Creative Catalyst Art Program
Aeon Academy’s Creative Catalyst program is renowned for it’s inspiring & engaging Artist-led workshops. Children & Teens, aged 7 – 16, have the chance to immerse themselves in the wide world of Arts where they can unleash their creativity! They’ll spend a day creating their very own masterpiece, learning new skills and bringing their designs to life.
They’ll learn a range of ways to transform their ideas into reality, and everyone gets the opportunity to create at their own pace. The program encourages students to take the time they need to finish an artwork while exploring the process and journey of making.
Creative Catalyst champions Picasso’s famous words: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up”. Our dedicated team of art educators , led by Aeon Academy Founder & Art Director Teffany Thiedeman, all graduated from the Canberra School of Art & Design and bring their specialised skills to each of the different workshops. Children & Teens can choose between a suite of exciting workshops across a range of mediums including Ceramics, Mixed Media, Sculpture, Painting & Drawing.
Choose your next Art Adventure…
Autumn 2023 Creative Catalyst Workshops
Week 1
Monday April 10th: Public Holiday
Tuesday 11th April: Underwater Painting drawing & painting
Life beneath the waves is a great source of inspiration. Create a vision into the depths of the ocean; discover underwater worlds, shipwrecks and lost treasure, living or dying reefs and their inhabitants, possibly ocean creatures of mythology, krakens and great serpents… Participants will create an underwater masterpiece by first sketching out their design and then painting with acrylic & watercolour paints to add depth and life!
Led by Painter and Educator, Lauren Van Der Hoek
What dwells beneath the surface?
Wednesday 12th April: Autumn Landscapes drawing & oil painting
Capture a range of delicious Autumn colours and celebrate Canberra’s best season! Students will spend the morning sketching and painting in ‘plein air’ to capture a little of Yarralumla’s deciduous trees, then head inside for an afternoon of colour mixing and painting the autumn landscape at their easels. Participants will be able to work with both pencils and then oil paints over the day and will have time to experiment with a range of approaches.
Led by Painter and Educator, Lauren Van Der Hoek
Be inspired by the warm hues of Autumn
Thursday 13th: April Words of Clay ceramics
Make your words art as you transform the ancient art form of calligraphic drawing into sculpture. Blur the boundaries between writing and making as you model animals, vines, people and structures into the letters that will generate words. This ceramic workshop will allow participants to explore and test the limits of clay as they twist and shape it. The final touch will be the addition of colour as glaze is swept across the surfaces of the formed letters. All work will be fired in a kiln and ready for pick up at our next Open Day.
Led by Crafter and Educator, Lucy Marshall
What will your clay say?
Friday 14th April: Optical Illusions drawing & painting
Sometimes what the eye sees the mind can not believe! Try some mind bending optical illusions yourself during this day of drawing and painting. Explore a range of optical illusions and look at the ways they trick your brain into seeing what is not actually there. Can you create the illusion of movement on flat paper? Make a booklet to collect your illusion secrets to take-away and test at home. Work together on creating a large optical illusion in the art studio.
Led by Painter and Educator, Lauren Van Der Hoek
Optical Illusion by MC Escher
Week 2
Monday 17th April: Bird Prints printmaking
Our city is lucky to be home to many different species of birds, from raucous cockatoos, to colourful parrots and tiny, gem-like wrens. Birds can be seen everywhere around us. We will also look at birds from around the world and marvel at their diversity and beauty. Birds are used as symbols of freedom, peace and splendour on flags, shields, buildings and clothes. In this workshop we will be making a print using soft foam. Print your birds on a range of different coloured cards.
Led by Painter and Educator, Lauren Van Der Hoek
Australian birds linocut by Rachael Newling
Tuesday 18th April Imagination Map painting, drawing & more
Map making has a long and intriguing history forming a visual context for famous imaginary lands such as Middle Earth and Narnia. It is an excellent way to share your world with others. Draw a map of your imaginary land using pen, pencil and a range of paints on a large strong piece of paper. Learn how to use scale and create a key representing the terrain of your landscape.
