MARCH 16th and 17th 2024
Workshops and Presenters
NORTH WAIKATO SUTAINABLE ARTS FESTIVAL WORKSHOPS ARE FACILITATED BY EXPERIENCED ARTISTS
Sessions include workshops on oil and acrylic Painting, Writing, Maori Art (Nga Toi),, upcycled materials craft workshops, yoga classes. talks on organic gardening and bee-keeping - plus more. We aim to create an atmosphere that is inclusive and inspiring, a space to learn new skills, and collaborate to create a more sustainable world. Our workshops and presenters are listed below.
Watch this space to see what else we have planned as our program emerges. More workshops will be added.
ALL ARE WELCOME
VJEKOSLAV NEMESH oil painting workshop
VJEKOSLAV NEMESH is a multi-award winning internationally acclaimed artist. A Nemesh workshop is a journey of self-discovery to unlock the artist within. You will be truly amazed at the depth and beauty that exists within your creative mind that Nemesh will bring out of you.. All paints and tools will be supplied, but you must supply your own canvases. Register now. To secure your place in this amazing workshop a 50% deposit is required upon registration. 50% balance payment needs to be paid in full by the 15th of March 2024. Cost $150.00 per day - $275.00 for weekend. Limited spaces so book NOW. Email janecrosbieartist@gmail.com for workshop details and to register for this workshop.
Professor SELINA TUSITALA MARSH The Art of Writing Memoir
SELINA TUSITALA MARSH (ONZM, FRSNZ) is the former New Zealand Poet Laureate and has performed poetry for primary schoolers and presidents (Obama), queers and Queens (HRH Elizabeth II). She has published three critically acclaimed collections of poetry, Fast Talking PI (2009), Dark Sparring (2013), Tightrope (2017) and award-winning graphic memoirs, Mophead (Auckland University Press, 2019) and Mophead TU (2020) and is currently teaching as a full professor at Auckland University. Selina is running a writing workshop for anyone open and curious. In this workshop you will explore the Art of Memoir writing. Cost $10.00 each. Her books are available for selling (cash only or online payment) and signing. She will sign your book in person for you at the festival. Email Jane Crosbie at janecrosbieartist@gmail.com to register for Selina's workshop.
Kaiako AMBER FONUA Mahi Raranga Workshop - WORKSHOP SOLD OUT no spaces left
AMBER FONUA is currently a weaving kaiako at the Te Wananga o Aotearoa Māngere campus. Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is an indigenous tertiary education provider with over 80 campuses in New Zealand. As well as the important work of handing down ancestral teachings to a new generation of weavers, Amber is adamant that the practice of indigenous weaving can bring about healing and ongoing well-being for all those that participate.
Join us Saturday and Sunday for all day workshops and come away with a deepened understanding of the customs and skills of traditional Māori weaving, Mahi Raranga with harakeke, and take home your own craft creations. Cost $20.00 each for Saturday and $20.00 each for Sunday. All materials provided. Places are limited so book your place NOW. Don't miss out! Email Jane Crosbie at janecrosbieartist@gmail.com for workshop details and to register for Amber's workshop.
FAITH CROSBIE The Art of Yoga
Yoga is a portable art form as well as a physical activity used for fitness and wellbeing, It is also a pastime free from expensive equipment and supplies. All it requires is a willingness to explore your inner self and a sense of adventure. People use yoga not only to get fit they also use it to find inner peace, relaxation, and liberation, to find their true values so that they can live a meaningful life.
FAITH CROSBIE, Powerlifter and Yoga tutor started her own business Revive Wellness at 16 years old. As Covid forced the world into lockdown, schools shut and peoples lives ground to a halt, Faith was affected deeply by watching people suffer. She decided she wanted to help people. Faith is living proof you can do anything no matter how young or inexperienced you are, At 16 years old, prevented by Covid from working or going to school, Faith chose autonomy - to open her own business to be financially, personally, and professionally prepared in life. At 18 Faith is the Manager of her own private gym and business Revive Wellness where she empowers others, and teaches people the art of yoga and meditation to transform their lives naturally, and wellness techniques and tools to awaken their true potential. She hopes to work with youth in the future, to be a role model for young people and a motivational speaker for kids.
