March 2023 newsletter
Cheril Barber
Welcome to our latest newsletter
2023 kicked off with a hiss and a roar and here we are already into March. After experiencing first-hand the Nelson floods back in August 2022, our hearts go out to those who have suffered as a result of the devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in the North Island.
Looking forward to sharing with you our news, updates and exciting plans for the future. Coming up…
2023 Short Course Programme
Beginners’ Intensive Scholarship
Andy Buck Master Class, May 2023
Artist in Residency Programmes 2024 & 2025
Applications open for the 2024 Furniture Makers’ Programme
What’s been happening in the workshop ?
Early in January we welcomed back Hape Kiddle to teach two carving courses as well as sharing two very inspiring days with our eight full time students. Hape's energy and enthusiasm was a great start to the year and he'll be back again in June and spaces are filling fast.
A lovely feedback tale from Hape's Mobius course came via the wife of one of the participants who said he came home with the completed Mobius in his hands and she said he was so proud of what he had created he looked like he was holding an Oscar.
We were delighted to welcome our new tutor Ben Grant who taught a 6-day Introduction to Laminating & Coopering course where students created an elegant and eye catching vessel – a great starting point to try out new techniques and inspire your future projects.
Ben will run this course again in October – more details are here on our website. Ben was a participant in the 2020 Michael Fortune Residency Programme, and with the generous support of funding from Creative New Zealand we were able to work with him in developing the course and add yet another great addition to our short course programme.
We warmly welcome Geoff Korver back to the workshop in August to teach his very popular suite of carving courses:-
Introduction to Carving
Introduction to Spoon Carving
Introduction to Letter Carving
Carving - Next Level
These courses have been planned together for anyone who wants to book into multiple courses and really get into carving. Geoff's style of carving is very different from Hape Kiddle's more organic aesthetic. Having this wide range of regular carving courses really does give you the opportunity to master a new and additional skill to your toolbox.
Beginners Intensive Programme
Scholarship Opportunity
Our very popular 8-week Beginners’ Intensive Programme in October is now fully enrolled.
However, there is one remaining place which we have allocated to a wonderful scholarship opportunity for one young person who lives in the Top of the South, Te Tau Ihu and this final place will be awarded to the recipient of the Thorkild Hansen Scholarship - the link will give you full details, application form and scholarship criteria.
It’s fair to say that here in the workshop we are very busy! We have tried to plan lots of short courses alongside the more intensive programmes that take place each year, and enrolments numbers are at an all time high. What this does mean for you, our lovely students, is that courses are filling up quickly and some people are missing out on courses.
At this end, it’s not as easy as just scheduling another course later on, as it depends on who is teaching and where they come from, and the short course programme is generally planned 18 months in advance.
To put it bluntly – you snooze, you lose (as they say) - even if you are vaguely interested in a course it's worth getting in touch so you can be "pencilled in" on the list.
Andy Buck Master Class
Contrary to the above, we have sneaked into the 2023 programme a “not to be missed” opportunity when we heard that Andy Buck was going to be teaching at Wood Dust 23 in Melbourne in May.
Andy has been invited to teach a 5-day design inspiration/development course which will be tailored to students who are ready to start thinking about moving from making set projects to designing some of their own work.
Andy is a highly experienced maker, sculptor and educator and was a student of Wendell Castle and we are thrilled to have him agree to come and visit here for the first time. Details are just being finalized but if this course sounds of interest to you then please get in touch and we can send through further details in the next week or so.
Artist in Residency Programme
We are thrilled to announce the return of our Artist in Residency Programmes and applications are now open for the 2024 Michael Fortune Residency Programme and full details are here on our website. We have received much interest in this exciting 6-week opportunity to immerse yourself in a new project under Michael’s guidance, and full details about how to apply are here on our website.
We are getting close to finalising the plans for our 2025 Residency Programme when we will warmly welcome the long-awaited visit from Aled Lewis.
We have been planning to bring Aled here since 2020 just before the pandemic hit the world.
Keep an eye out on our website for more details - soon to be announced....
2024 Artist in Residency Programme with Michael Fortune
2025 Artist in Residency Programme with Aled Lewis
2023 Furniture Maker’s Program
With the Covid related delayed start of the 2022 Furniture Makers’ Programme, the graduate exhibition will now take place in early May at the Parker Gallery here in Nelson. Term 3 (Chair Making) has just finished under the amazing guidance of Michael Fortune. Here is a sneaky photo of one of the finished chair projects by Ben Tindall. Michael has nurtured eight unique and complex projects from his students with exciting and beautifully executed results.
We look forward to sharing the official images of the amazing projects from the graduates of the 2022 Furiture Makers' Programme with you towards the middle of the year when they will be added into the gallery pages of our website.
We are now accepting applications for the 2024 Furniture Makers’ Programme and full details of how to apply, a downloadable Prospectus and further details are available on our website here
2024 Furniture Makers' Programme
We are now open for applications to attend the 2024 Furniture Makers' Programme. Early expressions of interest are recommended as the programme is limited to eight students and places are highly sought after.
Whenever possible we welcome visits prior to applying so please get in touch to arrange this.
Farewell dear Wadkin - you have been awesome - Enjoy your retirement in the safe hands of the wheelwright and carriage restorer.
Welcome dear Felder - looking forward to your awesomeness
As always - nice to catch up with you all!
Thanks for taking the time to read what's been and is happening here.
Kind regards from the small but MIGHTY team.