Led by Painter and Educator, Lauren Van Der Hoek
Draw the inner regions of your mind!
Wednesday April 19th: Ceramic Leaves ceramics
Gather a collection of leaves from the garden and set to work building an imaginative range of work inspired by the leaf. From tiles, to boats to fairy chairs….we will spend some time designing and planning our clay work before looking at different ceramic techniques to bring our ideas to life. Work will be coloured with ceramic colourants and a range of ceramic decoration techniques. All work will be fired in a kiln and ready for pick up at our next Open Day.
Led by Crafter and Educator, Dora Porfirio
Create a sculpture by printing leaves into clay.
Thursday April 20th: Pixies Tea Party ceramics
Imagine a miniature tea set, painted in blue and white, perfect for tiny people to use. You could set up a party on a small table under a giant tree and invite all the pixies, fairies, and goblins you know! Explore the pleasures and skills involved in working clay on a micro scale. Here anything is possible – make a magical set of ceramic goblets, tea cups or jugs. Then add all the whimsical elements and flourishes befitting the Fae Folk. Finally finish your tiny domestic ware with some surface decoration in colour and line work using ceramic underglazes. All work will be fired in a kiln and ready for pick up at our next Open Day.
Led by Crafter and Educator, Lucy Marshall.
Who will be invited to your tea party?
Friday April 21st: Fantastic Fungi painting & drawing
Be a naturalist for a day and explore the magical world of mushrooms. Be inspired by their incredible colours, and shapes. Learn how to sketch, add texture and shade your mushrooms to express their features; spongy or leathery, smooth or textured, dry or moist. Use a range of paints to bring your fungi to life. Create imaginative compositions using the mushroom as a central focus. We will be looking at real life and images of incredible fungi.
Led by Painter and Educator, Lauren Van Der Hoek
J Tenniel’s famous illustration from Alices’ Adventures in Wonderland
Term 1
Mondays- after school 4-5.30pm
This term we welcome everyone back to Aeon with the Introduction week activity Garden Painting on easels in the Bush Tucker garden.
We then will be running afternoons of Summer Printmaking exploring various ways to make a print. We will combine painted backdrops with foam printing and also explore the art of stencilling.
In the middle of the term we will move into sculpture and be using plaster bandage to make giant fruit and other forms.
Towards the end of the term we will get into some Easter Basket Weaving using a range of fibre and materials.
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- drawing & painting
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- Year of the Rabbit
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- paper mache
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- explore colour
Tuesdays- after school 4-5.30pm
Tuesdays will start with The Introductory week activity, Rabbit Masks to celebrate Chinese New Year of the Rabbit with paper rabbit masks.
We will then settle into a paper mache project sculpting an animal form.
In the middle of the Term we will take our painting outside to observe seasonal changes and capture some tree and sky.
Tuesdays will finish with a paper lantern project to celebrate Easter.
Summer 2023 Creative Catalyst Workshops
Week 1
Monday January 9th
Colour Explosion! Drawing & Painting 
Bring your world to life with the power of colour. Colour has the power to change our moods, to make us feel relaxed or energised. Colour is used in the natural world to warn predators of poisoning danger if eaten and to attract mates. Plants use colour to bring insect pollinators to their service.
Explore the world of colour and see how artists have used colour in their works, then create your own colourful masterpiece!
Led by Painter and Educator, Lauren Van der Hoek
Tuesday January 10th
Little Folk Furniture – Ceramics
In this workshop we are drawing upon the imaginative world of the fairy folk. These secretive entities populate stories from all over the world; from the indigenous Mimis of Arnhem land to the celtic Leprechauns of Ireland.
You can create a home for the little people of the world. Assemble your collection of clay pieces and paint them with ceramic colourants in preparation for firing in a kiln. Once fired your pieces will be weatherproof – you could set up a hidden home somewhere in your garden.
All work will be available to take home at our next Open Day.
