Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Workshops coming up!

I am looking forward to teaching two workshops in the next little while.

First up I will be doing a workshop with the Gold Coast Calligraphers on Sunday 29 May in Brisbane.

I offered a couple of options and they chose a day of fun and exploration - taking calligraphy off the page and onto surfaces as diverse as timber, metal and perspex. Whilst I love beautiful writing and appreciate the skill and time and effort that goes into creating calligraphic masterpieces, I find that I no longer wish to pursue them for myself that much.

I am really enjoying getting words and text onto different surfaces and thought it might be nice to share and encourage others to have a go at what might seem daunting. So we'll be playing with engraving into perspex and metal, writing with ink on timber, burning into timber and much more.

We won't be attempting anything quite this big - but you can see some of the story of how it came into being herehere and here.

©2010 Fiona Dempster - Our Deepest Fear...
Engraving into rusted metal using a dremel tool - we'll definitely be having a go at this. I just love the contrast between the shiny letter and the aged and worn rusted surface.

©2010 Fiona Dempster - engraved C
More engraving fun - this time into Perspex. We'll be writing and tracing and engraving, and reversing and flipping as well! Again, not on this scale...

©2010 Fiona Dempster - Sentinels
I have also been invited to participate in the Buderim Arts and Craft Cottage's Winter School on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 June in Buderim. The group has chosen to learn my personal heartbeat script and how to do a single page binding. It will be the first time I have taught my own script - so it will be interesting to see how folk adapt it. I am a huge fan of the singe page binding - it offers so  many layout opportunities and the book opens beautifully flat - that I'm really pleased to be able to teach it.

Part of my exemplar  book from last year - embroidered onto rusted braille paper.
©2010 Fiona Dempster - Heartbeat script exemplar book, y & z
An example of a single page binding, with a modified heartbeat script as well. 

©2010 Fiona Dempster
A more regular look at the heartbeat script exemplar...

©2010 Fiona Dempster Heartbeat script exemplar


10 comments:

  1. Fiona, I know your workshops will be great!

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  2. How exciting!
    Best of luck in this "new" chapter; having "followed" you for some time and seen/read your works, I am convinced you'll be a great teacher to learn from...

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  3. I'm sure it will be great...wish I could be there!! Enjoy!

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  4. I like the look of the engraved metal and perspex (something I haven't tried...) must get that dremel out of the box again!

    have fun with all the workshops

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  5. It's a wonderful thing to release and fly with your desires - It's been a wonderful journey watching your blog and work evolve Fiona. What exciting workshops lie ahead!

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  6. Wishing I could see these close up, especially the piece that uses the braille paper. Burning into timber sounds like a great way to work as well!!

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  7. Thanks Jane - i hope folk enjoy them.

    Anna - that's very kind, thank you. I enjoy teaching and sharing and hope that people get something out of it.

    Patti - wouldn't it be fun to be at a workshop together!

    Suzi - thanks and we all need play days I reckon!

    Ronnie - the dremel works well on both surfaces I find altho it 'eats' the perspex more; always worth a play - so versatile, such fun!

    Thanks Kim - it's good to get out there and do your own thing isn't it?

    Annie - yes sometimes the internet is cruel in the way it brings things close but not close enough!

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  8. I have part of that Marianne Williamson quote hanging in my studio, but I'd rather have your piece! :) It's brilliant! The workshop sounds awesome, as lettering on different services has always seemed rather daunting to me. I hope you all have a great time.

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  9. this sounds and looks like a wonderfully exciting class!

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.