Victorian Bushfires

Our sincerest sympathies go to all the people in Victoria who lost family or friends in the recent bushfires. I’m sure we can speak for all people in the arts communities who were shocked and saddened by the tragedy.

For those who lost homes and gardens and beautiful bushland, we hope you can regain the hope and belief that life can be rebuilt and that through it all the connection to others is the most profound healing experience one can have.

If you would like to donate money to the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Fund and assist individuals and communities affected by the devastating bushfire please go to the Australian Red Cross website or call 1800 811 700.

Tutor feature: Graham Hay

Paperclay Sculpture

My art practise is based upon two simple things. Paper and clay. I create and fire paperclay sculptures, and carve compressed paper sculptures.

After my first demonstration in 1993, I begun to receive regular requests for workshops and demonstrations. The number of requests has been consistent for the last decade, at about a dozen per year. Read more >

Workshop focus: STURT - Contemporary Australian Craft Centre

Winter School: 13-17th July, 2009

STURT is a centre for the teaching, sale, production and exhibition of contemporary Australian craft and design situated at Mittagong, in the Southern Highlands of NSW. STURT was established in 1941 by Winifred West, creating a unique centre which has a strong tradition of studio based tuition in the crafts. Read more >

Calendar of Events

The next three months are jam packed with a large variety of workshops available for you to join and be creative.

View calendar for March 2009

View calendar for April 2009

View calendar for May 2009

Workshop review: Acrylic Landscapes – An invigorating approach with John Caldwell!

Recently Heather Ferguson attended a weekend workshop with John Caldwell, a leading Australian landscape artist with many years of experience. Here Heather spreads the good word!

Rather than an ‘art class’ John describes his workshop as sharing both how he has developed his own style, and then looking at developing the work as a series of problem solving exercises.   Read more >

Latest Tips and Tricks

• Want to Go From Amateur Artist to Pro? Eight Rules You Need to Know
  Being an artist, owning an art gallery in Los Angeles, and working for the world's largest fine art instruction program have taught me a few things about what an artist must do if he or she wishes to make a living as an artist.

  The following rules are addressed to becoming a professional fine artist working in the medium of paint. However these tips can really be applied to any medium of art, whether it be painting, poetry, or music.

  I sincerely hope they help with your artistic endeavors! Read more >

• Studio Painting
  Physically, painting in the studio differs from outdoor painting in only one respect---there is no time constraint on your efforts. The actual process of studio painting is generally the same as outdoor painting, though often more refined. Read more >
  

Chit Chat

Teresa and Stephanie

Teresa lives with her partner, Michael in bushland north of Bathurst on 500 acres. At present she is fighting a proposal to plonk a motorsports park (for up to 250 motorbikes) right in the middle of a wilderness area next door.

Teresa has also finally been given the go ahead to put weight on her broken leg. After five months of not being able to stand or walk on her leg, she is seeing the world afresh from a greater height! It looks good! That also means being able to get back into her large canvas work as she can now walk back and forth, to and from the canvas.

Stephanie is continuing her studies in Fine Arts at TAFE and this year will be focusing on sculpture and drawing. She is happy and excited to be involved in another year of learning and developing her art practice.

Stephanie loves colour. Colour and line are her preferred method of exploring emotions and feelings for subject matter, be that environment or her internal landscape.

Her current colour palette reflects the environment that she lives in – all shades of blue and green – bringing her love of the sea and the bush into all her paintings.

All for now

Teresa Spedone and Stephanie Champion