Join Faith in her outdoor yoga workshops in our gardens on Saturday, and Sunday. Cost per each workshop $10.00. All ages are welcome. Places are limited so book your place NOW. Don't miss out! Email Jane Crosbie at janecrosbieartist@gmail.com for details and to register for Faith's workshop.
Simon O'Connor THE ART OF BUSINESS - How to turn your Mahi into a Work of Art
There has never been a better time to start a business, to dream big, to make the impossible possible in your life. The internet has now levelled the playing field so anyone can start a business and have their voice heard. We live in the era of entrepreneurship. You just have to get your hustle together. Simon O'connor can help you get your business act together.
A Business teacher at Te Wananga O Aotearoa Simon runs 2 free business courses - the Smart Steps to Business level 3 course and the Certificate in Small Business level 4 course. Both are fees free. I know what a brilliant teacher Simon is. I did Smart Steps to Business last year. Simon encouraged me to look at business through both an artists aesthetic as well as a strategic perspective. I learnt that business can be an art as well as a science. It was in Simon's class that I learned how to plan a professional art festival. It was Simon who encouraged me to be different, to look outside the square and consider staging a very unique festival different from all the rest. We are privileged to have Simon at the festival to TALK BUSINESS. He'll be talking about teaching you how to get your business idea off the ground, and teaching you what it takes to be in business. That the 2 courses Simon teaches are free is remarkable because the standard of education and resources Te Wananga O Aotearoa offers are so high. Email Jane Crosbie at janecrosbieartist@gmail.com to register for Simons talk. Numbers are limited. .
Simon will be TALKING BUSINESS. Come meet Simon - and learn how to get your business act together. Entry by gold coin koha.
THE RE-CREATORS - Dot Art Workshop - WORKSHOP SOLD OUT - no spaces left
The ReCreators is a dynamic Social Enterprise based in Auckland and the Waikato. At the heart of their mission is the promotion of upcycling, and they achieve this by fostering a culture of do-it-yourself (DIY) through engaging community workshops and programmes. The ReCreators are on a mission to show the world how to reduce and reuse our natural resources. It’s easy, fun, creative, and sustainable. Join them on their journey.
They firmly believe that creating with reclaimed materials not only contributes to positive mental well-being but also plays a crucial role in protecting Papatūānuku, our shared environment. By choosing upcycling as a lifestyle, they actively contribute to sustainable practices and inspire others to do the same.
About the Dot Art Workshop
Join the ReCreators' Dot Art Workshop—a unique experience where artistic expression converges with sustainability. We will be using upcycled dotting tools, upcycled jars, wood and paint donated to us by Resene.
Get ready to create intricate works of art. Guided by skilled instructor, Tasha, you will discover the joy of dot art while making a positive impact on the environment. This workshop is free. Places are limited to 16 students so book your place NOW. Don't miss out! Email Jane Crosbie at janecrosbieartist@gmail.com for details and to register for the Dot Art workshop. This workshop is designed to cater to all skill levels. Please wear old clothes as you could get messy. All children under 14 must be accompanied by a care-giver or parent.
THE ECOWAREHOUSE DEMO - MAKE YOUR OWN OIL PAINT
From 100% pure and natural earth and mineral pigments and vegetable oils. With these 100% pure and natural earth and mineral oil paints you can paint like the old masters once did. Centuries ago artists had to create their own paints. Now paints are becoming so toxic artists are once again choosing to do the same. The EcoWarehouse is a New Zealand family business owned by the Balmer Family who, when it comes to sustainability, try to lead by example and 'walk the talk'. They work hard to be as sustainable as they would like to see others in the world be. On their website they summarise the measures they take as a family to be sustainable. Read their story and see how they choose their products.
https://ecowarehouse.nz/info/about-us
https://ecowarehouse.nz/info/how-we-choose-our-products
We'd like to offer a huge thanks to the EcoWarehouse for very kindly donating a selection of their own branded eco-products to be displayed at the festival for your perusal. Please feel free to come see these wonderful products. If you head to the blog page of this website you will see an article I have written on the EcoWarehouse, and a list of their products we will be displaying. In addition they have supplied artist Vjekoslav Nemesh and myself each with the Complete Eco-friendly Artists Oil Paint Kit. On Sunday March 17th in the Nemesh Art Workshop I will be using my kit to create my own oil paints which I will trial. You are welcome to come see my demo and view the pigments. It absolutely thrills me to finally have an eco-friendly alternative to the highly toxic oil paints I have to by, because that's all that's available on the market.. Thrills me even more that I can control pigment saturation of my paints, and that these pigments can be used to create pastels, watercolours, acrylics paints and I can make them myself controlling every step of the way. These naturally non-toxic paints claim to be among the most archival, UV resistant, durable and radiant paints available today. Nemesh and I will trial them and see.
