Ephemeral art workshop: Shona Wilson

Yesterday my friends (Mrs Munro & Pats) and I descended upon a local property to tap into our creative side and get in touch with nature for the day. The workshop was being facilitated by an amazingly talented local artist Harriet Goodall who specialises in random weaving and also runs her own sought after workshops around the place. She had hosted one the day before and was participating in this full day workshop with us all being run by contemporary sculptor, Shona Wilson.

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Ephemeral art, by definition, is art that is very short lived and transitory. You can see some images of work here – artists like Andy Goldsworthy are probably best known for this kind of work found in nature. The idea of the work is to come to a place and create something from the objects around you, that are sensitive to the space, that make people think differently about the space that they enter. It won’t last…but for a moment the beauty is there for the insects and animals around and any people that may stumble upon it. This stuff is perfect for children – they do it instinctively every day – in my mind this is creating fairy gardens, fairy and magical creature stuff.

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We headed out into beautiful property to do some smaller exercises. Go to an area, find two objects, spend 5 minutes or so working on an idea and then moving on. We were then given words to work with – again the same thing finding an area and spending some time creating.

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Gosh it was just good to be outside. To stop and take notice of all the things around us all the time. To tap into that side of the brain and just have a crack. There’s no right or wrong…that’s always a good thing in life.

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We escaped the weather inside for some lunch and a natter before our afternoon session: spending a few hours creating a bigger piece.

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I collaborated with Mrs Munro for the afternoon session – the weather wasn’t kind with very heavy rain but we found a small protected grove that was safe from the elements and created a something. Some kind of something. A good something I think.

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We then closed the afternoon out checking out the handiwork of everyone – small and large and all a little bit special I thought.

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It was such a great day – not only beautiful but so interesting to learn something new. Have a crack at something completely differently to anything I’d done before. To chat with interesting people. To stop and listen and look around me on a different level than I’m used to. To create something. I can’t wait to get back outside and get the kids on board…we have some fairy business to attend to…and some exploring. Always exploring.

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You can find out more about Shona’s workshops here.
You can find out more about Harriet’s workshops here.

Comments

  1. How divine. That kind of day is just a balm for the soul!

  2. How utterly fantastic! Love what you and your workshop buddies created, and the passing nature of it. What a brilliant way to spend a day. Look forward to seeing what you and the girls come up with.

  3. Oh, wow. We have Harriet coming up to western rural Qld in August to give a workshop. Blessed!!!!

  4. “The Meadow (Livadi) of the ephemeral” Livadi/Thessaloniki/Greece 5/2013
    https://www.facebook.com/events/539003242797334/

  5. Lisa Mckenzie says

    That looks very special Beth ,love what you all created and it’s looks like you had a wonderful day!

  6. I love the look of this 🙂 how fun! Thanks for sharing

    • BabyMacBlogBeth says

      It was good fun Carly – so good to use a different part of my brain for a change. Hope you are having a good trip 🙂

  7. hey Beth – thanks for doing such a wonderful job of describing the day! Would it be ok for me to link your blog for the workshop to my social media sites?I am still compiling my story for the day – it should be up tonight @ http://www.shonawilson.com/blog/collaborations-nature-workshop-southern-highlands/.

    It was an incredibly wonderful experience for me too as facilitator to watch the multi- various creative responses to the environment and the rain ! 2 words to describe the group – imaginative and intrepid. Than you so much for being part of the day.

    • BabyMacBlogBeth says

      Please do! And take any images you want from here to use whenever/wherever you like! It was a wonderful day x

      • awesome -thanks! glad you enjoyed yourself! I am hosting one next week at my home near Seal Rocks if you can pass on the info to anyone you know up this way! xx

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