Recent Workshops

Coptic Binding and Creative Covers workshop with Audrey Hoffmann

Coptic binding is an essential skill for those interested in creative book making and the East Gippsland Art Gallery (EGAG) has invited experienced book artist, Audrey Hoffmann, to present two, weekend workshops, one in March and one in April as part of the “Books …beyond words – evolution” artist books award program.

Over her extensive arts career Brisbane-based artist and tutor, Audrey Hoffmann, has explored a range of visual arts practices. She has had a passion for artist books for many years and she enjoys using a variety of materials and found objects in her innovative books. Audrey has extensive expertise in Coptic binding, including variations of the technique, as well as other methods of binding.

On the first day of the weekend workshop, participants will learn the Coptic stitch and basic book construction. On the second day, they will apply the Coptic stitch to books incorporating creative covers. “Students will really enjoy Audrey’s workshops, she is a great teacher,” said Margaret Mason, chairperson of the Paper Arts Gippsland East group. “Audrey inspires students and stretches their imagination by showing examples of artist books that have been made with the most unusual objects and bindings”.

The weekend of 26 and 27 of March, 9.30am to 4pm is the first workshop and 16 and 17 April is the second workshop. The format for both workshops is the same and both will be held at Community College East Gippsland.

Audrey Hoffmann Workshops – information

  • Participants to book in for one weekend or the other
  • Both days to be attended on one weekend (that is - must attend Saturday + Sunday on one weekend, or Saturday + Sunday on the other weekend). No split bookings
  • BYO lunch (and cup), tea & coffee provided

Dates:

  • Workshop 1: Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 March 2011
    • OR
  • Workshop 2: Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 April 2011

Times:

  • 9.30am – 4pm each day

Venue:

  • Community College East Gippsland
    Dalmahoy Street, Bairnsdale

Workshop 1:

  • Saturday 26 March, Room 17, & Sunday 27 March, Room 15 (Mitchell Studios)

Workshop 2:

  • 16 & 17 April, Room 15

Format: Both weekends will deliver the same workshop

  • Day 1: Coptic binding technique
  • Day 2: Creative covers with unusual materials/found objects and using Coptic stitch

Cost:

  • $120 per person per weekend
  • Additional materials fee of $10
  • Materials list to be provided on registration

Prior Registration and payment essential as numbers limited to 10 per weekend


    Workshop 1:
  • Registration by 8 March
  • Participation Fee $120 paid in full by 15 March

    Workshop 2:
  • Registration by 28 March
  • Participation Fee $120 paid in full by 5 April

EGAG thanks Community College East Gippsland for their sponsorship of

Books …beyond words – evolution
Artist book award & exhibition August 2011

Exposed stitch binding 2 day workshop with Gail Stiffe

Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 November 2010

Gail Stiffe is an experienced book artist, tutor and member of Papermakers of Victoria. Gail uses a range of unusual materials to create her artist books including, fibre paper presented in various forms, Perspex, tissue over armatures and metal.

Gail has previously presented a workshop using Perspex and demonstrated a number of binding techniques to Paper Arts Gippsland East group.

To make larger books or journals, sections need to be sewn together. Sewing is one of the most important structural elements of a book and it needs to be strong and secure if the book is to be used regularly. Using different stitches, tapes or cords or distinctive stab bindings all add visual interest to the book.

Gail’s workshops are informative and participants leave with completed items.

Dates: Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 November 2010
9.30am for 10am start & 4pm finish
Venue: Bairnsdale & District Arts Society Hall
Cnr Anderson & Hodgson Streets, Bairnsdale
Cost: $120 for 2 days
Materials list on registration
  • BYO lunch, tea & coffee provided
  • Maximum participants 12 (there will be a waiting list in case of cancellations)
  • Registration to EGAG required by 3 November
  • Payment required by 5 November

REQUIREMENTS LIST

    Exposed Stitch Binding
  • 1 sheet square or A4 paper for cover or a sample piece of furnishing fabric needs to be flexible to fold around corners.
  • six sections of three A5 sheets of recycled paper or cartridge paper folded together.
  • two pieces of paper (A6) for lining covers, same as above.
  • two pieces of box board, mat board or similar thickness, approx. A4 size.
  • a piece of leather 35 x 6 cm, (This will be supplied)
  • double sided tape (can be off cuts from carpet laying tape), needs to be strong to hold down leather.
  • PVA, two colours of linen or embroidery thread.

