Arts based workshops, a wrap up.



School holdidays at theGRID

 

 

Over the last couple of months I have been busy developing and delivering arts based workshops locally. These have been met with mixed success. Overall, I am pretty grateful for the opportunity to practice my craft and engage with other like-minded folks in the region.

 



 

September school holiday plan for arts based workshops

I have kept the region limited to South Eastern Queensland, which keeps the driving distances short, but I never travel light so sometimes I have to fit things like this (minus marquee);

HomeFest in Brisbane

....into a small car. I've picked up some tips and tricks in this short time, like understanding the importance of photo release forms and surveys (because if there's not evidence, it didn't happen), and I've also gotten better at getting myself ready for upcoming events (like remembering the camera, and float).

Rugmaking in Highfields

 

 

I also found a satisfactory wholesale supply website for a number of products that I use in bulk. This is an incredibly nerdy sentence, but it means more take-home-and-keep stuff for people that maybe want to finish projects but not drop any serious amount of money on tools or materials.

 







theGRID as part of the residency

I try to have stuff for most age groups, or at least be flexible. Sometimes, people show up and they know more about stuff then me! Glad it's only happened for the free ones so hopefully no one feels ripped off. That would be awkward. It's also good to talk shop and learn things about threads...anyone for some Z-twist wool?! What about some 4ply polyester/bamboo turqiose shibari-dyed blend for a modest cable stitch on double ended size 5 needles? Is that even possible? It's good to be able to ask someone in the know.

 

 

Macrame in Highfields

I've learnt a lot at these arts based workshops from people under ten years old as well. Patience, better listening, stronger multitasking skills, more clarity and adaptability are just the first ones off the top of my head. It's a good balance of challenge and reward and most of the kids dig it too, and will generally be successful at these workshops with a little application and focus. Like life, really. 

 

The four and under crowd still holds huge challenges, because of the disparity between their developmental level and what I was trained for (secondary/technical college).

 

But that's all part of the fun! How do I do a better job of being clear, and making sure everyone succeeds at an individual skill level? Maybe I could get some feedback? How do I frame this for all age groups and literacy levels?

 

...these are the questions of the artist/teacher. And I can't wait to find out some answers!