Workshops and Courses

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        I have now machine-embroidered for forty years and painted on

silk for twenty. At all times, my approach has been experimental, and I have

tried to extend the range and depth of my knowledge and skills. This, together

with my teaching qualifications and long teaching experience, means that I am

able to offer an extensive and structured programme of courses.

 

      Organisations or businesses interested in engaging me to

      tutor should e-mail me for a complete list of courses offered.

      Please mention the name and contact details of the organisation.

      I will then snail-mail the list, together with my schedule of fees, terms and conditions.

This will not usually be available by e-mail.

    Should any courses on the list not be quite suitable for a group, I am willing to

consider constructing specific courses for them.

    As a tutor, my aim is not only to provide students with the body of knowledge

on which the course is based, but also to excite them with the possibilities which

lie ahead.

    Courses are offered under the following broad topics:

        A. Silk Painting (including Aussie Shibori)

        B. Creative Machine Embroidery (FME)

        C. Combined Courses (A and B together, or Mixed Media)

        D. Doll-associated Courses. 

   

            

    Oz Landscape (2006) 26cm x 8.5cm (10.25" x 3.375")

 

                         

      Left, above:  Angelfish Tabard-style vest (detail of angelfish on back) (1993)

      Right, above: Coral Garden by Saakia Itchins, begun in the 2007 Hobart Neptune's Garden class; machine embroidery on hand-painted silk

 

2010 Classes

Textile Art Festival 2010

25th June: User-friendly Machine Embroidery

26th & 27th June: Machine-embroidered Masks

Bookings online at www.textileart.com.au

 

Bribie Island Arts Festival 2010

17th & 18th July: Beginners' Freehand Machine Embroidery

19th, 20th & 21st July: Banksias to Beach: Bribie in machine Embroidery

NB 15th &16th July: Extra Beginners' Course (pre-Festival)

    See http://bribieartcentre.com.au/html/2010artsfestival/51/festival-home-page for details, including contacts.

 

WA Quilt, Craft and Stitch Show

30th & 31st July & 1st August: Guest Artist - display of work, demonstrations, and daily morning and afternoon illustrated lectures

Lecture details, including titles, to be advised.

3rd & 4th August: User-Friendly Machine Embroidery (At Menora Craft House)

     

Contact Mareene Aitken: mareene@trueblue-exhibitions.com.au

    or see: www.trueblue.exhibitions.com.au

 

 Other WA Workshops:

Bunbury

7th & 8th August: TBA

Margaret River

   9th, 10th, 11th & 12th August: Into the Woods! (retreat)

           

Perth

 14th & 15th August: Machine-embroidered Masks

                           

Contact Jennie Abbott: jabb1@bigpond.com

 

Grafton Artsfest, Spring 2010

25th - 30th September: Wearable Art: a Body Piece

i.e., a wearable-art garment (piece) for the adornment of the body

                 

Contact Fay Boyd: info@artsfestgrafton.com

 

Launceston, Tasmania

25th, 26th, 27th & 28th October, 2010: Machine-embroidered Masks

                             

 Contact Robyn sewknit@bigpond.net.au

 

Links

Mieke Apps, a leading New Zealand quilt and textile artist

Barbara Bilyard, another leading New Zealand quilt artist

Jenny Dowde, freeform knitting, scrumbling and polymer clay

Teena Hughes, Australian silk painter (also www.abfab-australia.com)

Lynne Stone, Australian embroiderer; amazing 3-D botanically correct re-creations

 Carol H. Straus, American quilt artist

Carol Wilkes, one of Australia's leading textile artists

 

    Contact Information

       Postal Address

            P. O. Box 39, KETTERING, Tasmania 7155, Australia

       Electronic Mail

            ken@bennett-smith.com

             or topsilk1@bigpond.com

        Telephone and Fax

            + (61)3 6267 4169

    Please note that, owing to telemarketing pests, I do not answer calls made from undisclosed numbers.

       

        Mobile: 0418 577 896 (NB: reception very poor at home. Thanks, Telstra 3G!)