Natural felt making and artist yarn with Norton Fredericks

Natural Felt making workshop

Join Norton Fredericks for this workshop where participants will be guided how to mindfully create humanity’s oldest fabric, wool felt. Felt is an ancient craft practice that combines soapy water and wool to create a sustainable biodegradable material. Create bespoke surface design with natural fibres of hemp and flax and stitch a personal symbol for manifestation.

During the workshop, Norton will be sharing about their arts practise as a queer indigenous artist who is thinking critically about the intersection between art and science.

About Norton:

Norton Fredericks (they/ he) is an early career interdisciplinary visual artist and workshop facilitator. Norton has mixed European and Aboriginal Australian (Murri) heritage and currently lives on Kombumerri Country, Gold Coast. Norton’s practice-based research often sits at the intersection between art and science examining the external forces that impact on both the human experience and the environment around us. Their work explores themes of environmental threats, post naturalism, queer ecologies, and their intersecting identity. They create using predominantly historical pre-industrial techniques across fibre, textiles, metals, pottery and photography mediums while drawing from their knowledge of chemistry, environmental sustainability and ancient crafts. Norton imbues their work with geographical memories and examines how environmental variables respond with materials.

Please arrive before 10 to make a cuppa, grab morning tea and get settled. We will also be having a shared lunch at the conclusion of the workshop. Please bring a plate to share.

Participants are recommended to bring an old towel and are invited to bring an art journal or diary for symbol making.

Munimba-ja is supported through the Australian Government’s Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. And the mob tix supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund - a partnership between Queensland Government, through Arts Queensland, and Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.