Workshops in the Studio

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Join our high quality workshops.

Grow your skills and nurture your creativity in our beautiful space.

When you attend our full day workshops all materials and meals – morning and afternoon teas as well as lunch – are included. This makes it easy for you to come along and enjoy the day. Our workshops and classes are held in the comfort of our air-conditioned Studio. 

Scroll down for upcoming classes and workshops.

Weekly Classes in the Studio

2023 Term One Classes

  • Weekly Classes Dates and Details

    Create Books with Kerrie Bowles

    In this six-week course students will explore the art of making books. Students will initiate and work with self-determined personal themes throughout the six weeks to create books that are unique to each student. We will begin by collecting ideas and inspiration for your book and gathering materials ready to create. Next we will look at ways of applying marks, images, colour and ideas to papers as an integral element to be incorporated into a book. We will explore simple book forms such as the accordion fold and pamphlet stitch that open up all sorts of opportunities for creative books. Simple enough to be made in a relatively short time but complex enough to become artist’s books, story books, sketching journals, travel journals and diaries. Making covers for the books will be explored as an essential part of the whole book form.
    Essential to book making is an understanding of the materials used – paper, boards, threads, etc. and the tools used in bookmaking. Students will gain knowledge of the properties and use of materials, the correct way to use tools and how to combine these to achieve a beautiful book. Access to beautiful papers for book making is included in the materials cost.
    At the end of six weeks each student will have one or more beautiful and unique books.

    Cost: $275.00 includes most materials

    Classes commencing Monday 6th March

    Class Hours: Weeks 1-4: 9am – 12pm; Week 5: 9am – 4pm Please note the final week of class is a whole day session.

    3 spots left

  • Weekly Classes Dates and Details

    Snippets of Ideas with Kerrie Bowles

    Join Kerrie in this new class for 2023 with a focus on using textiles and fabrics in combination with papers as inspiration for creating art both two and three dimensional.

    Throughout these classes you will be encouraged to experiment, explore and respond to the world around you – sometimes looking at the smallest things. Students will discover a range of techniques and ideas that can be applied to their creative practice.

    We will look at how the tiniest glimpse of nature, the smallest snippet of paper or fabric and textiles, and a small seed of an idea can lead to explorations to take your art in new and exciting directions.

    Students will be taken through a whole range of ideas and techniques to build a repertoire to utilise in their art making. These will include drawing, stitching, printmaking, using wax, exploring dyes and stains, wrapping, burning and distressing, mark making plus more. These techniques will then be applied to individual student work in both two and three dimensional forms such as collages, mixed media, small sculptures, hangings, scrolls and vessels.

    Cost: $275.00 includes most materials

    Classes commencing Wednesday 8th March

    Class Hours: Weeks 1-4: 9am – 12pm; Week 5: 9am – 4pm Please note the final week of class is a whole day session.

    3 spots left

  • Weekly Classes Dates and Details

    Life Drawing Sessions

    We held regular life drawing sessions throughout 2022 in the Studio and it was great! These sessions are not a workshop or class but rather an opportunity to come together with other artists – regardless of experience – and enjoy three hours of drawing from a live model. Kerrie will be in the Studio (and will be drawing too!) and will be available for advice and a short chat with everyone at the end of each session, however this will be an informal gathering.

    The fee for each session includes model fee, use of the Studio space and equipment including easels and drawing boards with clips, along with tea, coffee and milk for morning tea. Students bring their own drawing materials – there will be some materials including paper available for sale if you need to top up your supplies.

    You can book now for one or all sessions to secure your spot. Important note: As these sessions are limited in numbers please ensure that you are able to commit to attending before booking your spot. We need to ensure that others don’t miss out due to last minute cancellations. Thanks so much!

    Cost: $30 per session (3 hours). Maximum of 6 artists. Minimum number of 4 artists required for each session.

    Thursdays 9:00 – 12:00 each day

    Term 1 Dates

    Thursday 16th February –  1 spot available

    Thursday 30th March – 2 spots available

    Thursday 27th April –  3 spots available

To book a workshop or class.

Please email

cowpergallery@iinet.net.au

with your full name, a contact number and class or workshop choice.

One Day Workshops in the Studio

2023 Term One Workshops 

Registration and payment for our workshops occurs in two parts.

Following your expression of interest via email in one of our workshops you will be added to our list for your chosen workshop and this will be acknowledged via return email. Your place in the workshop is reserved for you at this point.