    Sewn Album Binding
  • 6 squares 30 x 30 cm paper heavier that 120gsm.
  • 6 squares of thin paper for interleafing the same size (optional) should be see through paper
  • A3 piece of Bookboard, mat board or similar
  • 1 piece of medium card, 300gsm A4 size
  • ¼ metre Bookcloth or other covering material (will be supplied)
  • Some mull or other fabric
  • PVA or paste.
  • A photograph, print, decorative paper about 10 x 13 cm landscape

    Tools:
  • Bone folder
  • Steel ruler
  • Cutting knife and mat
  • Extra blade
  • Setsquare
  • Awl
  • Tapestry needle
  • 2 bulldog clips
  • Glue brush
  • Scissors
  • Pliers
  • Paintbrush
  • Three bamboo skewers each.

Books within a book

Artist book workshop

22 & 23 May 2010

Tutor: Margaret Mason

A book can be many things to many people; an artist book- conceived in a fine art context; a book as a journal for sketching or painting; a book that documents journeys, either a personal journey or a physical journey from one place to another; or a book in which to secure snippets of ephemera or inspirations for future art works.

Books within a book is a book that fulfils all of the above.

Extended pages, suspended pages, hidden compartments, pockets, books within books, attached envelopes and flip-outs enable this book to expand as more content is added.

Venue: Bairnsdale & District Arts Society Hall Cnr Hodgson & Anderson Streets, Bairnsdale
Time: 9am for 9.30am start – 4.30pm
Cost: $100 for 2 days includes A1 & A2 sheets of paper (50% deposit to secure place & balance due by Friday, April 30 or place given to next on list)
To bring: Own materials as per list Lunch & cup

Workshop

Saturday 22 May

Make structure of book, design & make inserts

Sunday 23 May

Complete the book

If time permits – create 2 smaller books

If you enjoy making books or would like to learn how to do so, this is a workshop for you, as no previous experience is necessary.

Books within a book requirements

  • Cover boards – matt board or grey board
    • 2 x 16.5cm x 18.5cm
    • 1 x 12cm x 12cm – can be light board
  • Cover paper 4 sheets decorated paper or gift wrap paper but not glossy paper - can be A4 or square
  • 6 sheets coloured paper for pages – handmade paper, photocopy paper, parchment tone or similar
  • 2 sheets of Canson Mi-Teintes paper approx. A4 size or decorated thick paper of a similar thickness 160gsm e.g. square papers from Spotlight. These can also be cut from the sheet you will need for Sunday
  • 9 sheets paper for envelopes – you will be cutting out 9 envelopes for the back of your book, pattern supplied. If you wish to use different size envelopes you may bring your own patterns but they should not be larger than A4 when spread out. You can use coloured advertisements from magazines, photo copies, inside of large business envelopes, decorated paper or plain paper that can be decorated with stamps or small items.
  • Ribbon
    • – 1 x 20cm x 3mm
    • – 2 x 50cm x 3mm
    • – 2 x 50cm x 5mm

Other requirements

  • Three watercolour paints or acrylics & three paint brushes approx. 25mm or sponge brushes (there is a lot of paper to paint).
  • Containers to mix paints and jar for water. Cloth or paper for cleaning up. Newspaper to put under your work area while painting.
  • Thread – 8 - 5 cotton perle or linen thread that suits your colour theme.
  • Tapestry needle, scissors, awl or heavy needle for putting holes in paper.
  • Ruler, pencil, rubber, bone folder, craft knife.
  • Cutting mat (a large one if you have it but you shall also need an A3 size). There will be extra large cutting mats available.
  • Double sided tape – ‘Paper Craft’ 12mm from Spotlight is ideal.
  • Stick glue, PVA glue, brush and scrap paper to glue on (old magazines ideal for this) and wax lunch paper if you have it. Something to put your glue on e.g. lid or dish.
  • Jar for water to wash brushes.
  • Wet ones, great for wiping glue off fingers.
  • Plastic bag for rubbish.
  • A couple of sheets of scrap A4 paper.

Extra books for Sunday

  • 8 x A4 pages, own decorated paper, cartridge paper, bought A4 paper, thickish pages from magazine, the more illustrations on the page the better.
  • 1 sheet Canson Mi-Teintes paper 750cm x 550cm available from Gallery Frame Makers, 12 Service Street, Bairnsdale (this can be obtained for anyone not in Bairnsdale).

Numbers limited – registration essential – either phone the EGAG on 5153 1988 or via our Contact page.

Paper Arts Gippsland East

Workshop using armatures and paper

Saturday 20, Sunday 21st March 2010

Tutor: Gail Stiffe

Well-known Melbourne and international papermaker Gail Stiffe will be holding a workshop in Bairnsdale over the weekend of March 20 & 21.

East Gippslanders will have seen Gail’s work in the 2009 East Gippsland Art Gallery’s Artists Book Award and at the Nowa Nowa “Twitters” exhibition.

