Recap of week-long TAFTA in Orange, NSW, Australia

Didn't get to share a single posting for the entire week I taught at Forum. Will try to recap here, now, for you.
This conference, TAFTA (The Australian Forum for Textile Arts), makes use of Kinross Wolaroi, a private school, during the school's break.
There were 16 registrants for my workshop: Hand Felted Jewellery, Components and Beads. We had use of a large classroom with windows on opposing walls and lots of sunlight plus trestle tables on the patios. Unfortunately, it was either too cold or too rainy to do much work outdoors. In 2008 when I taught here, it was the 7-17th year of drought, depending who you asked and just where we happened to be. Glad the drought is over.


Above are Frances, Sandra, Gillian, Tess, Julie, half of Joan.


Above, other half of Joan, Kathy, Katarzyna, Merryn and not visible, Penny and Margaret.


Above includes Rhonda, Pam, Louise, and not visible Donna and Zita.
In addition to the 15# carry-on, I was permitted 2 checked pieces of luggage. One entire piece was devoted to my felt components, jewelry and beads for show & tell and to sell at the Tutor Bazaar later in the week. We spent the entire morning of our first day together discussing the pieces, the techniques employed and the intentions and ambitions of those present, for our week together.
What an affable and cooperative group this was. When I offered that we could either cover topics in turn or we could do this anarchy style, where several lessons are going on at once, each person working on her project and getting my attention whenever beckoned. They chose anarchy. So I demonstrated for everyone who was interested, the techniques of the moment and then work beside whoever asked for me. Anything I shared with one person I did at a volume adible to everyone. If it was of interest, others would gather and learn, or listen out of the corner of their ears or simply ignore it. Everyone seemed pleased with this approach. It allows for covering a much larger scope of material.
Before heading i to another posting to share some of the work, let me share this scene on campus. It is not uncommon to see a flock of cockatoos...whiter than white, stark and amazing in sky, grass or trees. Locals report that they are capable of incredible damage, chewing and destroying street lights, porches and house features.







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