A glorious day was enjoyed by everyone who came to Soup in a Bowl held at Sturt Pottery on Sunday 15 September, a fundraising event organised by Friends of Sturt. A huge selection of bowls was on offer, all made by the attendees of weekly pottery classes and Friends of Sturt. Once a bowl was purchased it could then be filled with a soup of the purchaser’s choice, made by our wonderful FOS volunteers. Over $4,500 was raised on the day which will go towards various initiatives determined by the FOS Committee in support of Sturt.

Applications invited for Sturt’s Artist-in-Residence programme for 2020

Once again, we encourage applications from experienced practitioners or recent graduates of the Sturt Artist-in-Residence programme. Residencies are extended in the disciplines of ceramics, jewellery/metalwork, textiles and woodwork. Four to six residencies occur at Sturt each year. Deadline for applications is 31 October.

Visit the website for full details and an application form: http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/get-involved/artist-in-residence

Please join us for the opening of our next exhibition – Sentient

New work by Rachel Wood, 29 September to 17 November

The natural landscape of the Southern Highlands inspires a stunning new exhibition of ceramic vessels by international Artist-in-Residence, Rachel Wood.

In awe of, and overwhelmed by, the Australian bush on her first residency at Sturt Craft Centre in 2013, English ceramicist,  Rachel Wood, returned to Sturt this year to make new work on site for her solo exhibition, Sentient, to be presented in the Sturt Gallery.

Rachel is known for her expressive, visceral, calm and considered vessels, each brought to life with lively and complex surfaces. The unique personal touch of human spirit and physicality of the core material are key to Rachel's practical and intellectual ethos. Every fingerprint, tool mark, rip and join, trace the journey of her making with clay, just as every footstep in the Australian bush of the Southern Highlands infuses the images and feelings in her head and heart.

The exhibition opening will take place on Sunday 29 September at 11.00am, and will be opened by special guest, Southern Highlands based ceramic artist, Elizabeth Charles.

Artists talk – Meet Rachel in the Gallery on Saturday 28 September, 10.30am-11.30am.

Sturt Summer School 2020

Summer School programme has been released with online enrolments now open.

With 24 adult courses and five one-day children’s courses, there is something on offer for everyone! A full list of courses and course details are available on the Sturt website where you can also enrol securely. Alternatively, visit the Gallery to enrol in person. The Gallery is open seven days a week from 10.00am-5.00pm.

• Interpreting the portrait through drawing with Barbie Kjar
• Experimentation, drawing and painting with ink with David Middlebrook
• Drawing matters – an introduction to drawing fundamentals with Marianne Courtenay
• Landscapes masterclass with A-F Fulgence
• Still Life: painting with acrylic with Charlotte Thodey
• Seascapes, rivers and lakes in pastel with Tricia Taylor
• Taking risks with watercolour with John Haycraft
• Sketching in watercolour with Jane Blundell
• Stories I tell: contemporary Chinese ink on rice paper with Tianli Zu
• Woodcut printmaking with Michael Schlitz
• Photography: the way we were with Robert Billington
• Drawing journeys: foldout artists books with Sara Bowen
• Surface texturing metal for jewellery making with Nicola Bannerman
• Knit, weave, lace + wire with Angharad Rixon
• Let your yarn do the talking – simple weaves with amazing yarns with Sue Walker
• Textile surface design: permission to play with Lisa Walton
• Basketry: nested forms with Mary Preece
• Interwoven: creating coil woven forms using colour, texture and expressive movement with Michele Morcos
• Spiral braided rag rugs with Ilka White
• Automated sculpture with David Archer
• Ceramics: sophisticated surfaces with Shannon Garson
• From tradition to today: handbuilding pots with Merran Esson
• Wood turning with Richard Raffan
• Wood project: warp, weft and wood – an intro to seat caning with Isabelle Moore

Sturt also offers accommodation and meal packages as well as lunches for day students.

Sturt is an endorsed provider of professional development by the NSW Education Standards Authority which makes Summer School a great opportunity for educators to expand their skills in an exciting and enjoyable environment.

Short Courses

Sturt’s next weekend of Short Courses is Saturday 21-Sunday 22 September, 9.30am-4.30pm. Places are limited so sign up today!

Knitting with wire with Angharad Rixon
Level: All | Cost: $310 + $30 materials

The ceramic canvas with Tania Rollond
Level: All | Cost: $310 + materials (TBA)

To sign up for Short Courses and for more information: http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/education/short-courses

More Short Courses will be offered on the weekend of 26-27 October.

Our current exhibition: Cadence – natural rhythm

Continues to 22 September

Rhythm, pace, patterns. Cadence surrounds us and this new exhibition at Sturt has been inspired by it.

The curators have selected 15 artists for their innovative use of traditional mediums, crafting work that is fresh and original. These are artists working to their own beat, confident in their individual cadence.

Full details of all Sturt courses, exhibitions, residency programmes and events can be found on our website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or to make a booking or enrol, call Sturt Shop on +61 2 4860 2083 or email shop@sturt.nsw.edu.au.

Mark Viner
Head of Sturt