acrylic paint. Students will develop conceptual ideas to a fully resolved painting, based on a favourite or significant landscape. Beginning with drawing and tonal paint studies using resource material, students will pick a favourite study to develop further with sepia washes. The concepts of focal point, foreground/middle ground and background will underpin the process. During this exploration you’ll increase your understanding of space, perspective, light and shade, volume and flatness – considerations which will overlay tonal arrangements before the full palette is finally used. Analogous and complementary colour schemes will be explained in conjunction with the practical skills of mixing colours, paint application, blending, bleeding and impasto effects. TO BRING: A list of what you need to bring will be sent before the start of the course. |
Light on the Escarpment by Tony Coles 2022
Tony Coles
Tony Coles is an established contemporary artist with an extensive exhibition history. He has won many major art awards and lectured at University and TAFE institutions. Inspired by his local environment and the dynamics of land meeting atmosphere, Tony’s paintings often tend towards abstraction. The balancing of elemental forms with light and temporal references are a preoccupation. |
Extending your Practice: Oils
with Ruth Horton
DATE: Saturday May 18
TIME: 10am – 3pm
COST: $ 145 and members $140
with Ruth Horton
DATE: Saturday May 18
TIME: 10am – 3pm
COST: $ 145 and members $140
For artists who want permission to experiment! Find new pathways into painting through a creative, exploratory yet practical approach with experienced art teacher Ruth Horton.
This workshop will extend your ideas and entry points to practice and help you gain confidence using the luscious medium of oils. Students will complete several small works on a variety of canvas and linen surfaces during the workshop. These exploratory studies will act as a visual diary to develop further onto larger canvases later on in your own studio.
A series of quick charcoal drawings of natural plant forms will be used to inform your work on the canvas surface. Working directly with a palette knife and brush, imaginative and non-representational works will be created to reflect the diversity of our natural surroundings.
Bring along reference materials, drawings or photos you'd like as source material.
All materials supplied. You’re welcome to bring along any oil paints you already have. We’ll be working with Alizarin crimson or Rose Madder (or similar), Yellow Oxide, Prussian Blue or Ultramarine, and Titanium White.
Bring an apron and a sketchbook.
This workshop will extend your ideas and entry points to practice and help you gain confidence using the luscious medium of oils. Students will complete several small works on a variety of canvas and linen surfaces during the workshop. These exploratory studies will act as a visual diary to develop further onto larger canvases later on in your own studio.
A series of quick charcoal drawings of natural plant forms will be used to inform your work on the canvas surface. Working directly with a palette knife and brush, imaginative and non-representational works will be created to reflect the diversity of our natural surroundings.
Bring along reference materials, drawings or photos you'd like as source material.
All materials supplied. You’re welcome to bring along any oil paints you already have. We’ll be working with Alizarin crimson or Rose Madder (or similar), Yellow Oxide, Prussian Blue or Ultramarine, and Titanium White.
Bring an apron and a sketchbook.
Ruth Horton
Ruth Horton is an experienced art educator and practitioner. Having worked in high schools as a teacher and head of art, Ruth now facilitates workshops for adults. With a broad knowledge of art history and art techniques, Ruth’s current work at QAGOMA in Brisbane as a volunteer guide allows her to continue her deep appreciation of the arts.
Please read terms and conditions under event listings
Ruth Horton is an experienced art educator and practitioner. Having worked in high schools as a teacher and head of art, Ruth now facilitates workshops for adults. With a broad knowledge of art history and art techniques, Ruth’s current work at QAGOMA in Brisbane as a volunteer guide allows her to continue her deep appreciation of the arts.
