NEW SOUTH WALES

TAFTA’s inaugural CONTEXTART FORUM is soon to take place and response has been VERY good indeed. Please note the NEW workshop offerings with felt maker ANITA LARKIN (Collage for Felting for her 2-day workshop; and Sculptural Forms in Felt for her 4-day workshop). Feel free to ask for more details: tafta@iinet.net.au

This event sees TAFTA’s April FORUM move to the Blue Mountains of NSW and sees it expand in both the kinds of workshops offered, the length of them, and the number of options. As well it is non-residential. Detailed information can be found at www.tafta.org.au Find an Interactive Enrolment form at www.tafta.org.au or send an SASE to TAFTA, PO Box 38, The Gap Q4061 requesting a 12-page newsletter AND enrolment form for this event. Remember that enrolments are welcome to 1^st April 2012. But workshops are steadily filling so don’t wait to enrol – there are 1-2 places only in many of the workshops listed here, at time of posting this information.

WHAT ARE THE WORKSHOPS – WHO ARE THE TUTORS?

2-DAY (April 14/15) and 4-DAY Workshops (from noon on Monday 16^th April to noon on Friday, 20^th April) offered by:

• SUZANNE ARCHER (Aus) DRAWING AND PAINTING The Role of the Found Object

• WIM DE VOS (Aus) SCULPTURE – Perspex Design 2- and 3-Dimensional

• SUE DENNIS (Aus) SURFACE DESIGN Entree & TEXTILE SOUVENIRS Surface Design and Stitch

• DON HILDRED (Aus) DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - ESSENTIALS & INTERMEDIATE

• KIRSTEN INGEMAR (Aus) NATURAL DYEING and STITCH (4-day workshop still open)

• LIZ JENEID (Aus) MARK MAKING / PRINTS / PAPER.. .. & BOOK!(4-day workshop only)

• VIRGINIA KAISER (Aus) NATURAL BASKETRY (2-day workshop still open)

• ANITA LARKIN (Aus) COLLAGE For FELTING & SCULPTURAL FORMS IN FELT

• KEITH LO BUE (USA/Aus) COLLAGING THE FOUND OBJECT & PRECIOUS LITTLE

• PRUDENCE MAPSTONE (Aus) EXPERIMENTS IN FREEFORM & FREEFORM FABRICS

& 3-D

• GRAHAM MARCHANT (UK/Aus) STILL LIFE Jewels of the Patterned World – drawing with option of painting, (4-day workshop only)

• CATHY MOON (Aus) BEJEWELLED SHIBORI NECKWEAR (4-day workshop still open)

• GAIL MURPHY & BETTINA NISSEN (Aus) STORYTELLING – FINDING THE THREAD

• ADELE OUTTERIDGE (Aus) THE ARTISTS’ BOOK Personal Journals & Boxes and Beyond

• SAMANTHA POPE (Aus) MACHINE NEEDLE FELTING Snapshots & Beyond Backgrounds

• YVONNE TWINING (Aus) SANDAL-MAKING (2 places left only)

• MICHAEL WINTERS (Aus) DRAWING A Long Hard Look at Things & A Must For Any Medium!

2-DAY WORKSHOPS ONLY:

• JILL ELIAS (Aus) Papermaking in & from the bush

• FIONA HAMMOND (Aus) Bead the Surface

4-DAY WORKSHOP ONLY:

• KATHRYN WARDILL (Aus) Glass Bead Making

(4-day workshops with Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch, Mary Hettmansperger and Kim Thittichai have filled but it is worth asking to go on a waiting list).

DESIGN ON THE EDGE is a Braemar Gallery exhibition in Springwood in the Blue Mountains. Curated by Saskia Everingham and Jude Skeers, ‘Design on the Edge’ will have an official opening timed to coincide with the first day of TAFTA’s CONTEXTART FORUM. The opening will be held from 5:30-7pm on Saturday, April 14^th. The exhibition opening is not exclusive to CTA-F participants but definitely timed for their benefit; no RSVP needed. The exhibition runs from 6-22 April, 2012 and there will be a special open day on Monday 16^th April from 10am-2pm. Exhibiting artists include: Bhajan Atwal, Kerry Beaumont, Yvonne Chapman, Petal Davies, Pam de Groot, Helen Halpin, Margaret Proctor, Inga Hunter, Paula Miller, Sadhana Peterson, Michael Ripoll, Brigitte Sieber, Michelle Snowdon, Annabelle Solomon, Greg Somerville, Jo Steele, Christine Thompson, Vanessa Taylor, Kath Wilkinson and Anne van der Kley

Braemar Gallery is located at 104 Macquarie Road Springwood NSW 2777. It is administered by the Blue Mountains City Council. It is normally open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10am-4pm each day. Email: braemargallery@gmail.com Web: www.braemargallery.com

OPEN DAY - Embroiderers' Guild NSW 76 Queen St Concord West. Sunday 20 May, 10am - 2pm. Come and see what is happening at the Guild. ALL welcome!

