The Summer Do

BMW X3. Photo Supplied

Once again, the Quarry Summer Do is upon us, maintaining its tradition as New Zealand's oldest multi-media summer school with plenty of hype and excitement leading up to the event.

Held from January 8-12 at the Quarry, the school is an intensive five-day workshop with six different courses.

This summer, they include: woodwork, printing on clay, printmaking, fine art, bone carving, mould making and silver, and 3D Metal work/sculpture. All courses are led by exceptional tutors who are a mix of both locals and nationals, with one coming from as far afield as Oklahoma, USA.

The Summer Do was first held 31 years ago and Quarry Arts Centre Manager Ali Goodman says every year it has been well-received by both participants and tutors.

"The Summer Do is the longest-running mixed media summer school in New Zealand and a massive success every year with a huge variety of tutors and workshop content."

Ali says courses encourage a supportive, social and stimulating environment, providing the opportunity to learn from and with experienced artists and peers.

"Once again, Creative New Zealand have seen the value of the school and provided sponsorship to ensure the quality of tutors on offer too."

This includes importing a printmaking tutor from America.

"Marwin Begaye is particularly excited to be coming as Whangarei is a whole new experience for him. He is an extremely talented, internationally-known tutor and artist who we are very lucky to have."

In addition, two acclaimed wood-workers – Granville Haworth and Don Coutts - provide a comprehensive overview of wood-working techniques. This course will lead to the creation of beautifully-formed and finished items. Using lathe, carving and embellishment techniques, including texturing, pyrography, resin in-lay and colouring, students will be exposed to both the structural and aesthetical possibilities of wood.

A new concept this year with the bone carving and silver fusion workshops involves combining the talents of well-known artist and tutors Dave Taylor and Jenny Crundwell. Students will have the opportunity to, not only, carve their own intricate designs in bone, but make a mould and cast a silver replica of their design.

Award-winning artist and experienced tutor Kate McLean is coming to Whangarei to share her talent for printing on clay. Utilising various forms of printing onto clay, students will have the opportunity to experiment with several different techniques and explore tessellations, pattern and colour on clay forms.

Internationally-acclaimed tutor Linda Sabbage leads a journey, and practice through art history. Students will take inspiration from classical masters, modernist movements and contemporary artists as they use traditional, alternative and contemporary painting and drawing skills. The week will include some motivating, fun exercises and insightful ideas to spark off own visual vocabularies.

Students can also join local and superstar metal artist Pete Brammer in a five-day workshop to create their own piece of 3D sculpture from metal while learning blacksmithing, hammering, cutting and welding.