Led by Crafter and Educator, Lucy Marshall
Wednesday January 11th
Fantastic Beasts – Drawing & Painting
Bring your favourite mythological beast to life with a pencil and some paints. Look at images of dragons, mermaids, unicorns, kitsune, bunyips and more. Or perhaps you want to create your own beast…?
Learn techniques for drawing scales, feathers and fur and create something from another world.
Lead by Artist and Educator Lauren Van Der Hoek.
Thursday January 12th
Leather Book Binding – Leather & Mixed Media
Experience using one of the oldest natural, craft materials from around the world in this one day workshop. Work with an experienced leather crafter to use special tools and techniques particular to leather work.
We’ll supply a small journal for you to design a special leather cover unique to the stories and pictures you want to put inside.
Led by Leather Worker and Educator Dora Porfirio.
Friday January 13th
Freaky Friday! – Mixed Media
Celebrate everything weird and spooky on this Friday the 13th workshop!
What gives you the heebie jeebies? Spiders? Skulls? Eyeballs? Or perhaps something a little more subtle…
Today is the day to celebrate everything spooky and creepy and expand your crafting skills and more!
Led by Artist and Educator Lauren Van Der Hoek.
Week 2
Monday January 16th
Headpots – Ceramics 
Using clay, construct an original pot in the shape of a head. Perhaps an animal head, or a human head. Or maybe a human head with animal features? Will your pot have antlers? Or large ears? Maybe some tentacles…
We will be using pinch pot techniques to create a little planter that we will bring to life with different features. Clay work will be glazed and then fired in the kiln so they can grow plants in them for a very long time.
All work will be available to take home at our next Open Day.
Led by Ceramicist and Educator Ochre Bodhi
Tuesday January 17th
Pooch Pottery – Ceramics
Dingoes, dogs and wolves are the inspiration for this ceramic handbuilding workshop constructing sculptures of humanity’s oldest animal friends. Learn how to add personality and expression using different clay tools & techniques.
Come prepared with a picture of your own pooch! Or maybe you want to go for a wilder version.
Capture the fierceness, the loyalty or the cleverness of these beloved beasts in their posture and movement.
Glaze your work and it will be fired in a kiln to make a permanent sculpture.
Pieces will be ready for pickup at our next Open Day.
Led by Ceramicist and Educator Ochre Bodhi
Wednesday January 18th
Rockpool – Ceramics
Rockpools are a window into the wonders of the ocean. Each little pool can contain an incredible diversity of plant and animal life. From the elusive and dangerous blue ringed octopus, to squirtie polyps and tiny fish. Rockpools are an underwater garden, full of life and colour! In this workshop you can create your own ceramic rockpool. Assemble your rockpool collection and paint them with clay colourants.
Work will be fired and glazed and available for pickup at our next Open Day.
Led by Ceramicist and Educator Ochre Bodhi
Thursday January 19th
Magic Potion Bottles – Mixed Media
Shrinking Potion? A bit of Polyjuice perhaps? Some Elixir of Life? Or is Truth Serum more your thing?
Creative Catalyst gets mixing with this project designed to wet your whiskers… In this workshop we will be experimenting with sugar solutions, dyes, glitter, spices, herbs, scented oils and a few other top secret ingredients to produce a truly one of a kind magical potion. Combining graphic design labels, fine sculpture and found objects we will create a magic potion.
Led by Artist and Educator Lauren Van Der Hoek.
Friday January 20th
Leather Ornaments – Leather
Experience using one of the oldest natural, craft materials from around the world in this one day workshop. Work with an experienced leather crafter to use special tools and techniques particular to leather work.
Using these techniques choose from a range of leather ornaments… from wrist cuffs, brooches or hair pieces.
Led by Leather Worker and Educator Dora Porfirio
Week 3
Monday January 23rd
Clay Cacti – Clay & Mixed Media
Discover the crazy world of cacti! In this mixed media workshop, students will model their own cacti using air dried clay which they can decorate using a range of mixed media materials. Create a series of mini cacti, or maybe one larger cacti in bloom. Match your cacti with a terracotta pot and see what you grow.