  DARK PLACES FULL OF LIGHT A Fibre & Photographic Collaborative Exhibition featuring Glenese Keavney & Ollie. Venue: Shoalhaven City Arts Centre Access Gallery at 12 Berry Street, Nowra, 10 Feb – 7 March 2012. Enquiries (02) 44295444.

TEXTILE TRIO EXHIBITION at The Q Gallery - within The Q Performing Arts Centre in Crawford St, Queanbeyan. From April 24 - May 5, 2012. M - F 10 am - 4 pm. Sat 10 am - 3 pm, Sun 11 am - 3 pm. Official opening 5:30 - 7:30 pm Tuesday April 24. Special guest to open exhibition is Valerie Kirk. The Textile Trio are Fiona Hammond (surface design beadwork/textile art/jewellery), Wilma Cawley (textile art - everything from rust-dyed textiles to vibrant art quilts) and Sandra Fisher (silk and wool garments and homewares patterned/dyed with natural plant materials). Fashion parades and artist talks will be scheduled during the exhibition. Free entry. "Cash and carry" section within exhibition - many small items available, all made by the artists. More info: call Fiona Hammond on (02) 4849 4489, or email fiona@chiatanyadesigns.com.au

The QUEANBEYAN QUILTERS Biennial Exhibition will be in the Queanbeyan Conference Centre, 253 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan, 2620 from April 27-29. Entry fee is $5.00, and $3.00 for concessions and children. The exhibition features members’ quilts and some other textile items. There will be a sales table, quilt raffle and demonstration of quilting techniques. A special feature will be a display of “river quilts”: a series of quilts with a river flowing from one quilt to the next.

EVERGREEN fresh sustainable fashion presents a new generation of designers who are changing the look and feel of eco-fashion with innovative and beautiful designs. Many Australians consider sustainability when making lifestyle choices, however the process of applying these values to fashion is made difficult by the complexity of information available. Consider this cutting edge exhibition a starting point, as we highlight makers dedicated to sustainable practice and offer more ethical and environmentally conscious ways to enjoy fashion. Featuring Julia Knüpfer, Georgia McCorkill and Holly McQuillan. Showing until 24 March at OBJECT GALLERY 417 Bourke Street Surry Hills (Sydney). Open Tuesday - Friday 11am - 5pm and Saturday 10am – 5pm.

ORANGE REGIONAL GALLERY is showing VENTURE INTO PHYSICS (including the work of Karen McPherson) until 19 February 2012. “Three contemporary artists respond to some of the amazing conundrums of theoretical physics.” Sss.org.nsw.gov.lau

Maps X 11 is a group of 11 textile artists who have created “Maps: You are Here”, a travelling exhibition of maps in textiles and mixed media. Our works are contemporary and range from personal to national, concrete to abstract. Each artist has interpreted ‘map’ in a different way – to explore the coastline that Captain Cook charted, to pursue personal memories of childhood, and to explore family journeys including immigration, settlement, travel and relocation. Exploration figures large in these works, be it an intense private search for enlightenment or a broader universal study. All of these works reflect the place these artists inhabit now, in a physical and abstract sense. Maps tell us where we are, guide us to known and unknown realms and chart where we have been. Maps are multi-faceted. Geography, history, geology, migration, movement, memory, travel, genealogy … And here we are. Dates coming up: 15 March – 29 April: Museum of the Riverina, Botanic Gardens site, Wagga. Then from 31 May - 26 July: Shoalhaven City Art Gallery, Nowra.

Camden Country Quilters Guild is holding its 23 annual exhibition on the 4th/5th August 2012. There will be a large display of quilts, a challenge display, demonstration table as well as trading tables, quilt shop and food & refreshments for sale. Open Saturday & Sunday 9:30 am-4:30 pm. Entry is $6. Venue: The AH&I Hall Argyle St, Camden Enquiries; Chris 0246558293

HELLO DOLLIES: From innocent childhood toy to powerful stereotype, the symbol significance of dolls shapes and reflects both personal identity as well as societal and cultural tradition. 11 February - 22 April Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest, 86 River Road, Emu Plains p 02 4735 1100 w penrithregionalgallery.org

The 9^th Annual PORT STEPHENS ART PRIZE will be held from 27^th April – 6^th May 2012. An exhibition and sale of paintings & fibre art will be held at Port Stephens Community Arts Centre Shoal Bay Road, Nelson Bay, NSW 2315. Apart from painting sections this year the inclusion of a fibre art section offers an avenue for these artists to show their skills. For entry forms contact Robyn Killen (02.4981.3257) or Moira Coulston (02.4981.08957). Or download from website www.artscentrenelsonbay.org.au

The Arts Centre is open daily from 10am-4pm; closing Sunday 6^th May at 3p. Entry free. For a mere $15 you can join in on the Opening Night and Award Presentation on Friday 27^th April 2012 at 6:30pm. Tickets $15 each which includes Nibblies and glass of wine. Tickets available from Port Stephens Community Art Centre or at the door on opening night.