Come see our demo on Sunday March 17th at 1.30 pm - and learn more about creating your own paints from pigment. Entry by gold coin koha.
THE ART OF STEAMPUNK Fashionista Lady Ursula the Pilferer - aka Woofed and Warped.
Louize Beniston, professionally known as Lady Ursula the Pilferer in Steampunk circles, will grace our festival with her divine presence. Louize is an original thinker making her own indelible mark in the New Zealand Steampunk fashion scene.
The world of fashion is comprised of historians and futurists. As a Steampunk fashionista Louize analyses Victoriana that has gone before, while focusing on the inventions of 21st century technology. The result is a unique design signature that is eclectic, elegant, eccentric, and outrageously beautiful. Louize, also officially known as 'Woofed and Warped', takes op-shop finds, and radically reworks them into upcycled Steampunk fashion statements. She is an artist who happens to use upcycled clothes as her creative medium, telling stories with fabric, colour and shape. Louize will be displaying a few of her costumes plus a work in progress showing us how she turns a duvet cover into a bustle skirt over the day. She will also bring earrings made from leftover fabric to show us her creative process with fabrics. In addition Louize will facilitate a Steampunk Tea Duel.
Come meet Louise - and learn more about Steampunk. Entry by gold coin koha.
GROW YOUR OWN COLOUR the Art of natural dyes, inks, and paints by Cathy Kenkel
Cathy Kenkel from Franklin Tree Croppers has prepared a talk for us on natural dyeing with plants you can grow in your own garden. This is a subject I have wanted to get into for a long time. I want to make my own paints - not just my own inks and dyes for watercolours and scrapbooking, but also gather my own pigments and make my own oil paints and tempera from non-toxic natural pigments. Cathy will talk about protein fibers (wool & silk), and plant fibers (cotton). Listeners will go home with the curiosity to start experimenting with the plants in and around their own homes. Natural dyeing helps cultivate a sense of connection to nature, whether you’re foraging for plants in your garden, your neighbourhood, or gathering pine cones in the woods. Cathy will introduce us to using natural ingredients as well as mordants as she shares the secrets to natural dyeing that will allow you to dye your own fabric and clothing and make colours that stay strong after washing. Imagine being an artist and being ale to grow your own colour! To whet your appetite check out the links below. Google Martha Stewart articles on natural dyes too.
https://homefarmhomestead.com/2023/05/03/how-to-make-watercolor-paint-and-ink-from-plants/
https://happeninghistory.co.uk/2018/09/04/making-natural-inks-paints-from-plants/
Come meet Cathy at 1pm Sunday March 17th - and learn more about growing your own colour and making your own natural dyes with and without mordants . Entry by gold coin koha.
JANE CROSBIE - Atea Garden
For the first time ever the festival property will be open to the public and garden tours will be offered. Jane Crosbie's garden is called Atea. (Atea - pronounced ar as in car, and tea as in pear - Atea is the Maori word for Heaven). Atea is an artists garden dedicated to sustainability, and committed to holistic and regenerative practices that improve the health of the land. Jane incorporates regenerative farming practices like sheet composting to give back to the land what it gives to us. She believes in honouring the land and treating it respectfully. Atea has no-dig gardens - meaning she doesn't dig to turn over the soil and destroy the microbiome of the soil. No-dig helps to reduce soil erosion and decreases the amount of water needed to irrigate plants.
Jane will talk about how she created the garden out of common waste products like weeds as free fertiliser, and sheet composting, and the fertility potential within both. She will talk about the importance of biodiversity and how she encourages biodiversity to use it to Atea's benefit. Biodiversity includes microbial and fungal life as well so Jane will talk about how she uses all these natural elements to work for her to increase pest and disease resistance. She'll show you the edible “weeds” she eats, many of which are great sources of vitamins and minerals. She'll show you how she saves seeds, saves water, and more. Don't miss out.
