6 - 20 May 2025, Gelli Print Design, with Valerie Kirk

Gelli printing techniques offer easy and playful ways of experimenting with making coloured papers for collage or producing finished images through building up layers, stencilling, stamping, and using resists. 

Dates: 6 - 20 May 2025
Days/Times: Tuesdays 9.30am - 12.30pm
Venue: NatureArt Lab Studio, M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith, ACT

Course Description:

To produce hand coloured paper for collage we will paint and print paper to achieve beautiful modulated colours in a range of lights and darks.
We will also work on building up an image with repeat prints from the Gelli plate.
The visual starting point for this project will be looking closely at natural forms. From the information gained, we will produce sketch designs to work out a composition for the collage.
Finally, decide on the composition and work with the prepared papers to cut shapes and stick down on a background. The finished artwork can be framed in class.

Week 1
Learn and experiment with Gelli print techniques 
Look at the shapes/forms in nature
Sketch composition ideas.
Prepare papers for collage through painting and printing using a gelli printing plate.
Make the first small collages.

Week 2
Focus on design
Work on a series of exercises looking at colour, shapes and composition 
Sketch designs for collage.
Check the colour and tone range of papers required.
Cut pieces and begin making collages.

Week 3
Refine techniques and design
Finish a collage and add painter/drawn details.
Apply matt medium if required.
Frame the finished artwork.

Workshop Learning Outcomes: 

• Learn a range of techniques using Gelli printing
  
• Prepare papers with paint/ink/gelli print 
  
• Research the structure and forms of plants
  
• Experiment with design, simplified forms and abstraction.
  
• Cut paper pieces for collage
  
• Arrange shapes on a background considering colour and composition
  
• Mount the finished work in a frame for display
  

Materials:

Materials are provided by the tutor for this class for $10.00 per person, plus the cost of the frame for the finished work. 

About the Tutor:

Valerie Kirk studied art and design at Edinburgh College of Art, where she discovered woven tapestry. As a graduate she came to Australia and worked in the Australian Tapestry Workshop and travelled the country to teach in communities and colleges, work as an artist-in-residence, exhibit and lead community tapestry projects and textile tours. Between 1990-2017 she was a Senior Lecturer and Head of Textiles at the Australian National University.

During 2004-2019 she was commissioned to design and weave six major tapestries to celebrate Nobel/Japan/Kyoto Prizes in Science associated with the Australian National University.

Awards such as the Australia Council New Work grant, ACT Creative Arts Fellowship, Muse Arts Woman of the Year Award and the Canberra Centenary Community Tapestry project mark substantial success and her artwork can be seen in collections nationally and internationally.

NatureArt Lab Awards:

    2022, Telstra Best of Business Award Winner for Promoting Sustainability, ACT
    2024, Telstra Best of Business Award Winner for Building Communities, ACT