Please read terms and conditions under event listings
|
Seeing your Self
with Saren Dobkins DATE: Saturday 27 April TIME: 10am - 3pm COST: $160 or $155 for members The expression of self through portraiture This workshop is held in conjunction with the artist's exhibition Hiding in Plain Sight April 12 - May 12. Not only is this workshop a vehicle for experiencing yourself in a completely new way, it is a deep insight into Saren’s practice. It includes a complementary artist’s talk as Saren invites you to view particular works in her current exhibition Hiding in Plain Sight, explaining her process and results. During this workshop, be guided through ways of creating a self-portrait, using both formal elements of composition and an expressionist approach to painting. Students will initially create charcoal drawings, explore tone and composition, as well as create works from the imagination. The final artwork will be an expressionist self portrait using acrylic paint on canvas. This method of painting is immediate, intuitive, expressive, and playful. It doesn’t have to look perfect. Trust your own experience and enjoy exploring how your personal story can be expressed. MATERIALS Easels, drawing boards, canvases and loose paper provided. Students will be sent a short materials list after registration. Optional: bring a hand mirror or photograph of yourself. Level: Some painting experience recommended and a willingness to be open and experimental. |
Saren Dobkins
Saren has been a professional artist since the 80s and has an academic background in communication, design and coaching. Her approach to painting is built on a knowledge of formal composition in concert with an expressionist approach, using an inner narrative to guide the subject matter and composition. Her work explores transience and transformation, with the riddle of identity at its core. Saren has shown in more than 35 exhibitions and her work featured on book covers, murals and posters. Her work is held in both private and public collections here and abroad. Please read terms and conditions under event listings |
|
Slip Casting
with Marc Sauvage DATES: 20 April and 4 May TIME: 10am - 4.30pm on 20 April. Marc will discuss start time on 4 May. COST: $295 or $290 for members Learn about slip casting as a production method with ceramics expert Marc Sauvage! This hands-on, practical workshop intensive will take you through all the steps and processes to allow you to reproduce favourite pieces or start your own original range of tableware. At the end of this workshop students will be able to:
PART ONE: 20 April MOULD MAKING Design and process, mould-making (make two moulds), insider tips on undercuts, keys and resist materials. PART TWO: 4 May SLIPCASTING How to make casting slip (two methods), making coloured slip, decorating techniques using coloured slips, casting forms with your prepared moulds. Student information has been sent to each student, with preparatory videos to watch. Copy and paste video links into your browser if links don't work directly! BRING Note-taking materials, two plastic bags (supermarket veggie bags), cottles (explained in video), clamps, 9L bucket, dust mask, apron, old towel, a bag of usable scrap clay, 2-litre ice cream container, decorating brushes. This workshop includes everything else that is needed. Leave your work for firing at the end of the workshop and we’ll email you as soon as it’s ready to pick up. |
Morning tea provided. Skill level Suitable for intermediate and advanced ceramicists wishing to develop skills in this technique. Not suited to complete beginners, but those who’ve attended some beginners’ courses should be fine. Marc Sauvage Marc’s relationship with clay spans almost 50 years. After completing his Diploma in Advanced Ceramics Marc taught ceramics at Southbank TAFE. With an ongoing passion for ceramic chemistry Marc developed and manufactured his own commercial range of underglazes, Deco Colours, while also running workshops and continuing his own thriving ceramics practice. A qualified teacher, Marc taught visual art and ceramics at high school for 15 years, inspiring students to switch onto clay. Marc is currently running our popular glazing workshops at the Cooroy Butter Factory pottery and holds weekend workshops for us. Please read terms and conditions under event listings |
|
Contemporary Porcelain Jewellery
with Jan Roebuck DATES: 16 March: 10am – 3pm 23 March: 10am – 1pm COST: $185 or $180 for members Make and wear your own original range of jewellery and wait for the compliments to fly! If you like working on a small scale with beautifully fine materials you’ll be signing up for this brilliant jewellery-making workshop with Jan Roebuck. Work with the silky, sensuous medium of porcelain clay to make and complete at least four items of beautiful contemporary jewellery. Enjoy all the processes on the day and arm yourself with information for future projects if you’d like to take it further. Make a striking, signature necklace of textured discs, one of several styles of rings, a pair of earrings, and a pendant. Jan will demonstrate each step, systematically guiding you through the making of each piece. You’ll learn the fine details of how to join, colour and texture individual pieces as well as receive instruction on stringing, where to source findings (jewellery hardware) plus other resources. Skill level: all levels, but some pottery experience is preferred. Materials All porcelain, slip and metal findings included, as well as firing. Jan will supply all the necessary tools for the workshop. Please bring: Exacto knife or other sharp knife, an old pillow case, pencil and paper. |
Morning tea is provided. Please bring your own lunch.
