Art from the World

REDFERN’S CREATIVE STUDIO Work-Shop has joined forces with the Welcome Studio to run a series of new workshops taught by skilled artists who have a refugee background or are currently seeking asylum here in Australia. The Art from the World workshops present a chance for people to connect with and learn from people who’ve brought traditional skills to Australia from other countries. They’re also an opportunity for people with refugee backgrounds to share their culture and knowledge – such as storytelling traditions from Sierra Leone, or the art of political cartooning from Syria and Jordan.

Art from the World classes kick off in September and will run through October, starting with Coffee Painting ( 1.30-3.30pm, $45, Sat Sep 16) by Alwy Fadhel, who will share a resourceful craft that he learnt whilst living as a detainee in an Australian immigration detention centre.

Hilin Kazemi, a teacher from Iran, will teach participants how to make Persian Felt Animals ( 11.30am-2.30pm, $50, Sun Sep 24) over a cup of Persian tea. And in MicroMacramé Jewellery ( 10.30am-1pm,

$50, Sat Sep 30), Iranian-born Azadeh Zolfigol will share her mother’s techniques for making a micro macrame necklace.

Each workshop is taught by an artist from the Welcome Studio, which is an art focused social enterprise that supports people seeking asylum.