The First Tamworth TEXTILE TRIENNIAL – Sensorial Loop Travelling dates: Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, 7 April – 19 May 2012; Manning Regional Art Gallery, 13 June – 15 July 2012; Albury Art Gallery, 3 August – 15 September 2012; Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery 28 September – 18 November 2012. Manly Art Gallery & Museum, 7 June – 21 July 2013.

Julie Brennan EFTAG workshop coordinator reports: EFTAG (Eurobodalla Fibre & Textile Artists Group) is a diverse group based in the Eurobodalla Shire on the south coast of NSW. We meet monthly, hold several residential weekend workshops each year, as well as an exhibition, fashion parade of wearable art, and a retreat (to get over it all!). The residential workshops (and retreat) are held at The Pines in Tuross Head - a magnificent setting with ocean views. Tony Dyer will offer two 3-day workshops in May 2012. The details are below. Workshops are very reasonably priced (accommodation is included; self catering).
(1.) Tony Dyer INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP 3 days, May 3-6th 2012 at The Pines, Tuross. Cost (includes 3 nights accomm): members $320, non-members $370. “LEARNING FROM THE MASTERS, OPTIONS IN COMPOSITION”. For further information: Contact Julie Brennan pass@activ8.net.au 02 44743174
(2.) Tony Dyer ADVANCED WORKSHOP 3 days, May 10-13th 2012 at The Pines, Tuross. Cost (includes 3 nights accomm): members $320, non-members $370. “EXPLORING THE PAST TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE”. For further information: Contact Julie Brennan pass@activ8.net.au Phone (02) 44743174.

KIRSTEN FREDERICKS whose work is on the cover of the Feb 2012 edition of TEXTILE FIBRE FORUM will exhibit in Great Mother and Other Cavern Dwellers with Cybele Frances Cox from May the 4th -13th 2012 at Eramboo, 304 Mc Carrs Creek Rd, Terrey Hills, Sydney.

NCEATA (Newcastle Creative Embroiderers and Textile Artists Inc) annual Retreat, Fri 18^th (4pm) – Sun 20th May 2012. Kurri TAFE Conference Centre. Tutors: Jan Clark (Using imagery and a variety of mixed media techniques, and construction techniques of the small format art quilt), Lorraine Parker (Fabric manipulation and surface embellishment), Susie Bowring-Miller (Wild and woolly crochet, aka scrumbling) and Trish Hickey ("Playtime"- whimsical, playful tinkering with cardboard sculptures. Visit www.nceata.org/kurri for more information and registration forms.  Phone contact Gail 0418495708 and Bronwyn 02 4967 6434.

AUSTRALIA WIDE TWO, an excellent selected exhibition of works by members of OZQuilt Inc continues to travel and will be at ‘TheQ’ Exhibition space, Queanbeyan NSW from 6-26 February 2012. Later in the year, from 31 May to 1 July it will be at Griffith Regional Gallery NSW. www.ozquiltnetwork.org.au

Dates of the STURT WINTER SCHOOL: 4-8 July 2012. Full details of the excellent workshops (accommodation available) from www.sturt.nsw.edu.au Exhibitions coming up at STURT Gallery: April 1-May 13, KAY FAULKNER with her hand woven textiles; 26 August – 7 October MERI PEACH Basketry. Sturt Craft Centre can be found at the corner of Range Road and Waverley Parade, Mittagong and the Gallery & Shop are open every day of the year, 10am-5pm.

THE 2011 MEROOGAL ART PRIZE with the theme of Made By Hand has announced the award winners. See website: www.hht.net.au/museums/meroogal. The exhibition goes to Sturt Australian Contemporary Craft and Design, Cnr Range Road & Waverley Parade Mittagong NSW 12 February 2012 - 25 March 2012 (open daily 10am to 5pm except Good Friday, Christmas Day & Boxing Day). Then it will be at Meroogal itself, cnr Worrigee & West Sts, Nowra, 7 April – 1 July 2012. Hours: Saturday 1pm — 5pm, Sunday 10am — 5pm | Open Friday to Sunday 10am – 5pm in January | Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day. Tours on the hour.