Free Art January 2024
Across the Summer school holidays MRAG has a bumper season of creative fun for families and young people. This includes drop-in art activities, I Spy art trail and codebreakers along with workshops and creative sessions for all ages. Everyone is welcome, bookings essential for some workshops. The Gallery is wheelchair accessible.
This program is sponsored by our Members and Cleverpatch.
Workshops and Events For Everyone
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SELF-DIRECTED ART ACTIVITIES AVALIBLE ALL JANUARY
Operation Art studio space
The Operation Art studio space is a place where you can slow down and spend time creating a cheerful, uplifting artwork to take home and enjoy, gift to a friend or hang on the wall in the gallery.
I Spy and Codebreakers
If you are looking for an art adventure grab one of our Codebreakers including the new Myth Making codebreaker and the tricky I Spy in Sleep My Horse …….. 5 August 1956 By Noel Mckenna.
Family friendly films
Friday 12 January, 5.00 pm, Where The Wild Things Are
Friday 19th January, 5.00pm, Ride Like a Girl
Family Drop inS
Monday – Friday
8 – 25 January 10.00am – 1.00 pm
Unleash Your Imagination at our drop in Family Workshops!
No bookings required, children must be accompanied by an adult.
Mythical Creature Magic
Join us for a magical and creative adventure at our Mythical Creature Magic activity station inspired by the exhibition Myth Making by Troy Emery and Kate Rohde!
Immerse yourself in the exhibition Myth Making by Troy Emery and Kate Rohde and let their artwork inspire your own mythical creation.
You will turn your wildest ideas into enchanting mythical creatures using sticky tape, paper bags, cardboard, paper fringe and magical craft materials. Let your creativity run wild as you design your very own fantastical beings!
Our experienced artist educator will provide guidance and tips to help you transform everyday materials into extraordinary art.
A world of your Own
The exhibition Sleep My Horse …….. 5 August 1956 is a whimsical adventure into the world of Noel McKenna. After viewing the exhibition create A World of your Own, with all your favourite pets, people and things, inspired by the immersive exhibition by Noel McKenna.
Operation Art Studio Extra
Our talented artist educators will be in the Operation Art Studio space to help with art tips and techniques and have a few extra art making materials available so you can create your most joyful work.
FREE ART SUNDAY
Every Sunday
10am – 12pm
Come along to Free Art Sunday, our weekly program connecting children and families with art through hands-on activities and facilitated by our friendly MRAG Art Tutors.
WORKSHOPS For Tweens
Storytelling Workshop – for the 10-12-year-old adventurers
Tuesday 9 January
10am -1pm
10 – 12 years
Step into the magical realm of storytelling with us! Spend three hours with an Upstage theatre pro and let your imagination run wild. We’ll craft characters and stories inspired by the artwork surrounding us at MRAG. Learn how to convey ideas on stage with or without words, and uncover the secrets of creating a captivating performance.
Workshop components include:
- Storytelling: Dive into the world of stories, ideas, and adventures through group and individual improvisation.
- Vocal Expression: Boost your confidence with exercises that make your voice shine.
- Physical Expression: Get your groove on with games that enhance your expressive moves, physical skills, and spatial awareness.
- Collaboration: Team up to create an awesome short performance together!
Diorama workshop with guest artist Kate Rohde
Tuesday 16 January –
10.00am – 11.30am
8 -12 years
Step into a world where you create your own a fantasy landscape inhabited with mythical creatures from your imagination with special guest artist Kate Rohde.
Clay Character Workshop with Artist Billy Bain
Thursday 18 January
10.00 am – 11.30 am
7 – 12 years
Embark on a whimsical journey into the world of Billy Bains art work in the Clay Character Workshop for kids aged 7-12.
Billy will show you some of his works and talk about his art practice to get you excited about making your own clay characters.
Make sure you wear old clothes and bring an apron or art shirt this workshop is going to be wonderfully messy.
Billy Bain is a contemporary Indigenous Australian artist of Darug descent, the traditional Aboriginal people of Greater Western Sydney. Billy has been drawing, painting and sculpting since preschool, he is now exhibiting nationally and was a first-time Wynne and Sulman prize finalist at the Art Gallery of NSW.
FREE Bookings Essential tickets for this event go on sale from the 1st of January
Mythical Creature Motion – Claymation
Thursday 25 January
10.00 am – 12.00pm
8 – 12 years
Calling all budding animators! Dive into the exciting world of animation and bring your imagination to life in Mythical Creature Motion, Claymation Workshop for Teens!
Mold your own clay characters. Learn the secrets of stop-motion animation and watch your creations come to life on the big screen!
Our experienced instructors will guide you through the entire process, sharing tips and tricks for a basic animation.
Key Highlights:
Storytelling Skills: Develop your storytelling abilities as you craft narratives for your plasticine characters. Give them personalities and watch them embark on incredible adventures!
Technical Know-How: Master the basics of stop-motion animation, from setting up your scenes to capturing the perfect frame.
