How does a ‘Textile’ organisation get involved in a multi-arts event – and why in the Blue Mountains?
And where did a name like ‘CONTEXTART FORUM’ come from?...
…Suddenly this new event appeared, looking like a fait accompli. And that makes sense when you consider it’s being launched by an organisation with vast experience in running ‘Textile Forums’ – workshop based events that ‘TAFTA’ has coordinated for over 20 years now, around Australia. TAFTA being The Australian Forum for Textile Arts, Ltd.
TAFTA always looked outside the box in choosing workshop content and tutors, and over the years, mainly at Geelong Grammar School, and both Frensham and Kinross-Wolaroi School in NSW, these 20-workshop ‘FORUM’ events have included everything from Drawing to Drumming to Design Focus along with expert tutors, both Australian and international who could teach all manner of Textile Arts.
As for location, it’s hard to go past a truly beautiful part of the world that is close to a large population base (Sydney) but has a village feel to it along with a World Heritage rating and an endless supply of art-minded people. Namely The Blue Mountains. Another advantage of course is all that accommodation, so many choices, so many good options.
So it’s a natural process of evolution that resulted in a broadening of the workshop context and the 29 classes for the inaugural CONTEXTART FORUM (April 14-20 2012) that will see textiles definitely explored in a broader context, with courses in Painting, Drawing, Sculpture, Calligraphy, Photography, Jewellery, Artists Books, Traditional Wood Carving, Glass Beadmaking, Encaustic Mixed Media and Sandal & Shoe Making.
Some of the Textile Options include Surface Design and Stitch, Natural Dyeing, Basketry, Papermaking Felting, Knit & Crochet, Machine Needle Felting, Embroidery, Bead Embellishment and Buttony.
Renowned tutors from Australia and overseas are offering 2-day and 4-day workshop are very affordable prices. Especially if you enroll by December 1st, 2011 as that’s the cut-off point for the Early Bird Prices.
Why split up workshops into 2-day and 4-day choices?
What if you want to work with one particular tutor for the full 6 days? The answer – you can. Courses have been cleverly designed so they can flow from the weekend options (the 2-day workshops on Sat/Sun, April 14/15) right into the following week which ends on Friday afternoon, April 20th with a 3-hour (free) Open House for the public with Selling Bazaar, Class Displays and Merchant Hall at Springwood High School.
Why use two venues?
One at Hazlewood (Korowal School) and one at Faulconbridge (Springwood High School). The mid-Blue Mountains seemed the logical point of accessibility and rather than overload one venue with a lot of workshops, it seemed wise to use two instead, which is both more practical and less overwhelming for people. The schools that were decided upon have been extremely well organized and welcoming, so that counts too. And each is in a setting with easy access to bushland.
Find out more! And don’t miss out on the Early Bird opportunity (which ends December 1st). All details are on the TAFTA website or you can email Coordinator, Janet De Boer at
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or ring her on (07) 3300 6491. |