Jan Roebuck Jan’s relationship with clay first started in the 70s, working mostly in domestic stoneware. Jan later studied with jeweller Luca Tripaldi of Milan and then adopted techniques perfected by Curtis Benzle (nerikomi and neriage) in her work. Her practice naturally progressed to making porcelain jewellery and integrating all the techniques she learnt along the way. Please read terms and conditions under event listings |
|
STILL LIFE: The Beauty of the Everyday Object
A drawing course with artist Tony Coles DATES: Sundays 3, 10, 17 and 24 March TIME: 10am - 1pm COST: $265 or $260 for members Take this chance to work with practising artist Tony Coles over a four week period! Cultivate your observational skills and find the necessary connection between hand, eye and mind required for the discipline of still life drawing. With Tony's guidance, learn to appreciate the beauty of everyday objects; to look, see and understand exactly what is before you. Using a variety of drawing mediums, these four Sundays will include point plotting, composition, scale, light and tone, proportion, mark-making, the appreciation of negative and positive space, and working with different surface textures. Each week students will progressively build on techniques and observational skills to complete a final large drawing. This dynamic course will sharpen your skills and provide a firm scaffold for your future art practice. Everyone will benefit from working with Tony, no matter which level you're at. Some materials provided. Students will be sent a short materials list after registration. DAY ONE Mapping the subject Map out a drawing using point plotting, use of the vertical/ horizontal axis, using line drawing to establish a satisfactory composition. Draw compositional lines with reference to negative/ positive space. Drawing shadows. DAY TWO Tonal drawing Drawing using the full tonal spectrum from black to white. Achieve three dimensional effects by utilising light and shade. DAY THREE Loose line drawing Loose line drawing, free expressive mark making, observation of the subject rather than the paper. Explore ways to hold the charcoal to achieve interesting marks. Develop a contour drawing. |
Tony Coles: preliminary stages of a still life drawing.
DAY FOUR Abstraction Draw the subject from various viewpoints looking for a sense of abstraction through the subject’s geometry. We conclude our four weeks by approaching a large-scale drawing, exploring and utilising all the techniques learnt during the workshop. Tony Coles Visual artist and art tutor Tony Coles moved to the Sunshine Coast region after completing his Bachelor of Arts, in which he majored in painting and drawing. Bays, headlands, water, and hills began to feature in his work and an interest in the dynamics of land meeting sea developed. Movement, light, space and energy became his subjects, both figuratively and in an abstract sense. Tony exhibits regularly and has won numerous art prizes. He enjoys the creative interaction of workshops and loves sharing his knowledge. Please read terms and conditions under event listings |
In the Garden:
|
PHOTO: Tiles ready for the kiln - before bisque-firing and colour application
Skill level
This workshop is suitable for all levels of experience! Irene Visser Irene’s long career in graphic design and an academic background in communication and design mean she has a wealth of experience and expertise in art and design practice. As manager of Woodford Folk Festival’s venue décor crew, Irene facilitates monthly workshops to produce the festival’s spectacular visual landscape, enjoyed by thousands each year. Please read terms and conditions under event listings |
|
Totem Magic
with Maria Brown DATES: 10 February and 24 February TIME: 10am - 3pm both days COST: $280 or $275 for members Totem: an object, such as an animal or plant, serving as the emblem of a family or clan and often as a reminder of its ancestry; an emblem or revered symbol
Let your creative thinking and expression fly in this totem sculpture workshop with ceramicist Maria Brown. Make your totem a visual description of your inner being, with objects that are symbolic and meaningful for you alone. Or be inspired by nature: trees, leaves, animals, seedpods, flowers, shells, sea life. Drawing some ideas out on paper at home before the workshop is highly beneficial. Part one: February 10 Make: Slab, coil, pinch, and mould techniques will be used to create a variety of sculptural components for your totem. Students are encouraged to develop rich, organic, textural forms. Part two: February 24 Paint: you'll paint your bisque-fired pieces with a variety of waterproof paints and beautiful patinas, using brush techniques to enhance the textural qualities of the components. Assemble: completed ceramic pieces will be assembled on a steel rod supported by a sturdy timber base, ready for placement in the home or garden. Approximate size is 1 metre high. Skill level Everyone welcome. New students will learn the fundamentals of hand building with clay, while more advanced potters can use their experience to create more complex components. |
Materials
All materials, including clay, metal stands, wooden bases, paints, as well as firing are included. All the necessary tools, moulds and brushes will be available for use during the workshop. Bring your own if you have them. Morning tea provided. Please bring your own lunch. Maria Brown After a busy career as an art teacher in both primary and secondary schools in SE Queensland Maria now focuses on her own ceramic arts practice and conducts small-group workshops for all levels of ability. Maria’s experience as a teacher means she is able to provide a highly supportive, structured, encouraging and engaging group environment. Please read terms and conditions under event listings |
2023
|
Kiln - Forming Glass
with Lucy Quinn DATE: Sunday November 12 TIME: 10am – 3pm COST: $125 and BFF Members $120 Join our Artist in Residence Lucy Quinn in this fantastic masterclass! Create your own unique object using glass fusing and mould-making processes. This workshop suitable for anyone curious about glass as a casting or artistic medium. No prior glass experience required. You will produce a number of small pieces using the following methods:
|
|
|
Christmas, All Wrapped Up!