Led by Crafter and Educator Dora Porfirio
Tuesday January 24th
Summer Painting – Painting
Capture a range of warm and lush Summer colours and celebrate our wet and wild Summer. Students will spend the morning sketching and painting in ‘plein air’ to capture a little of Yarralumla’s summer settings, then head inside for an afternoon of colour mixing and painting a landscape at their easel.
Participants will be able to work with both acrylic and watercolours over the day and will have time to experiment with a range of approaches.
Led by Painter and Educator Laurn Van Der Hoek
Wednesday January 25th
Drawing Australian Plants – Oil painting
HyperFocal: 0
From giant gum trees to beautiful banksias, celebrate Australian plants! Take a walk around the area for some inspiration. We will be working with a collection of native flowers and various leaf forms, complemented by images from Aeon Academy’s fabulous art library. Students can compose their own still life arrangement or go wild and paint a whole garden or bush scene.
Spend the day training your eyes and developing your oil painting skills.
Led by Painter and Educator, Lauren Van Der Hoek
Thursday January 26th PUBLIC HOLIDAY
Friday January 27th
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party – Mixed Media
Enjoy Tea Time with a twist as you design and construct your very own sculptural hat.
This is a wearable art workshop and we encourage you to let your imagination fly! From clock top hats to Bowling Hats with a swimming pool in them, here is your chance to make the zaniest hat you can conceive…
Our hats will be constructed from a base of firm foam and then we will use an immense range of materials to make the most original hats ever…
In the afternoon we will all have a very special afternoon tea/performance in our wonderful hats.
Led by Crafter and Educator Lucy Marshall.
Spring Holiday Workshops
Week 1
Monday September 26th
Gnomania- Ceramics
A Gnome for every Garden
The little people have been part of European culture for a long, long time. Gnome, Goblin, Tomte or Leprechaun, they are all related and can bring good luck to the home. Turn away from mass produced plastic garden gnomes and make your own good luck charm!
Learn a range of hand building skills to construct your very own gnome out of clay. Glaze it in your preferred colour scheme and then it will be fired in the kiln for a permanent finish.
A workshop for everyone, Gnome matter what your skill level…
Tuesday September 27th
Spring Sculpture – Recycled Materials Mobile
Inspiring plastic sculpture by Aurora Robson
This workshop invites students to rethink familiar materials and capture a little of spring’s exuberance, in a dynamic mobile sculpture. Drawing inspiration from the work of Glass sculptor Dale Chihuly, and recycled materials sculptor Aurora Robson, students will create a hanging garden, from upcycled and new materials. Flowers, fruits, foliage and seeds can all feature here. Add birds, bees and some of the buzz and movement of the season.
Wednesday September 28th
Leather Craft
Make yourself a purse from leather
Experience using one of the oldest natural, craft materials from around the world in this one day workshop.
Work with an experienced leather worker to make a small purse and learn some decorative stitching and knots to work into your design. You will use leather crafting tools and learn techniques to cut and join this strong material.
Learn some leather decoration approaches to make your individual mark.
There will also be a chance to make another small craft item such as a bookmark or charm.
Thursday September 29th
Plaster Caster Maker – Sculpture
Get ready to become something else!
Drawing upon images of masks from around the world, design your very own original mask.
This mixed media workshop utilises plaster bandage, cardboard, cutting and assembling, using a range of costume jewellery and found objects.
Most masks have exaggerated features which can make them quite scary to look at. Huge eyes, mouths and teeth.
You can be part animal or mythical beast.
What features do you want to create to bring your mask to life?
Friday September 30th
Tree Of Life – Painting & Drawing
Be inspired by trees and grow your art skills!
Trees are some of the oldest living organisms on the planet.
They are vital to life on earth and providers of shelter, food, oxygen and power. Cultures from all over the world recognise the importance of trees and their powerful symbolism; representing the cycle of life and the interconnectedness of living systems.
