From the very first Jumpers and Jazz in July in 2004, the textile art workshop program has been the quiet achiever of the festival. Over 600 individuals have participated in the popular program that provides opportunities for keen beginners and curious established artists to learn from renowned textile artists.
This year’s festival offers a multitude of craft opportunities at various locations throughout the festival.
Warwick Art Gallery has invited popular tutor Wendy Bailye to return to the festival to teach this year. Wendy’s Warm Winter Slipper class is back by popular demand with participants learning how to design and make their own cosy felt footwear. Wendy will also teach how to make delightful “on trend” felted bowls in her Sculptural Felted Pods workshop.
Killarney Art Gallery will also offer a feltmaking workshop by Kirby Sue Lyons where participants will learn to make felted flowers to adorn hats and other garments. Helen Whiting will also be a guest at the Killarney Art Gallery to teach a short collage workshop using paper and found objects to create a unique and personal canvas.
One of the most admired celebrity textile artists in Australia, Prudence Mapstone, will return to teach her unique “scrumbling” technique to ten lucky workshop participants. Prudence’s freeform style involves combining small pieces of knitting and crochet into patches (scrumbles), which can later be joined together to form a unique and extremely tactile fabric. Prudence travels the world teaching her unique technique and will be exhibiting a remarkable 7 metre long piece of scrumbling called Fifty Years of Flower Power at Warwick Art Gallery during the festival.
The Grafton Rose Bed and Breakfast will host six Anne Mitchell workshops during the festival. Anne has developed her own range of fabric dyes and will teach students her unique method of fabric colouring to make their own coloured silk scarf and pair of silly socks. Deborah Wheeler, owner of Grafton Rose Bed and Breakfast, is enthusiastic about welcoming students to one of the workshops.
“The workshops are fun and very safe using non toxic dyes,” says Deb, “the beauty of Anne’s workshop is that everyone has a ball and gets to make their own hand coloured scarf or pair of socks to take home with them.”
Popular Warwick textile artist Del Bryant was a runaway success with her Arm Knitting workshops sold out in two days at last year’s festival.. No knitting experience is necessary to join one of three classes she is teaching at Warwick Art Gallery this year. Arm knitting is a quick and easy way to make warm and cozy winter accessories. Del will teach this exciting and quick way to knit that doesn’t require needles or hooks – you just use your arms to create chunky looking scarves with a casual and informal appeal.
Allora’s Leah Kelly has also registered to teach several workshops during the festival where students can learn to make their own unique pendant combining Cabochons, bead embroidery and fringing techniques.
If you would like to indulge your creative side and join the fun and camaraderie of a workshop you can find all the information and booking details on the Jumpers & Jazz in July website www.jumpersandjazz.com.