with Marc Sauvage DATES: 11 November: MAKING YOUR FIVE CHRISTMAS GIFTS 10am – 3pm 18 November: GLAZING YOUR FIVE CHRISTMAS GIFTS 10am – 1pm COST: $220 and BFF members $210 BOOK HERE SOLD OUT! Click HERE (above) to go on a waiting list via 'contact the organiser'. In this fast-paced and fun two-part workshop create five gorgeous, bespoke handmade pottery Christmas presents in five hours! Come back the following Saturday after your work has been bisque-fired and spend three relaxing hours glazing, decorating and personalising your work. Your five pieces will be ready to collect in good time to wrap up for Christmas - we'll email you as soon as they're out of the kiln. Your five pieces in five hours are: Big beautiful mug or doggy bowl A stunning tripod orb for succulent plants One of the following: a handy spoon rest, trinket or key dish, or soap dish A fabulous flower tealight holder Stylish charcuterie (or cheese) board Are you up for the challenge? Think of this as a hand-building intensive, in which you'll quickly learn a variety of essential skills to start you on your pottery journey. This is the perfect workshop for keen beginners, or those with a little more experience - with the benefit of a highly experienced ceramics teacher guiding you through step by step. Marc will teach a variety of hand-building construction techniques and methods of surface finishing. Learn how to use natural objects, wooden stamps and rollers to create beautiful textures, as well as stencils and tissue transfers. Let your creativity flow and make each piece totally yours. |
This brilliant two-part workshop includes tuition, tools, all the clay required to make your five pieces (rolled out, ready to use), glazes, other materials and all firings. Morning tea is included. BYO lunch.
Marc Sauvage After completing his Diploma in Advanced Ceramics, Marc qualified as a teacher and subsequently taught ceramics at Southbank TAFE. With a passion for ceramic chemistry, Marc developed and manufactured his own commercial range of underglazes, Deco Colours, while also running workshops and continuing his own thriving ceramics practice. For the last fifteen years Marc has been inspiring high school students to develop their own ceramics practice as part of his school's art program. Marc is currently running our two glazing courses at the Cooroy Butter Factory pottery and loves seeing the development of skills and creativity in keen students. |
|
Find your Creating Joy: Paint Pouring
with Lee Birch DATE: Saturday October 28 TIME: 1pm – 3pm COST: $120 and BFF Members $110 Are you longing to feel creative and joyful? Then you are encouraged to join in this 2 hour fun filled workshop which is devoted to playing and experimenting with vibrant acrylic paint. No prior experience with art or painting is required. Everything you need is within you and all art supplies will be provided. We will use premixed paints to create some colourful take home art. You will be guided to start the workshop in a calm relaxed state through either a guided meditation or sound bowls. From this state of tranquility you will be encouraged to bring out your inner artist using a liquid (or pour) painting style. The workshop will be relaxed with great music, (for surely art is music and music is art). All artists, whether they know it or not create from a place of inner stillness, a place of no mind.—Eckhart Tolle Please bring along an apron to protect your clothes! |
About Lee Birch
Lee loves creating vibrant art. Art found Lee 2 years ago after she moved to Cooroy from 40 minutes to the south. Lee found creativity, beginning with pour art, increased her energy levels dramatically. And so she continued to paint, experimenting with different techniques and drawing on her inner guidance to direct her approach and artwork. Lee was born and raised in Queensland, moving to Maroochydore from Brisbane as a 22 year old. Her passion for language, human behaviour and sociology led to her teaching English and SOSE at coast (and Canberra) high schools, and working in corporate settings in facilitation and staff development, followed by undertaking many courses in holistic health in order to learn about healing. Lee brings a wealth of warmth, enthusiasm and lightheartedness to her workshops. Past attendees have said: “It was so much fun” “I feel that Lee’s art classes are very therapeutic for the soul”. |
|
The Art of Nerikomi
