Weekend of wonderful workshops 24 – 25 August 2024
This is a great opportunity to meet, work with and learn from some outstanding artists and makers. Samantha Tannous and Cathie Griffith are among them. Let me tell you a bit about them both and the two-day workshops they are presenting at Arts Muster 2024. Registrations are open and class sizes are small. Book and buy your tickets on the Arts Muster website.
Artist Samantha Tannous
As you may already know, Samantha Tannous is a Jervis Bay local and the founder and organiser of Arts Muster which is all about making things together. As an artist and maker herself, Sam is a firm believer in the powers of art and craft to contribute to our wellness and happiness as humans. A view I strongly share and know from my own experience.
Sam’s art practice primarily focuses on fibre and textiles but her creative practice extends beyond that in all sorts of other impressive directions. She is, for example, part of an Irish music trio called the O’Carolan Trio often playing at venues in the Jervis Bay area as well the wider Shoalhaven and interstate.
Sam has been consistently exhibiting her work in group and solo shows since 2015, and is most passionate about creating felt and mixed media sculpture. She has spent many years learning the chemistry of natural dyes and how to achieve beautiful colours and prints from plant matter onto textiles and paper.
There is an opportunity later this year, in November, to see an exhibition of Sam’s work in Sydney at Gallery 76 in Concord, called ’Self-covered Buttons’.
Samantha’s Workshop Dye and Print Fabric and Paper
I encourage you to take this opportunity to learn from a fibre artist and maker with a wealth of knowledge and experience. I have had the privilege of 1:1 instruction from Sam – I found the whole process completely fascinating. In this two day workshop Sam will help you achieve beautiful designs from folding, clamping, binding, stitching and manipulating fabrics and paper then dipping them into a variety of dye vats – including the classic favourite, indigo.
You will have plenty of time on Day One to try different dye vats and basic techniques, and on Day Two potentially move onto more complex dyeing. In this workshop Sam will:
- demonstrate some simple techniques then you can experiment with your own ideas
- provide indigo blue vats in two tones, one of these will be for steam-setting prints from materials such as leaves, onion skins and flowers
- offer a range of fabrics and paper for sale, including silk scarves that you can wear home
- provide tools such as string, clamps, arashi poles and other materials to create your designs, and
- guide you in how to use these items to create unique designs.
You are welcome to bring items of your own to work with, such as: small lengths of fabric; skeins of yarn; a cotton shirt to up-cycle; lovely papers such as cotton rag or mulberry. Indigo and natural dyes work best on natural materials such as silk, wool and cotton.
Suitable for all skill levels, ages 16+ Click here to find full information about all Arts Muster Workshops and book your place.
Artist Cathie Griffith
Cathie Griffith is a fibre and mixed media artist based in Sydney. Her artworks currently explore the idea of memory and past experiences, with the intention of prompting viewers to reflect on their own life stories.
“I often work with found and recycled objects and liken myself to a bowerbird always looking around me, searching and discovering new items to include in my art works.”
Cathie enjoys working in both two and three dimensions, combining these found treasures with other materials such as wool fibre, fabrics, paper, threads, paint and inks. Cathie’s works include artists books, sculptures, collages and painted and stitched wall pieces.
“I integrate patterns, lines and textures found in nature and the built environment into my work to enhance my stories. Incorporating drawing, painting, printing, collage and stitching, my art works come together in an organic way, experimenting with materials and techniques until my story becomes clear.”
See examples of Cathie’s work on Instagram @cathie.griffith
Cathie’s Workshop Create Books from Fabric and Paper
I have a lifelong fascination with books and book making methods; they frequently feature in my art practice. Last year I made a concertina artist book that took more than a month. Then, of course, I had to make a special book bag for it. You see I am serious about hand making books! I am especially fond of wee, handmade books like those Cathie Griffith is focusing on in her Arts Muster workshop.
This two day workshop with Cathie is an accessible opportunity to experiment, learn and make books from fabric and paper. The techniques used in the workshop will allow you to explore your creativity and produce some beautiful artists books. You can expect to leave with at least 5 completed fabric books and as many paper books as time allows.
Day One Using a variety of mixed media techniques such as printing, stamping, folding and stitching by machine or hand, and experimenting with mixed media techniques to decorate fabric and papers. Day Two Constructing various book formats using the fabrics and papers decorated on Day One.
Suitable for all skill levels, ages 16+ Registrations for Arts Muster workshops are open and class sizes are small so book and buy your tickets now to avoid disappointment.