Take a look at some beautiful tree imagery from across the globe and images of some of the mighty and ancient trees still living today.
Be inspired to draw and paint your own Tree of Life.
We will experiment with inks, paints and different drawing materials, markers and papers to express ourselves using this wonderful symbol.
Week 2
PUBLIC HOLIDAY Monday October 3rd
Tuesday October 4th
Animal Planters – Ceramics
Get ready for Spring with an animal planter
Build your own one-of-a-kind animal planter!
Learn and develop hand building coiling techniques to build as large or as small a form you need to create the animal vessel of your choice. Investigate form, surface texture and colour, try different shapes.
Concentrate on one large piece or construct a smaller series of planters. Brainstorming and design is part of this process.
Glaze and finish your work with a waterproof glassy surface, all the planters will be fired in a kiln so they can grow plants in them for a very long time.
Wednesday October 5th
Self Portraits – Painting & Drawing
Be a model for yourself!
Self portraits are an excellent practice for the artist. They force you to have a really good look at the image in front of you- YOU!
As well as a mirror, in this class we are going to use the aid of a small instant photograph from a Polaroid camera.
A self portrait does not have to be a perfectly rendered version of a photograph, it is an opportunity to explore self expression and include symbols of important things in your life. You can use colour and scale to exaggerate parts of the picture and create impact.
We will take a look at some self portraits by famous artists to get things started.
Thursday October 6th
Nesting – Ceramics
Get your hands into clay all day!
Spend a day playing with clay and using Spring as a theme. We will explore ways to make clay butterflies & insects, flowers, nests and sprouting plants.
Have fun with garlic crushers and other marking tools to make textural and varied surfaces.
Learn ceramic techniques to create small birds, animals and other harbingers of the season.
Assemble your collection of clay pieces and paint them with ceramic colourants in preparation for firing in a kiln.
All work will be available to take home at our next Open Day
Friday October 7th
Spring Painting
If the weather is good expect some Plein Air painting and drawing.
Hooray Spring is here!
Capture a range of delicious Spring colours and celebrate Canberra’s best season! Students will spend the morning sketching and painting in ‘plein air’ to capture a little of Yarralumla’s deciduous trees bursting into life, then head inside for an afternoon of colour mixing and painting the Spring landscape at their easels. Participants will be able to work with both acrylic and watercolours over the day and will have time to experiment with a range of approaches.
Winter Holiday Workshops
Week 1.
Animal Closeups- Painting & drawing. Monday 4th July
We share the world with other animals. Sometimes as tame pets, as livestock and more rarely as wild creatures. Bring along a photo of your pet animals or work from our library of animal books. Practice quick sketching, using a range of pencils to capture the texture of animal bodies, feathery, furry, scaly and slick. Observe images of wild animals and learn some watercolour techniques for creating our animal close-up paintings.
Led by Painter and Educator, Lauren Van Der Hoek.
Take a look through animal eyes
Viking Ships- Ceramics. Tuesday 5th July
Viking longboats, Celtic coracles, Aboriginal ‘nawi’ canoes and Inuit kayaks are all inspiration for this workshop. Sail away from pots and turn your hands to the time honoured craft of sea faring vessels. Embark on this sculptural, hand-building, Ceramics workshop using techniques that incorporate figurative and abstract decoration + armoury elements. All work to be fired in the kiln and collected next Open Day.
Led by Painter and Educator, Lauren Van Der Hoek with Teffany Thiedeman, Ceramicist and Educator
Set sail for uncharted waters
Winter Scene- Oil Painting. Wednesday 6th July
Winter, the season of short days and long,nights. Here in Canberra we really get to taste the bite of winter cold and use it as inspiration for our oil painting workshop Although winter brings its own pleasures it has always traditionally been a time of introspection and quiet thought as people try to keep warm and eat food they have stored away after Autumn harvests.
Led by Painter and Educator, Lauren Van Der Hoek.
