Start collecting and creating animal themed ears, tails, fake fur and other creature bits for the daily challenges and prizes.  The style you choose is totally up to you.

Pull out all your textile treasures to create wild, tame or simply amazing animal features.  If you’re clever you can create your ‘Gone Wild’ Party costume one piece at a time or if not just have fun creating the animal parts of that day.

It’s all about having fun on a simple theme.

Nanette

You’re in luck because ENROLMENTS in all 16 classes are still OPEN.

Choose from Carol Barton’s ‘Pop Up Books’, Julie Ryder’s ‘Sensational Silks’, Yvonne Twining’s ‘Luscious Leather Bags’ or consider weaving, jewellery, making a traveller’s blanket, encaustic mixed media or even extend your design skills through learning Photoshop.

I encourage you not to procrastinate any longer and to enrol now to ensure your favourite call goes ahead.  All classes need a minimum of 8 students to proceed and I must let the Tutors know at the end of March if their Workshop is to go ahead.

I do take enrolments until 11th June, but after 31st March late fees apply.

Nanette Balchin

It’s simple – just create a miniature artwork that is 20cm x 20cm in any fibre or mixed media medium.  The work should be able to be hung or could be a 3D piece such as a book, box, assemblage or sculpture.

The Theme is open.  All works are hung and a simple [new] ballot system entitles all artists who contribute their work to one fantastic artwork from a fellow student.

The cost to participate is just $20.

The 20 x 20 Exhibition raises funds for Bursaries for emerging and talented Fibre Artists.  There are 3 Bursaries available in 2012.

The more who join in the more we raise to help other Textile Artists and you’ll no doubtenjoy the creative challenge as well!!

Thanks

Nanette Balchin

Textile Artists Wrapt in Rocky 2012

But when it comes down to it art is really who I am and my way of speaking to myself and to anyone who stops and connects to the art…be it laughter, tears, confusion…expression and connection are all I seek.

It’s a bonus to be judged well by your peers and friends, not a necessity.  It’s a pleasure to share the creative self with others, leaving a mark on their hearts.

The Exhbition has many connections to Wrap in Rocky.  Peta’s assemblage work has been influenced by Wrapt Workshops with Keith Lo Bue and my boxes by BrisVegas forum with Glen Skein and workshops with Wrapt Tutor Adele Outteridge.

Amanda too has attended Keith’s workshops at Wrapt.  It’s the networks you form as much as the skills learnt at Forums that open your art to new forms of expression and push you into new territory.  The many layers of your arts practice emerge from this breadth of experiences.

Exhibitions challenge, extend and energise you.  This exhibition is a collaboration with 4 other wonderful artists and that makes it even more special and powerful.

Have a safe Silly Season and see you at Wrapt in 2012…..Nanette

Since then, a firm friendship has developed.  Rhonda, Judi and Chris’ friendship has grown over the last few years and in October they held a fabulous joint exhibition at Caretakers Artspace in Maryborough aptly titled ‘A Tangled Yarn’.

This exhibition follows the different creative journeys each have taken, and draws together the threads of their ‘Tangled Yarn’.  They hope you enjoy their journey.

One of the many wonderful things about Wrapt in Rocky 2012 is how it brings together artists from diverse backgrounds and from many places large and small across regional Australia.  Friendships form, your artist network grows, opportunities for collaboration emerge and creative serendipity happens.

To see Rhonda, Judy and Chris’ exhibition ‘A Tangled Yar’ go to www.dollyduo.com

In September 2009 I attended the Geelong forum and was lucky enough to be in Carol’s class.  I loved every minute of it.  We started with simple concertina structures and book making techniques and then moved onto easy pop-ups like mouths, eyes and geometric shapes.

As we built our confidence the shapes were combined with drawn images, multi coloured papers and various inserts into the pop ups.  Paper engineering or making the pop up components was a bit harder for me but everyone found their favourite process and created a wide range of sample pages.

My favourite structure was the Carousel an amazing 3 layered concertina book that has windows cut into each layer.  The concertina is connected at the last step so it forms a star shape when opened out revealing the many layers.  I’ve seen this structure in many texts on how to make books and I was surprised that it wasn’t a particularly difficult structure to make.

We also learnt how to make intriguing Tunnel books.  Carol was an excellent teacher and the class was relaxed and enjoyable and suitable for beginners or accomplished book artists.

Go to www.popularkinetics.com to see Carol’s amazing books.