Artist in Residence Open day

Saturday 7 May 2022

Meet the 2022 Craft ACT Artists-in-Residence, Mel Robson, Julie Ryder and Bev Hogg.

Join them and Craft ACT for a creative open day at the historic Ready-Cut Cottage in Namadgi National Park.

Transport will be provided: a bus will depart from and return to Civic Square
Saturday 7 May, 8.30am departure; 3:40pm return
Bookings Essential by Thursday 28 April. 

Enjoy artist demonstrations and workshops and hear about the inspiration and interpretation of the park environment and its history. This is a unique chance to engage with acclaimed artists selected for this annual artist-in-residence program.

The Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre artist in residence program is supported by ACT Parks and Conservation Service. The 2022 research partner is the National Library Australia.

Morning tea will be provided at Gudgenby Ready Cut Cottage. Please bring your own packed lunch and any snacks/drinks as required.

There are two ways to attend:

1. An ACT Parks and Conservation bus will take visitors from Civic Square to Namadgi.

2. You can drive yourself, meeting the bus at 9:45am at the Namadgi Visitors Centre to travel in convoy to the cottage. 

See below for more details.

1. Bus travel

The complementary bus has strictly limited seats. Bookings Essential. If you book and then cannot attend, please cancel your booking so that others may use the seats.

The bus will leave from Civic Square on London Circuit, opposite the Canberra Theatre. Guests will board the bus at 8:30am and departure is strictly at 8:45am.

2. Self-drive option

People may choose to drive their own cars and join the open day group at the Namadgi National Park Visitor Information Centre, Tharwa, at 9.45am. Bookings are essential for both bus and self-drive participants. 

Ready-cut Cottage is located approximately 30km south of the Namadgi Visitor Centre, along Boboyan Road. Drivers must travel in with the group from the Namadgi Visitors Centre, but can leave individually.

FAQs

What are my transport/parking options for getting to and from the event?

Book a bus ticket and join a group of like-minded people as you travel to beautiful Namadgi National Park on the ACT Parks and Conservations Service charter bus. The bus will depart from the bus zone at 180 London Circuit, Canberra City near Civic Square. Departure time is 8.30am. We will return at 3.40pm.

Alternatively, you may choose to drive your own car and meet the group at the Namadgi National Park Visitor Information Centre, Tharwa, at 9.45am.

Bookings are essential for bus and self-drive participants.

How can I contact the organiser with any questions?

Please contact rachel.byron@craftact.org.au with any questions or call Craft ACT on 6262 9333.

What should I bring?

Morning tea will be provided at Gudgenby Ready Cut Cottage. Please bring your own packed lunch and any snacks/drinks as required. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring a jacket.

What are the workshops?

Postcards from Namadgi By Julie Ryder

Explore the beauty of the Namadgi National Park by capturing its essence through cyanotype. Cyanotype is a process whereby real objects (such as plants, flowers, grasses etc) are exposed using light sensitive paper to the sun, creating a beautiful blue and white record of your finds. Participants can compose their own "Namadgi Postcard" to keep or send to someone special 

Mud Maps by Bev Hog

The Open day workshop will be a practical, immersion activity based on drawing and mapping visible and invisible connections within the landscape. It involves a short walk, observing and responding to the immediate surrounding, tracing and following pathways with sensory alert. Participants will be given sturdy paper only (no conventional drawing tools, no pencils) to gather textures, rubbings, stains, marks, piercings etc directly onto their paper from their surroundings. Once garnered we return with our imprints on paper to add memory sketches recalled from our walk using implements made from natural fibres found and made in situ.

Mapping, memory and place – exploring personal geographies by Mel Robson 

“We humans have been making maps since before we discovered writing…Maps are our most primeval narrative instruments…some of the best stories I’ve ever read were maps” – Frank Jacobs

This map drawing workshop explores the ways in which we weave personal narratives into place and how we can access these narratives through mapping. Participants will be asked to draw memory maps of where they grew up, where they live now, or places special to them. These maps will then serve as a starting point to conversations and interactions that explore the personal, subjective and individual ways in which we represent place, and discover how mapping can serve as a tool for storytelling and to explore the rich connections between landscape, history and memory.

2019 artist-in-residence open day highlights

All photos from 5 foot photography