Still Life with Skulls, Paul Cezanne 1895-1900
Under the microscope- Drawing & Painting. Thursday 7th July
Truth is stranger than Fiction! Take a scientific view of the world using USB digital microscopes to explore the smallest details of objects and transform them into our own macro drawings in various shades of lead pencil. We’ll also use a hand held magnifying glass to get a focussed view of tiny things.
During this day you will practice observational drawing and use a variety of drawing and painting techniques under the guidance of Painter and Educator, Lauren Van Der Hoek.
Observe the details
Rain Sticks & other Noise Makers- Instrument making. Friday 8th July
Feel the rhythm of art in this instrument making workshop! Rainsticks, rattles and drums are some of the sound makers we will be exploring..
We’ll be using recycled materials to make percussion instruments and looking at a range of decorative techniques for personalising your work. There will be plenty of opportunities for musical moments and to try out your instruments during the day.
Led by Musician and Educator, Rai Andrews.
Week 2.
Little Folk Diorama-mixed material sculpture. Monday 11th July
Dioramas are miniature worlds in a box. The imaginative world of the fairy folk. These secretive entities populate stories from all over the world; from the Mimis of Arnhem land to the Leprechauns of Ireland. Our dioramas will be constructed of natural, gathered materials like sticks, feathers, acorns feathers combined with recycled objects.
We will work with a range of joining and making techniques to create our own Little Folk Diorama.
Led by Crafter and Educator, Lucy Marshall
Build furniture for Pixies
Marsupial Animalia-Ceramics. Tuesday 12th July
Australia is home to many unique animals. We will be exploring the Marsupials- animals with pouches. The rich diversity of marsupial wildlife ranges from tiny hopping mice to fierce carnivores like the Tasmanian Devil. Learn how to make animals out of clay using hand building techniques like pinch-pots, slabs and coiling. These creations will be painted with ceramic stains and fired in a kiln for a permanent and beautiful finish.
Led by Crafter and Educator, Dora Porfirio with Ceramicist and Educator, Teffany Thiedeman
A clay striped numbat for your garden?
Dinner on a Plate-Ceramics. Wednesday 13th July
Don’t play with your food! Unless you make it yourself…What will you make for dinner? Spag bol? Brussel Sprouts and chips? Chicken curry and rice? Use tools like garlic crushers and chopsticks to make realistic items of food. Mix colours and glaze your clay creations. They will then be fired onto ceramic plates to make a delicious permanent dinner to enjoy looking at forever.
Led by Crafter and Educator, Dora Porfirio with Ceramicist and Educator, Teffany Thiedeman
A never changing dinner!
Dragon Drawing-ink work. Thursday 14th July
The Dragon is a symbol of power across the world. From the fluid sky swimming dragons of China to the ravenous wyrms of Europe they have enchanted our imagination with stories of their savagery, wisdom and great hordes of wealth. Choose your dragon tradition and set out on a one day quest to recreate it in pencil and ink. Learn drawing techniques to sketch out your beast and bring it to life , add colour and detail with ink.
Led by Painter and Educator, Ingrid Hunter.
A JRR Tolkien dragon drawing
Leather Craft Coin Purse- Friday 15th July
Experience using one of the oldest natural, craft materials from around the world. In this one day workshop. Work with an experienced leather worker to make a small purse and learn some decorative stitching and knots to work into your design. There will also be a chance to make an other small craft item such as a bookmark or charm and individualise your work with some decoration.
Led by Crafter and Educator, Dora Porfirio.
Make a beautiful purse from natural materials
Creative Catalyst – Summer Holiday Program
Week 1
Monday 3rd January – Public Holiday
Tuesday 4th January – No Art Program today
Develop your observational skills
Wednesday 5th January – MiniBeasts – Watercolours
Truth is stranger than Fiction!
Take a scientific view of the world using hand held magnifying glasses to explore the smallest details and transform them into our own macro drawings in various shades of pencil. Take a really close look at some of the insects (and other mini beasts) around us- we’ll go hunting to find a selection of dead and living minibeasts to be our models. Take a look at old scientific illustrations from the early 1800s. Use a range of drawing tools, from fine pencils to charcoal and metallics to capture these amazing animals on quality paper.
