Workshops

Join renowned artists and basket weavers Marion Gaemers and Lynnette Griffiths for a free workshop to make small stitched stingrays.

Using recycled rope, participants will create small stingrays that will later be used to decorate the Festival site as part of the Soaring Stingrays installation.

Free workshop at the Kipara Tropical Rainforest Retreat
1pm - 4pm Wednesday 21 Sept
1pm - 4pm Thursday 22 Sept
1pm - 4pm Friday 23 Sept

At the end of the Foreshore Festivities Day on 25 September, participants are welcome to take home their creations.

Are you the next Banksy? Tap into your inner street artist with this workshop. Explore street art techniques with experienced artist and facilitator Sandra Guy. She will introduce you to her popular stenciling and spray painting process. In this workshop, you will create your own artwork learning stenciling and spray painting techniques in the process.

Ticketed workshop at Kipara Tropical Rainforest Retreat
1pm - 4pm Saturday 17 September
All materials provided
Ages 11+

Surprise yourself as you let your imagination run wild with a colourful afternoon of painting and sipping with Amanda Sadler. Let go of the busy week as you submerse yourself into the painting process whilst sipping your favourite drinks. At the end of your session, you will have your personalised masterpiece ready to take home.

Ticketed workshop at Kipara Tropical Rainforest Retreat
3 - 6pm Saturday 24 September
Art materials included, BYO favourite drinks
Ages 18+

Urban Sketching is an international drawing movement used to document the goings on and essence of a particular place. It encompasses all styles and mediums but must be completed en plein air. Michael Pope and Aaron Ashley will take participants through selecting a scene, how to draw quickly, using shapes as reference, and adding details and tone.

Please bring a limited tool kit of a small sketchbook, pens, pencils, brushes, watercolour set, and a portable stool/chair.

Ticketed workshop on the Airlie Beach foreshore
10am - 12pm Saturday 24 September with Michael Pope
10am - 12pm Sunday 25 September with Aaron Ashley
Ages 14+

Explore how to write and illustrate a children’s story using elements hidden inside your memories. Sofia will lead you in how to create fictional characters, and how to make a simple narrative for children’s books using elements from your memories using your own style.

During the process, you will combine writing exercises witha variety of fun and simple illustration techniques that will allow you to loosen up your style. You will learn again how to be a child! By the end of the workshop, you'll create a first draft of your next (or first) amazing children’s book.

Ticketed workshop at Kipara Tropical Rainforest Retreat
9am - 12pm Saturday 17 September
All materials provided
Ages 14+

Open up your creative style with last year’s Whitsundays Art Prize winner Townsville artist Lisa Ashcroft. You will explore techniques working across various acrylic and watercolour paint activities exploring mark making, glazing and assembly.

The workshop will teach you the foundations of abstraction… or just to simply try something new and fun whilst throwing away the rule book, then to transpose your image onto a canvas by the end of the workshop.

Ticketed workshop at Kipara Tropical Rainforest Retreat
9am - 12pm Saturday 24 September
All materials provided
Ages 14+

In this workshop you will work with others to create an installation of memory boards, led by Townsville artist Amanda Sadler. You will reflect, reminisce and evoke memories that you will then draw and paint onto timber boards which will become part of the Pursuit of Happiness art installation at the festival site.

This event aims to be an inclusive workshop for the entire family, offering creative quality time to reconnect and build fresh new exciting memories and to stimulate memories of happy moments, holidays, and shared events. Please note, children must be accompanied by an adult.

Free workshop at Kipara Tropical Rainforest Retreat in Jubilee Pocket
9am - 12pm Wednesday 21 September
9am - 12pm Thursday 22 September
9am - 12pm Friday 23 September

Boards can be collected at the end of the Foreshore Festivities Day on Sunday 25 September from Fairy Tree Park on the Airlie Beach foreshore.