    Cane will be used to make armatures for all types of paper and techniques used in this class can be applied in the making of other fine art works or objects. During the class participants will make
  • a lampshade,
  • a candle shade,
  • several sculptural shapes.
Venue: Room 17 Community College East Gippsland Dalmahoy Street, Bairnsdale
Time: 10am to 4pm both days
Cost: $110 for two days $60 for one day

Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 August 2009

Perspex workshop with Marianne Little

9.30am for a 10am start – finishes at 4pm.

This is a two day workshop where participants will learn the techniques necessary to make artist books with acrylic sheets. The emphasis will be on techniques.
Acrylics have qualities that make them an ideal material for the construction of artist books & sculptural objects.
The surface can be painted on, scratched and sanded and used as in dry point printing.

Venue: Room 17, Community College East Gippsland (formerly BACE) Dalmahoy Street, Bairnsdale.
Cost: $80 for the 2 days (includes materials fee) & to be paid by 11 August.
Participants limited to 10. BYO lunch.

Registration essential

Content of workshop

  • Techniques to be covered.
  • Cutting, filing and polishing
  • Drilling and cutting holes
  • Surface techniques
  • Engraving and dry point
  • Stencils and spray paint
  • Sanded areas
  • Additions to the surface
  • Sandwiched inclusions
  • Bindings
  • Figure 8
  • Jump rings
  • Other bindings as they arise

Outcome

Participants to make a sample book of the various techniques learnt.

Special activities for children on Saturday, 30 May

1pm – 1.30pm story telling in the East Gallery

1.45pm – 3pm make a Banksia Man!

Can't see the Banksia Man video? Please ensure you have JavaScript enabled and you have a current version of Flash Player installed.

video by Julia Featherstone, Master of Art, COFA (with permission)

Children are welcome to come along. There is no fee but if parents could register their children prior to attending it would help with arrangements.

Coptic & Tape Bookbinding workshops

with tutor Audrey Hoffmann 18 & 19 March 2009
Bairnsdale and District Arts Society Hall

Bookbinding is a specialized skill and two very popular bindings, Coptic binding and tape binding were the subject of two workshops presented by the East Gippsland Art Gallery with Audrey Hoffmann on the 18 and 19 March 2009 at the Bairnsdale and District Arts Society Hall.

The workshop on Wednesday, 18 March, covered coptic binding. Coptic binding refers to methods of bookbinding developed by early Christians in Egypt, the Copts, and used from the beginning of the 2nd century AD to the 11th century. The binding is characterised by one or more sections, sewn through their folds and attached to each other with chain stitch linkings across the spine.

Thursday’s workshop covered the technique of binding with tapes. There are many ways to add more sections to make a large book and sewing onto tapes or cords not only makes the structure stronger but also adds visual interest.

“Anyone who has tried to follow instructions on how to bind handmade books will know that there’s more to it than the illustrations and the brief, and often cryptic, text would have you believe!” said Eileen Thurgood, director, East Gippsland Art Gallery. “For anyone interested in making handmade books, artist’s books or journals binding makes all the difference to the finished product and this is a rare opportunity to learn these specialised techniques.”

Audrey Hoffmann is an established artist with many years experience as a teacher and art judge and has an extensive exhibition history. Audrey has a particular interest in handmade books and artist books and will give a short power point presentation before the workshop highlighting the diversity and innovation of this art form.

Download/view/print the full flyer >>here.

Artists’ Books Workshop

Margaret Mason conducted a well-attended artists' books workshop with the Wilderness Coast Artists at Marlo as part of the lead up to the artists' book award to be held in August 2009. It was quite an intensive day as everyone learnt the techniques of 4 very different book formats.

Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 March 2009
Ag Art at the East Gippsland Field Days

Lindenow Lionesses and the East Gippsland Art Gallery have joined forces to present a two day workshop introducing East Gippsland residents to recycled artwear concepts.

Professional costumiers will assist participants in the construction of a specially designed promotional outfit for the East Gippsland Field Days competition.

Participants will learn new techniques to use and be assisted to develop their own ideas for use in the competition.

Winners of the East Gippsland Award are eligible to enter the Australian National Titles held at Elmore Field Days each year and winners of the National Title go on to compete in New Zealand.

This is an excellent opportunity to get some ideas happening and learn how to use all that ‘good stuff’ that can be found around the farm.

These workshops are funded by a grant from the East Gippsland Shire Council, East Gippsland Arts & Heritage Alliance fund.

Contact Kerri Easton on communityarts@eastgippslandartgallery.org.au

Place: Community College East Gippsland, Dalmahoy Street, Bairnsdale
Date & Time: 9.30am – 4pm Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 March 2009

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