Alongside developing new works for future exhibition and performance, our four ArtKeeper artists have been sharing their practices and getting the community involved in their projects - with more ways to connect with their projects coming up in June.
Across March and April, musician Fletcher Babb shared some of his songs-in-progress as well as his songwriting techniques with students from Silkwood School and Palm Beach Currumbin High School. The students spent time with Fletch working up their own ideas for songs inspired by the Nerang River (which is Fletcher’s muse for the album he’s creating through ArtKeeper).
Performance-maker, Nadia Milford, and conceptual artist, Nicholas Tossmann also spent time with arts excellence students from Palm Beach Currumbin, sharing insights into their practices, projects, and how they’re evolving sustainable careers for themselves as emerging artists.
Fibre artist, Norton Fredericks, has been hard at work felting individual covers for dozens of collected river stones, which will eventually be combined to create a large-scale form in the body of work he’s developing. Over 30 community members will have made a river stone cover with Norton by the time his residency is complete, with many more to be made before this large-scale form is complete.
Nadia and Norton have also been featured storytellers at HOTA’s monthly Rainbow Story Hour, putting their creativity to work to help little readers connect with their imagination.
As we head towards the final stage of the artists’ residences, there’s are still ways you can connect with the artists and get a sneak peek of what they’ve been working on.
ArtKeeper Workshop | Botanical Printing with Norton Fredericks
Learn the foundations of botanical printing using natural dyes extracted from Australian native plants. Participants will leave with a completed silk scarf, printed paper bundles, a resource list and a slow stitched textile brooch. All materials and afternoon tea included.
Sun 11 Jun, 11am-3pm
Tickets from $80
ArtKeeper artists in conversation with Wesley Enoch AM
Join acclaimed artistic director and playwright, and our Artist Provocateur for our ArtKeeper program, in conversation with Nadia, Nicholas, Norton and Fletcher. Wesley and the artists will be reflecting back on the past eight months of their ArtKeeper journeys and sharing snippets of the works they’ve been creating.
Sat 17 Jun, 11am-12.30pm
Free - registrations required
ArtKeeper open studio with Nicholas Tossman and Norton Fredericks
Stick around after the artist talk to visit with Nicholas, Norton and Fletcher in the co-working studio space they’ve been sharing with the other ArtKeeper artists. Drop in to see and hear some of their works-in-progress, previous experiments, and chat with them about their practices.
Sat 17 Jun, 1-3pm
Free - registrations not required
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