with Lee Berryman DATE: Saturday October 21 and Sunday October 22 TIME: 10am – 3pm both days COST: $285 and BFF members $275 If you're interested in exploring something different in your ceramic practice, this very special workshop with Lee Berryman features the traditional Japanese technique of Nerikomi, in which hand-coloured clay is thinly sliced and joined (laminated). Cutting across the grain of laminated clays exposes an infinite variety of random patterns, which are an integral part of the clay body and not a surface effect. The patterning can be precise and detailed, or may be manipulated to have movement, flow and energy. The use of the medium is only limited by the skill of the practitioner. During this two-day weekend workshop Lee will guide students from start to finish, through the processes of colouring slip to produce coloured clay, how to blend the coloured clays, how to create coloured clay patterns and blocks, and how to use the patterned blocks to create a final piece. All clay, slip, colourants and firing included. Morning tea provided both days. BYO lunch. WHAT DO I BRING? A detailed list of what you need to bring on the day will be emailed after registration. It's mostly general pottery tools and household items that you would already have. (Please check your email spam folder regularly for the email!) |
LEVEL: The workshop is suitable for all levels, but participants will gain the most from this workshop if they have some clay fundamentals. Lee Berryman Nerikomi is central to Lee's ceramic practice; she is drawn to how its exuberance and complexity is countered by the tactility, softness, fluidity and translucency of the porcelain clay she uses. A qualified teacher, Lee’s academic career includes an Associate Diploma in Ceramics, a Bachelor of Visual Arts majoring in ceramics, and a Master of Advanced Studies in Ceramics from the Australian National University. Lee exhibits widely. |
|
How to Build your own Kiln
with Frank and Kay Wright DATE: Saturday September 30 TIME: 10am – 2pm COST: $95 and BFF Members $85 Build a kiln for your own backyard firings! Attention all lovers of raku, naked raku and saggar fired wares! If you’re fascinated by the beautiful effects of atmospheric firing and want to know how to build a kiln to rapid fire treasures in your own backyard, here’s your chance to get all the information you need during an actual kiln construction on site at the Butter Factory Pottery Studio. Experienced kiln builder Frank Wright and passionate saggar-firer Kay Wright are your hosts for this four-hour demo and have a wealth of information and expertise to impart on the building and firing processes. Frank and Kay will show you in real time all the steps needed to build a kiln from start to finish, using materials easily obtained locally. You’re welcome to ask as many questions as you like, take part in the construction for some hands-on learning and film any part of the demo. In addition, you’ll be provided with full written instructions to take home. |
This informative workshop will also detail how to source the best type of burner and where to find a registered fitter so you can start firing as soon as possible. This is the start of your raku and saggar firing adventures!
If you’re an aspiring atmospheric firer who’d like to attend with your kiln-building buddy, once registered please email: [email protected] for information on how this can happen. Morning tea provided. BYO lunch. |
|
Elementals of pottery
with Dennis Forshaw DATE: Saturday September 9 TIME: 10am – 3pm COST: $160 BFF Members $150 Hands-on experience and skill-building for beginners on the wheel with an expert in his field! If you’re just starting out on your wheel throwing adventure this five-hour hands-on workshop with Dennis Forshaw will point you in all the right directions. Don’t be deterred by the fact Dennis is a master potter – he’s the perfect person to set you on the path of good habits and practices! You will spend the day practising and learning at the wheel in a small group environment while Dennis monitors, responds individually and guides you in the specific skills and techniques on which his own lifelong practice is founded. This is a rare chance to work with a professional ceramicist and glean all the insider tips and tricks to throwing well. This workshop is also suitable for those with more experience who want to improve their practice. This will be a popular workshop so please book in early! Includes clay and morning tea. BYO lunch. |
|
|
Slip Casting with Porcelain
with Julie Maddocks DATE: Saturday August 5 TIME: 10:00am - 3:00pm COST: $125 or $115 BFF members SLIP: liquid clay, which is carefully prepared to a fine, smooth quality and poured into moulds If you love delicate objects, traditional shapes and the translucence of fine porcelain you will be intrigued by this unusual workshop with experienced practitioner Julie Maddocks. This is an opportunity to learn how to create porcelain work yourself from home and set up your own unique in-house studio. Or just relax and enjoy the day as you create using one of the finest and most beautiful materials available. Julie will provide slip ready-made and teach you how to prepare the mould, as well as initiate you into the fine art of pouring to achieve the smoothest result. Once your piece is ready to unmould, you’ll decorate your work with a variety of mark-marking techniques such as incising, carving, hole making, attaching, adding coloured clay by inlaying, impressing with lace, or using stencils. All the techniques will be demonstrated. This workshop includes the firing of your finished piece at the Cooroy Butter Factory Pottery. Your unique piece will be available for pick up within three weeks of the workshop date. |