Work with artist and painter Lauren Van Der Hoek
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Be expansive
Thursday 6th January – MEGA Painting Action Art – Acrylic Paint
Art for kids who don’t want to sit still!
Combine movement, fun and a variety of approaches – textured paints, spray bottles, splattering, throwing and more. Brilliant and dynamic artworks will be created on a large scale. A great way to combine physicality with art making and be inspired by famous painters who really used their body to move paint around!
Do wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting art actioned…
Led by artist and painter Ingrid Hunter
Clay words for anywhere
Friday 7th January – Words of Clay – Ceramics
Make your words art as you transform the ancient art form of calligraphic drawing into sculpture. Blur the boundaries between writing and making as you model animals, vines, people and structures into the letters that will generate words. This ceramic workshop will allow participants to explore and test the limits of clay as they twist and shape it. The final touch will be the addition of colour as glaze is swept across the surfaces of the formed letters.
All work will be fired in a kiln for a permanent finish.
Led by artist Lauren van Der Hoek or Isabelle Mackay-Sim
Week 2
Express yourself!
Monday 10th January – Mad Hatter’s Tea Party! – Mixed Materials
Enjoy Tea Time with a twist as you design and construct your very own sculptural Hat.
This is a wearable art workshop and we encourage you to let your imagination fly! From clock top hats to Bowling Hats with a swimming pool in them, here is your change to make the zaniest hat you can conceive…Our hats will be constructed from a base of firm foam and then we will use an immense range of materials to make the most original hats ever…In the afternoon we will all have a very special afternoon tea/performance in our wonderful hats.
Led by artist and painter Lauren Van Der Hoek.
Be inspired by mighty trees
Tuesday 11th January – The Tree – Painting & Drawing
Trees are some of the oldest living organisms on the planet. They are vital to life on earth and providers of shelter, food, oxygen and energy. Cultures from all over the world recognise the importance of trees and their powerful symbolism; representing the cycle of life and the interconnectedness of living systems.
Take a look at some beautiful trees from across the globe including mighty and ancient trees still living today. Be inspired to draw and paint your own Tree. We will experiment with inks, paints, markers and different drawing materials on paper to express ourselves using this wonderful symbol.
Led by artist and painter Ingrid Hunter
Make your own magic
Wednesday 12th January – Magic Potion Bottles – Mixed materials
Part design, part sculpture, part science experiment; enjoy a day of assembling materials and working on your graphic design skills to create beautiful bottles containing mysterious magic potions.
Use a range of materials to create intriguing components for your spell bottles and fill them with shimmering, coloured, dynamic liquid.
Create original labels for your potion bottles and take them home for a magic party!
Tell your story
Thursday 13th January – Story Bowl – Ceramics
Write your story in a bowl.
Learn how to use moulds and tools to create a range of different sized and shaped bowl forms. Have a go with scraffito, slip trailing and underglaze painting to decorate the surface with a narrative.
Learn about glazing and have your work fired to midfire temperatures (1200C) in a kiln.
Led by artist and ceramicist Isabelle Mackay-Sim
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Go searching in nature
Friday 14th January – Nature’s Treasure Hunt – Oil Painting and Drawing
Transform the ordinary into the sublime!
Go for a treasure hunt to collect flowers, fruits, various leaf forms, pine cones and other natural objects, complemented by images from Aeon Academy’s own fabulous art library. Students will paint from life and create a lustrous and original oil painting, over a full day.
Spend the day training your eye and developing your oil painting skills.
Led by artist and painter Lauren van der Hoek
Week 3
Weave your World
Monday 17th January – Yarn Bomb!- Textiles
Ojo de Dios is Spanish for Eye of God. They are simple to make and can be striking to look at. Starting here we will look at colours, textures, scale and contrast. We will also be using all recycled or found materials, including our weaving sticks.