When we have enough numbers to run a workshop, or a workshop is sold out, an email with an invoice for payment in full, information on how to pay, and other details pertaining to your chosen workshop, will be sent to you. Please do not make any payment until you have received an invoice as it is only at that point, that we can confirm a workshop will run.

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    Saturday 18th February – Portrait Drawing with Harry Westera

    If we draw faces only from photos, our drawings will end up looking like … photos! In this workshop you will explore the techniques of drawing portraits starting with the basics of structural foundations using the method of the Old Masters. We start by drawing portrait heads from 3D plaster copies of sculptures from Ancient Greece and Rome, the Italian Renaissance and 19th Century France. Building from this knowledge we can then work from a live model creating realistic work guided by our observational skills. Join us and let Harry guide you to develop your drawing skills – just like our last workshop participants you’ll be amazed at what you can do! This workshop is suitable for all levels of students from beginners to those with a few more skills looking to gain more experience.

    Do you want to learn from someone who has not only studied the Old Masters drawing techniques but has also been a finalist in the Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize at Lismore Regional Gallery on several occasions? Then this is the workshop for you! Harry is a master himself at drawing and this is your opportunity to learn from a practising artist and skilled teacher who knows his stuff!

    Cost: $150.00. Includes all materials, light lunch and morning tea.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm

    SOLD OUT – Waitlist available

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    Saturday 25th February - Gel Plate Printing using Stencils with Kerrie Bowles

    HALF DAY WORKSHOP. Gel plate printing is one method of monoprinting and in this workshop we’ll be looking at how to use stencils to create simple and intricate designs. For those who are new to this type of printmaking we’ll cover the basics and then go on to look at how you can create stencils in various ways and materials to use in your printing. We’ll be looking at simple one colour prints as well as moving on to multi layered prints which can build up intricate designs for creative artmaking. We’ll be printing on a range of papers so you’ll have lots of choice to explore this fun method of printing. Gel plate printing is an easy technique to use at home with minimal equipment – Kerrie will share a recipe with you so you can go home and make your own plate and continue the fun.
    Join Kerrie for a fun morning!

    Cost: $110.00 includes all materials and morning tea.
    Please note there is no lunch included in this workshop.
    Workshop Hours: 9:00am – 1:00pm

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    Saturday 4th March - Basketmaking with Kerrie Bowles

    Many of you will remember that we held many basketry workshops with Ruth Woods from CraftSchool Oz in previous years and if you’ve visited the Gallery you will have seen that Kerrie has been making baskets ever since! At the moment Ruth is not delivering workshops in our area and with Ruth’s blessing Kerrie will now be teaching some basketmaking workshops in the Studio. In our first basketmaking workshop for 2023 Kerrie will be teaching making coiled baskets with raffia. We will also look at how we can incorporate snippets of recycled materials such as fabrics and yarns to create lovely vessels with colour and texture. We will look at how to start a basket, how to construct different shapes using the coiling method, how to build your basket form and finishing off and completing your basket. Ruth’s beautiful new book, Finding Form with Fibre, will also be available to purchase during the workshop.

    Cost: $150.00 includes all materials, light lunch and morning tea.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm

    SOLD OUT  – Waitlist available

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    Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th March - Creating & Using Decorative Papers in you Art & Creative Work with Rhonda Ellem and Kerrie Bowles

    Rhonda and Kerrie have joined forces and their extensive range of skills and knowledge, to bring you an exciting new workshop in the Studio. Join them for a two-day hands-on workshop where you’ll learn techniques of applying patterns to papers and be introduced to ways of integrating surface pattern into a range of artistic expressions.

    Day 1 you’ll make beautiful papers for your own artworks. Techniques include Suminagashi (Japanese marbling), wood graining, colour-roll blends, geli-plate monoprints, drawing with pens and markers on found paper, Momagami (kneaded paper), laminating papers and many others.

    Day 2 you’ll learn how these papers can enhance and add focal points to lino prints; how stencils are used to make creative designs for cards and tags; journal and book covers; and how these applications can create stand-alone small artworks, collages and so much more.

    Participants to bring:

    Carved lino-blocks of any size (carved blocks will also be available to use from the tutors). You may like to bring along your own collected and found papers to use and share. Pencil case with pencils, glue stick, scissors and ruler. All other materials are supplied.

    Cost: $300.00

    Morning tea is supplied on both days, participants to bring their own lunch.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm each day

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    Saturday 18th March - Painting Coastal Scenes in Watercolour with Harry Westera

    Harry is back with our first watercolour workshop for 2023. Participants will paint a variety of images of beaches, surf and headlands in different light and weather conditions using beautiful watercolours. You will develop and explore a variety of techniques and processes to express your reaction to the coastal scenes in a more loose and flowing manner. Explore the potential of wet-in-wet and drybrush painting.