Julie Maddocks Julie’s fascination with porcelain started over thirty years ago, starting with porcelain onglaze, graduating to slip casting and making her own moulds. With a life-long love of art, she holds workshops and classes in a variety of disciplines from her gallery in Ipswich, QLD. She has had success in numerous QLD competitions and is also a regular art judge at the EKKA and the Gold Coast Show. |
|
Seas & Skies: Charcoal for Beginners and Enthusiasts with Shyanne Clarke DATE: Saturday July 29 TIME: 10:00am - 3:00pm COST: $135 or $125 BFF members Let’s dive into the fundamentals of charcoal and explore your mark making style in a full day workshop with Shyanne Clarke. Using seas and skies as our subject, build the confidence to use charcoal as part of your art practice. Whether you are a very beginner or charcoal enthusiast, there will be something for you in this workshop to learn and enjoy. This workshop will cover: Charcoal fundamentals Characteristics of waves and clouds Creating a dynamic composition Drawing technique Artwork application and mark making techniques Finishing a piece and how to store it. Advanced techniques like soy milk, ink, acetone. You will leave the workshop with 2 finished artworks and the confidence to keep building your own pieces at home. Please bring: Willow charcoal (thick & thin) Jumbo compressed charcoal Kneadable eraser Mono Tombow eraser (Best brand here) |
|
Hinterland Raku Firing
|
Carol will include glazes and provide pots for $10 each if you don't make your own.
Please note early start. Morning tea included. Please BYO lunch. Carol Watkins Carol has been making pots for 16 years and specialises in alternative and atmospheric firing, including raku, naked raku and saggar. She is drawn to its quick, exciting and unpredictable process, which can give rise to spectacular results. |
|
Freedom & Fun: Working with Big Brushes
with Lizzie Connor DATES: Saturday June 24 TIME: 10.00am - 3.00pm COST: $140 or $130 BFF Members In this workshop, Lizzie Connor will guide you through the process of using strong and decisive brush strokes from your shoulders and elbows to create large and bold paintings. Working with big brushes is a great way to loosen up your work; rather than getting stuck on the finer details. Throughout the session, you will develop brush skills and mark making techniques specific to big brushes. |
|
|
Altering Forms: the art of throwing larger vessels with Dennis Forshaw DATE: Saturday June 17 TIME: 10am - 3pm COST: $165 or $155 BFF members This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to observe and learn directly from master potter Dennis Forshaw, whose renowned stunning wheel-thrown work, altered forms and perfected technique are the result of mindset, consistency and pure talent. Dennis will teach first by demonstration (learning by proximity: the traditional observational relationship to the artist by an apprentice) and will then invite you into practising his techniques (learning kinaesthetically). He will then gently launch and guide you towards creating the larger forms he specialises in: working with two vessels or more to make a larger piece. Dennis will teach his precise methods from start to finish. Learn the correct posture and handholds, how to join more than two vessels in five different ways, how to firm the clay body and turn the perfect foot ring. Be ready to let go of any preconceptions and habituated methods and come with a mind wide open for learning. Students are welcome to film any aspect and are encouraged to ask questions at any point. Dennis talks as he works, describing the reasons for his approach and uses this interaction as a valuable teaching. |
Suitable for intermediate to advanced potters, but early career potters are most welcome. Exposure to Dennis’s techniques will be of immense benefit to all those who seek improvement. Clay included. Morning tea provided. BYO lunch.
Dennis Forshaw With more than 30 years at the wheel behind him, professional potter, teacher and mentor Dennis Forshaw is known both internationally and at home. His large vessels follow formal design elements which are metamorphic in essence, generating powerful visual and emotional impacts in the viewer. Creating works that speak for themselves is central to Dennis’s process. His mastery of glaze and its relationship to form, space, and light is the result of 20 years of research and testing. |
On Fire: Winter Raku
|
Carol Watkins
Carol has been making pots for 16 years and specialises in alternative and atmospheric firing, including raku, naked raku and saggar. She is drawn to its quick, exciting and unpredictable process, which can give rise to spectacular results. WEAR long pants, long sleeved shirts, closed-in shoes and bring a mask. SUITABLE for all levels, even those with no pottery experience. Morning tea provided. BYO lunch. |
