Sydney Craft Week 2017 program highlights

Kicking off today [October 6], experience all that Sydney’s vibrant craft scene has to offer at Sydney Craft Week.

An initiative of the Australian Design Centre, Sydney Craft Week brings together a range of events under the one umbrella – from the latest big exhibitions at museums through to lectures and public talks and a huge number of workshops from beginner through to advanced making skills.

“ADC is just one part of an extraordinarily diverse eco-system of making in Sydney. Sydney Craft Week shines the spotlight on our talented makers,” said ADC CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill.

Events are taking place right around Sydney with at least one event in over 50 different suburbs, from Darlinghurst to Marrickville, Palm Beach to Concord, and Parramatta to Mittagong.

“This year’s Sydney Craft Week provides a snapshot of the state of craft right now, a burgeoning, exciting field where handmade is evolving alongside, and sometimes as an antidote to, our digital age,” said ADC Creative Strategy Associate Penny Craswell.

Here are some selected highlights from a program of over 100 events.

Masters of craft

Head to Sturt Gallery and Studios, and Sabbia Gallery to see the latest work of Jeff Mincham, one of Australia’s most celebrated ceramicists.

Visit the studio of renowned textile artist Liz Williamson in Stanmore and get to see her in action at the loom.

Handmade in a digital age

Biotextilogy: The Cellular Catwalk will showcase the work of Melissa Knothe Tait, who brings together the fields of biotechnology and textile design at ADC.

Craft scholar and writer Jessica Hemmings will be visiting from Sweden to speak at UNSW Art and Design, and Barometer Gallery .

Anna-Lise Backlund will be showing her 3D printed vases and jewellery pieces at Vintage Meets High-Tech, a West Elm Pop Up Store in Bondi Junction.

Indigenous design

Four Aboriginal artists will be taking part in 60,000 Years in the Making: A Practitioner’s Yarn-Up at the Powerhouse Museum.

Bulay(i): ): Buku-Larrnggay Mulka, The Indigenous Jewellery Project will be on display at ADC, featuring Yolngu jewellery of north-east Arnhem Land.

Get your hands dirty

Koskela will hold a weekend of whittling and weaving with master spoonsmith AKA Jeff Donne and weaver Brooke Munro.

MakerSpace & company in Marrickville will be holding classes in woodwork, machine knitting, leatherwork and knife making.

The Fortynine Studio and Bic Tieu will be collaborating on a two-day Casting and Patina workshop where you will make an object in porcelain and bronze.

Drop in and learn how to throw ceramics on the wheel at The Pottery Shed in Surry Hills for free all day Monday 9 and 16 October.

If you have ever wanted to experience working and blowing molten glass, try Glassblowing and Sculpting on the Flame with Mark Elliott.

Craftivism in Focus

Learn to knit, have fun and connect with your community at Pussy Hat Knitting workshops with Shared Threads in the CBD and in Leichhardt.

Find out how to fix your ceramics and reduce waste – learn the art of Kintsugi with Studio Enti in Darlinghurst.

The Bronte Sewing Room is hosting a REMAKE Bag workshop, helping you to upcycle, while Reverse Garbage are holding two workshops inviting you to create new objects from reused materials that would otherwise end up in landfill.

For more information head to the website.