Enjoy playing with various threads, wools, strings and wires to create a range of sculptural forms from small to very large outdoor ‘nests’.
Led by artist and painter Lauren van der Hoek
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Build magnificent monsters
Tuesday 18th January – Fantastic Beasts- Ceramics
Learn clay techniques to bring a Fantastic Beast into three dimensional life.
Phoenix, Hydra or Kitsune- the world is populated with wonderful mythical creatures to inspire your clay making. Discover techniques for making heads, bodies and legs and then covering your beast with scales, feathers or fur. Work with a wide range of ceramic tools to produce different sculptural effects.
We will finish our creations with glaze and fire them in the kiln for a permanent finish.
Led by artist and ceramicist Ochre Bodhi
Bunny Bell
Wednesday 19th January – Beautiful Bells – ceramics
Bells are sounded to call attention to a change or mark a transition: in time, in activity, or in mood. Bells and bell-like objects have been used for religious and meditative purposes in cultures all over the world, and their clear ring is associated with tranquility and peace. In this workshop you’ll develop your ceramic skills, working with pinch pots, coils, and hand-building techniques to model and construct your bells. After they’ve taken shape, you’ll look at different ways to finish them using simple slip trailing, carving, and a little bit of glaze. All bells will be fired in a kiln to produce a lovely note!
Work with artist and ceramicist Ochre Bodhi
small and beautiful
Thursday 20th January – Mini Bird Baths – Ceramics
Create miniature, beautiful birdbaths to adorn your inside pot plants or create amazing props for dioramas, fairy gardens and more.
Hand craft your ceramic water bowl and experiment with melted glass marbles to create pools of water.
Clay is a natural, non toxic and lovely material to work with allowing both functional and sculptural elements to be explored.
Led by artist and ceramicist Ochre Bodhi
birds and their shadows
Friday 21st January – Shadow drawings – Painting & Drawing
This drawing workshop will show you how to use shadows as a starting point for amazing drawings.
Using natural light, light boxes and lamp light we will cast shadows onto paper from various objects including our own bodies! We will be using a range of drawing materials, different hardness of pencils, charcoal and graphite powder and combining them with watercolour, acrylics and ink to make a large image. Work both as a group and individually.
Led by artist Lauren van Der Hoek
Week 4
Monday 24th January – Pet Portraits– Painting & Drawing
We share the world with other animals. Sometimes as tame pets, as livestock and more rarely as wild creatures. We will imagine a well loved pet (or wild animal) turned into a human and dress it accordingly.
This attribution of human behaviour and personality to animals is called anthropomorphism. If we make our portraits kind of funny they can become caricatures- where we exaggerate certain qualities- the stylishness of the fox, the clumsiness of the bulldog etc.
Led by artist and painter Lauren Van Der Hoek.
Tuesday 25th January – Succulent Pots – Ceramics
Become a master pinch pot maker and learn how to stack these basic forms together to construct more complex shapes. We will consider the requirements for drainage, balance and function in making our little pots for growing hardy succulents.
All work will be finished with ceramic stains and slip and then fired in a kiln to make them permanent
Led by artist and ceramicist Ochre Bodhi
Wednesday 26th January – Public holiday
Thursday 27th January – Babushkas – Ceramics
Babushkas are traditional wooden nesting dolls from Russia. They have captivated people’s imagination and are now found all over the world taking many, sometimes surprising, forms.
Enjoy the challenge of hand building a series of ceramic nesting figures and then decorating them with glazes. Use a range of clay techniques to decorate the surface.
All work will be fired in the kiln.
Led by artist and ceramicist Teffany Thiedeman
Easel painting is fun
Friday 28th January – Liquid Landscapes – Water Colours
Capture the movement of texture and light across a landscape to create a luminous watercolour painting in this workshop.
Drawing inspiration from an array of wonderful Australian landscape artists: Namatjira, Heysen, Penleigh Boyd and Streeton, we’ll learn how to manipulate colour transparency, intensity and temperature to make our scenes come alive.
Led by artist and painter Lauren van der Hoek