FREE Bookings Essential
WORKSHOPS For Teens
From Page to Stage Site Specific Theatre Workshop – for the 13-16-year-old visionaries
Wednesday 10 January
10am -1pm
13 – 16 years
Ready to turn page-turners into stage-burners? Join an Upstage theatre pro and educator to bring stories to life on stage. Reimagine well known stories for the stage using the art and unique space at MRAG as inspo for your own adaptation.
- Creative Voice: Wear multiple creative hats, generate fresh ideas, and create your own version of a well-known tale.
- Stage Craft: Learn what makes a performance work in a unique space.
- Text Analysis: Discover ways to give depth and meaning to a script.
- Performance Skill: Experiment with your voice and physicality to shape your character.
- Evaluation: Learn how to give and receive valuable feedback through the development process.
- Collaboration: Combine your ideas to craft a live performance.
Build an Architectural Model a la Noel McKenna
Thursday 11 January
10.00am – 12.30pm
13 – 16 years
Noel McKenna left architecture school in the mid-1970s for art school. Many of his paintings feature houses and interior scenes. McKenna often places pets or animals in his work to tell a story.
In this workshop design and make your own house using architectural model-making techniques. Add a narrative layer to your house by adding Model magic pets and features.
Ignite Your Imagination in Our Mythical Creature Workshop for Teens PART ONE
Friday 12 January
10am – 1pm
13 – 18 years
Calling all teenage dreamers, artists, and adventurers! Join us for a one-of-a-kind workshop that will transport you to the realm of fantasy and creativity: “Teen Mythical Creature Mastery!”
In this captivating workshop, you’ll learn the art of transforming wire, plaster bandage, into your very own mythical creature. Unleash your imagination and bring your wildest fantasies to life through the magic of sculpting.
Express your individuality and creativity as you design and mold your mythical creature. You’ll have the freedom to choose its form, features, and personality, making each creation as unique as the artist behind it.
Learn how to combine carboard, paper and wire for structure and plaster bandage to create the form of your creature . Our skilled artist educators will guide you through each step, allowing you to experiment and create an extraordinary piece of art.
This is a two part workshop which allows the sculpture the time to dry, the final workshop is on the 19th of January where the work is painted and decorated in elaborate style.
Mythical Creature Workshop PART TWO for Teens
Friday 19 January
10.00 am – 12.00 pm
13 -18 years
This workshop is the final stage of the Mythical Creature Workshop you must have completed part one to be able to attend this workshop.
In the Mythical Creature Workshop part two you will be adding colour and bling to your creatures with paints and craft materials to bring your creation to life.
Teens Resin Casting with guest artist Kate Rohde
Wednesday 17 January
11am – 3pm
14 – 19 years
Learn the art of resin casting in a workshop with artist Kate Rohde just for teens.
A unique opportunity to work with Melbourne-based artist Kate Rohde where you will learn the essential skills for designing your own small wearable or sculptural object and simple techniques for making a mould to cast designs, using low odour, easy to handle and fast setting materials for a quick and colourful result.
You may get messy in this workshop so wear old clothes
BYO lunch and apron
FREE Bookings Essential
Clay Character Workshop with Artist Billy Bain
Thursday 18 January
1pm – 4 pm
13 – 18 years
Learn from one of the rising stars of the art world Billy Bain. Billy will give a presentation about his art works and practice to inspire you to make your own clay character.
Billy Bain is a contemporary Indigenous Australian artist of Darug descent, the traditional Aboriginal people of Greater Western Sydney. His practice unpacks and challenges presumptions of Australian Identity, subverting and humouring Australia’s colonial iconographies and narratives. Born and raised on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Bain creates work that explores his experiences as an Indigenous man existing within urban Australia, a place where he and his family’s presence and survival has been systematically denied. With a practice that spans ceramic sculpture, oil painting, etchings and installations, Bain creates new narratives that discuss a contemporary idea of what it means to be a young Indigenous person in Australia today.
FREE Bookings Essential, tickets go on sale for the 1st of January
Mythical Creature Motion – Claymation
Tuesday 23 January
1 pm -3pm
13-18 years
Calling all budding animators! Dive into the exciting world of animation and bring your imagination to life in Mythical Creature Motion, Claymation Workshop for Teens!
Mold your own clay characters. Learn the secrets of stop-motion animation and watch your creations come to life on the big screen!
Our experienced instructors will guide you through the entire process, sharing tips and tricks for a basic animation.
Key Highlights:
Storytelling Skills: Develop your storytelling abilities as you craft narratives for your plasticine characters. Give them personalities and watch them embark on incredible adventures!
Technical Know-How: Master the basics of stop-motion animation, from setting up your scenes to capturing the perfect frame.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Have fun!
- Children must be accompanied by parents and/or carers.
- MRAG reserves the right to alter or cancel any activities where necessary.
Free Art January is made possible by the generous support of Maitland Regional Art Gallery Members and CleverPatch.
Maitland Regional Art Gallery is a proud service of Maitland City Council and is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.
