Bookbinding workshop

I'm having a three day bookbinding workshop in May at Australian Tapestry Workshop

In this three-day workshop, I will introduce historical and contemporary bookbinding techniques and demonstrate how to create your own artist books using concertina and coptic bookbinding techniques. 

All materials provided.

DATE: Monday 5 - Wednesday 7 May 2014, 10am-4pm (includes 1hr lunch break)

COST: $370 per person, including all materials

VENUE: Australian Tapestry Workshop, 262-266 Park Street, South Melbourne

For more information contact ATW on 9699 7885 or email ahayward@austapestry.com.au

example of coptic binding

example of concertina binding

Fertile Ground

I'm part of a group exhibition Fertile Ground at Australian Tapestry Workshop.
It is an exhibition of work by Artists in Residence at the Australian Tapestry Workshop from 2012 to 2013. It's a celebration of the work these artists produced while at the ATW.

It's very exciting to be in an exhibition at one of my favorite places in Melbourne!

Opening party Tuesday 11 March 6 - 8pm

Exhibition runs until Friday 4 April.

Australian Tapestry Workshop
262 -26 Park St
South Melbourne

Rabbit hunt

Rabbit hunt, 2013

Rabbit hunt is a miniature book I made during an artist-in-residence at Australian Tapestry Workshop.
It's a conflict between humans who hunt and rabbits who fight back!

Rabbit hunt, 2013

I was inspired to make this when I was flipping through books on medieval tapestries.
"Rabbit Hunt with Ferrets" in 15th century and the Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries in the late 15th - 16 century really caught my eyes.

I knew Unicorn tapestries as they are often used in popular culture but it is after I started learning to weave, I realised their significance.

Rabbit hunt, 2013

There is also another suit of unicorn tapestry that really grabbed my attention called The Lady and the Unicorn.

In contrast to the Hunt of Unicorn, The suit of six lady tapestries depict five senses (taste, hearing, touch, smell and sight) plus one obscure one with beautiful red colour with dazzling millefleurs.

They are in the collection at Musée de Cluny in Paris. 

In January 2014, I'm going to see these tapestries in Paris! 

Rabbit hunt, 2013

It's a leather book!
More details are on my website.

I want more rabbits!

I want more rabbits! original book

 I want more rabbits! is a little book about multiplying rabbits I made while I was artist in residence at Australian Tapestry Workshop.

It's a concertina book with original drawings of watercolour and ink.

I want more rabbits! original book

I then decided that I also want to make a digital print version of this because I wanted to multiply these multiplying rabbits.

So I scanned and got my friend and font king Cameron to help me coordinate the books with additional cool English and Japanese fonts. 

I want more rabbits! digital print zine

I want more rabbits! digital print zine

I want more rabbits! digital print zine

They are available through me or Sticky Institute or Port Jackson Press in Melbourne at the moment!
I hope they will multiply in different locations soon.

Australian Tapestry Workshop

Left to right: Milena Paplinska, Pam Joyce, Sue Batten and Cheryl Thornton
Working on the interpretation of Juan Davila's painting for the State Library dome

I'm currently an artist in residence at Australian Tapestry Workshop.

ATW is one of two tapestry workshops in the world that produces hand-woven tapestries in collaboration with artists on a commission basis (the other one in the UK).
Australia should be very proud!!

It's a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful place to work in.

Like the residency at the Art Vault, I cannot stress enough how great it is to work there.

My initial project was to make lots of artist books, but I couldn't resist the urge to try learning the technique of weaving.

I'm just realising and appreciating how fascinating and difficult it is to be able to weave.
I think this difficulty actually makes it even more captivating as a medium because it highlights the great craftsmanship of artisans' hands and the laborious time they spend in creating monumental tapestries.

I don't think much has changed in terms of the technique that ATW's weavers employ.
It is so magical to imagine the history of this art since 15th century - the same technique in totally different environments for different purposes.

And there is a fantastic opportunity to view great tapestries coming soon!
My friend Ema Shin, former artist in residence at ATW, is shortlisted for Kate Derum Award for Small Tapestries. Opening of the exhibition and Award announcement is on Thursday 29 August at ATW.
This should be an amazing exhibition of tapestries from all over the world.

I am slightly ashamed to show but here are my practice pieces... very far from even creating my own image.

First trial - practising how to create basic shapes

Second trial - trying to create an image with not much success