    Cost: $150.00 includes all materials, light lunch and morning tea.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm

    SOLD OUT – Waitlist available

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    Saturday 1st April - Shibori & Dyeing with Indigo with Kerrie Bowles

    HALF DAY WORKSHOP. Join Kerrie for one of our all-time favourite and most popular workshops in the Studio. Indigo has been used as a dye substance for centuries and traditional ways of using it are still practiced around the world. Shibori is the technique of folding, wrapping and tying to create beautiful designs in dyed fabrics and other materials. In this workshop you will learn a little about the history of indigo and shibori, and gain experience using this beautiful dye. You will learn various ways of creating pattern on cloth and then go on to make a beautiful silk or cotton scarf ready to take home and wear at the end of the workshop.

    Cost: $110.00 includes all materials and morning tea.
    Please note there is no lunch included in this workshop.
    Workshop Hours: 9:00am – 1:00pm

    SOLD OUT – Waitlist available

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    Saturday 15th April - Papermaking with Yvonne Ledingham

    Join us in welcoming Yvonne back to the Studio for another papermaking workshop. Yvonne has been working with papermaking for over 40 years and held an exhibition at Grafton Regional Gallery in 2022 called Fibre Press. Yvonne will demonstrate various artistic effects in this exciting workshop. The workshop will focus on making cards and small artworks featuring plant fibres, along with methods to add texture and making simple tiny books. Yvonne will demonstrate different effects and participants will make simple notepaper size sheets of paper and embellish these whilst learning to embed decorative materials supplied by participants & /or by the tutor.

    Yvonne will demonstrate the creation of images using different coloured pulp (‘pulp painting’) – a technique that is hard to explain, as this technique is fairly rare. Prepared pulps (recycled select waste office paper) & some plant fibre pulp will be provided by tutor. Basic papermaking equipment will be available for you to use on the day.

    Samples of Yvonne’s work will be on display. Having given many workshops Yvonne has learnt to be flexible & will answer questions & share her skills throughout the day.

    Cost: $150.00. Includes all materials, light lunch and morning tea.
    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm

    SOLD OUT – Waitlist available

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    Saturday 22nd April - Introduction to Enamelling on Jewellery with Michelle Walker

    We have an exciting new workshop in Term 1 with artist Michelle Walker. Michelle works across a number of media including both two- and three-dimensional forms. This workshop is all about making jewellery! Join us as we explore the basics of dry enamelling using a variety of techniques. These include sifting, counter-enamelling, stencilling and other decorative methods to create a colourful enamel pendant and set of earrings. During the class you will also be introduced to vitreous kiln-fired enamelling. This course is suitable for beginners. Please note: Participants must wear fully closed-in shoes, avoid flowing & loose garments, & long hair needs to be tied up.

    Cost: $150.00 plus $30.00 materials cost payable direct to tutor in cash. Includes all materials, light lunch and morning tea.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm

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    Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th April - Colour Confidence with Kerrie Bowles

    Working with and understanding colour is a magical process but one that many people struggle with. Kerrie has been teaching The Secrets of Colour to students in her weekly classes over the past two years and has had many requests for a weekend workshop – so here it is! If you struggle with mixing paint and often end up with ‘mud’, then this workshop is for you!

    In this intensive workshop you will not only learn the theory of colour but also how to use colours that create confidence in your art making process. We will spend two days doing a deep dive into understanding how paints work, how to simplify your paint choices to create any colour you desire (and save money!), how to work with colour to create successful and confident palettes and how to love mud – yes mud is beautiful when you know how to use it correctly!  Join Kerrie for two days of colourful fun!

    Cost: $300.00 includes all materials, light lunch and morning tea each day.

    Workshop Hours: 10am – 4pm each day

  • Experienced Teachers

    All our teachers are practising artists who have extensive training combined with many years of experience. You can be assured that you will receive expert tuition and bucket loads of inspiration.
  • Beautiful Environment

    Our renovated church nestled on the banks of the Clarence River is the perfect setting for a relaxed and creative day out. Enjoy our beautiful space whilst learning new skills and relaxing by the river.
  • Delicious Food

    We provide wholesome food and drinks throughout the day to keep your energy levels high. All our food features home style baking with delicious lunches using as many local ingredients as possible - some grown in our own gardens!