Email Jane Crosbie at janecrosbieartist@gmail.com to register for the garden tours. Numbers are limited. .
Garden tours will be available on Saturday and Sunday at 1pm. Garden Tours will cost $5.00 per person
To learn more about the garden see the website blog section. Several blog articles will feature gardening.
KATRINA WOLFF: The Art of Compost.
Should I use a worm farm or compost bin or both? Katrina Wolff is a firm believer in the transformative potential of composting, and she's eager to share her insights. There are many ways to do your bit for the environment and composting is an easy sustainable one. When we throw away green waste, such as food scraps or lawn clippings, it ends up in our landfill. Composting is an inexpensive, natural way to deal with this waste which saves you money, while improving your soil.
Compost consultant Katrina Wolff sees compost not just as waste management, but as a creative act akin to alchemy. She is of the opinion that composting can also be an art form - and compost making a performance art. As part of the sustainable arts festival, she brings her expertise and her art to the forefront, Her mission? To inspire more people to grow top-quality food and stunning flowers by harnessing the power of exquisite compost. Let's celebrate the art of composting together with Katrina Wolff as your guide.
Whether it's optimizing your worm farm or starting one with materials readily available in your home, she's here to guide you. Curious about biodynamic gardening? Katrina welcomes all questions on this approach to holistic gardening and is also in her third year of Hua Parakore verification if anyone is curious what that process is like for a home gardener. Join Katrina at her workshop, where the magic of composting meets the creativity of the sustainable arts festival. Katrina will also talk about her garden coaching, online courses, and engaging community collaborations in Tuakau and beyond.
A simple gold coin donation grants you access to a wealth of knowledge and the opportunity to cultivate a greener, more sustainable future.
NZ CARVINGS AND WOODTURNINGS - Teresa Hopkins Studio Pokeno
Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time ..... ”Thomas Merton.."
Pokeno artist Teresa Hopkins has kindly offered her studio for our festival visitors to view. Teresa has a small art studio in Pokeno, NZ, ,featuring wood turning and her carvings. plus a gallery of one off original (sometimes mixed media) paintings of all genres. - Abstract, realism, impressionism, portrait and figurative. Coming from a family of artists, as a child Teresa drew everything, progressing through the years to hold exhibitions, give demonstrations, and enter shows to win awards. Albeit not her comfort zone, preferring to concentrate on pushing boundaries to lose herself in creativity instead, without constraint or restraint. A natural curiosity to experiment and embrace her mixed heritage exploring different media led her away from painting to a dabble in sculptures and carving then on to become a semi professional woodturner for a few years with native wood, before she returned to painting again. Her beautiful art works have found homes all over the world.
Come meet Teresa - Visits welcome by appointment. Ph 021 188 5847. Free event.
ARTISTRY IN CONCRETE EXHIBITION - by Karina Sneddon - Founder of Crafty Cows Market
The wonderful thing about garden art is that it can be appreciated all year round. Concrete is all around us. So much so we take it for granted. But concrete is a beautiful, very accessible, and simple medium with which to explore creativity. North Waikato concrete artist Karina Sneddon treats concrete as the canvas for her art. With a love of concrete, a spirit of adventure, and a touch of whimsy Karina creates concrete art that can be appreciated all year round outdoors in our gardens.
Typically associated with construction, a building block for our cities and roads, concrete is so common we don't recognise it as an art medium. But over the last fifty years concrete has emerged as a free form material offering innovative opportunities for creativity. The world of concrete art is becoming so sophisticated and refined there is an annual Artistry in Concrete event held at The World of Concrete where the greatest concrete artists in the world give demos of their art. We are privileged to have Karina stage an exhibition of her work for our Festival. Karina is the founder of the Crafty Cows Market that takes place every second Sunday of the month in Pokeno Hall. She supports artists and crafts people from all over the Waikato with Crafty Cows giving them a venue to sell their work. The left photo is one example of her concrete art - an intricately marked turtle with beautiful designs all over its shell. More of her wonnderful and whimsical concrete art works will be on display at the festival
Crafty Cows Market phone Karina 021 042 2586 www.craftycows.co.nz
Come see Karina's concrete garden art as part of the Atea Artists Garden Tour. Email Jane Crosbie at janecrosbieartist@gmail.com to book a space in the tour.
