New Art Masterclasses
Festival goers can roll up their sleeves and get creative with a new series of art classes on the Visual Art programme for the first time this year.
Curated by Carmen Ford and the National Arts Festival, the series of classes are taught by artists who are masters of their craft and include experiences such as Afro-Futurist collage making with Graeme Germond, soapstone carving with Beloved Makina and Elisha Rangwari, and learning woodcut carving and printmaking techniques with Ian Tainton.
The workshops take place in the Carinus Annex studio rooms in Donkin Street, Grahamstown, and ticket prices include materials. Most of the workshops are also suitable for children or teens.
“The workshops were introduced as a way of giving our Fringe visual artists another platform to share their skills and earn a little extra at the Festival,” Ford says.
● Friday June 29, Monday July 2, Tuesday July 3, from 10am to 12.30 and 2.30 to 5pm (double slots each day with a lunch break in between): Kuimba Shiri Stone Sculpture by Beloved Makina and Elisha Rangwari. Learn soap stone carving. For adults and children 10 years and above.
● Saturday June 30 and Wednesday July 4, at 2.30pm: Printmaking 101: Monotype/Collagraph – Turning a Leaf by Madelize van der Merwe. Experiment with monotype printing techniques, focusing on composition and layered effects of colour.
● Sunday July 1, 10am and 2.30pm: The Zen Art of the Painted Clay Bowl by Graeme Germond and Mimi van der Merwe. Paint and decorate your own classical Chinese pre-made blank rice bowl. Please note that bowls will be glazed and fired after the workshop and will be ready to be collected by participants on Friday July 6.
● Wednesday and Thursday, July 4 and 5, at 10am: Woodcutting with Ian Tainton. Learn various woodcut carving and printing techniques.
● Thursday, July 5, 2.30pm: The Art of Etching on Aluminium Plate by Mimi van der Merwe. Learn the art of eco-friendly organic aluminium plate etching.
● Friday July 6, 10am: Surreal Afro-Futurist Collage Fantasies by Graeme Germond. Get inspired by the film Black Panther and collage artist Wangechi Mutu.
● Friday July 6, 2.30pm: Printmaking 101: Linocut Relief Printing – Looking at the Insect/Natural World by Madelize van der Merwe. Spend the afternoon creating your very own linocut prints.
● Saturday July 7, 10am: Mandala Clock Workshop by molo mimi. Decorate your own working mandala clock inspired by rhythmic patterns and colour combinations, and a clock mechanism to hang on your wall.
● Saturday July 7, 2.30pm: Drawing 101: Message in a Bottle by Madelize van der Merwe. Spend the afternoon improving your observational drawing skills, working in pen, ink and experimental media.
● Sunday July 8, 10am: Printmaking 101: DrypointMessage in a Bottle 2 by Madelize van der Merwe. Participants will produce drawings (or bring drawings) which will then be transformed into drypoint prints with a focus on line.
● Most workshops cost between R150 and R200, with the clock workshop R250 or R225. See Page 11 for booking information.