Laois Year of Craft 2011 events

Laois Year of Craft 2011 committee has created an exciting and diverse range of events that will take place over the next four months

Laois are celebrating national Year of Craft 2011 in Style! To mark this very significant year in the craft industry the Laois Year of Craft 2011 Committee has created an exciting and diverse range of events that will take place over the next four months. From exhibitions to demonstrations, workshops to talks, children’s events to film screenings the county of Laois will be a crafty hive of activity for the final quarter of the year. Downlaod PDF of brochure here.

Joe Hogan Exhibition
Dunamaise Arts Centre, 9th September - 1st October.
One of Ireland’s foremost craft makers, award winning basket maker Joe Hogan will bring his celebrated traditional and contemporary baskets to a month long exhibition in the Dunamaise Arts Centre.

Workshop: Martin Sinnott
Local basket maker Martin Sinnott will lead a workshop introducing participants to the age old tradition of weaving willow. This 5 hour workshop includes all materials and tools and participants, only 5 spaces available so early booking strongly advised.
Dunamaise Arts Centre, Saturday, 1st October.
Time: 10am – 4pm
Tickets: €60 includes all materials
Booking:  057 8663355

Roger Bennett: Wood turner
Demonstration, Stradbally Library, Saturday 15th October at 12 noon.
Laois Year of Craft 2011 is delighted to invite the celebrated and renowned wood turner Roger Bennett back to his native Laois to give a demonstration.
Admission free but booking essential as places limited to 40.
Booking 057 8663355

Bernie Leahy: Guest Lecture, October 2011
Abbeyleix Further Education Centre
Abbeyleix Further Education Centre is delighted to host a guest lecture by renowned textile artist Bernie Leahy. Bernie has been making fine craft drawings for over 10 years. Working from her studio in north Co. Dublin, she creates large stitched drawings using a combination of hand and machine stitching, applied directly to the unmarked canvas.

Dedication: Craft Exhibition
Abbeyleix Library, 25th October - 26th November
Abbeyleix library will play host to Dedication, an exhibition of four of Ireland’s finest craft makers, wood turner David Comerford, textile artist Maeve Coulter, jeweller Helena Malone and ceramicist Edyta Syzmanska. Hailing from Laois and neighbouring county Kilkenny each maker will exhibit a body of work that truly reflects the diversity and quality of craft work being produced by craft makers in our immediate environs

Meet the Craft Makers
Abbeyleix Library, 11th November at 11am
Facilitated by freelance arts and crafts consultant, Cornelia McCarthy, Meet the Craft Makers is a unique opportunity to hear each of the four craft makers talk about their career, work, process and aesthetic.

Hands Documentary, Episode 4, Irish Embroidery featuring Mountmellick Embroidery
Dunamaise Arts Centre, 8th December at 11am
Accompanied by a demonstration of Mountmellick embroidery and a talk by David Shaw Smith (Director of the Hands documentary series)
HANDS is a unique, multi-award winning series of thirty-seven documentaries focussing on Irish crafts amd  capturing the final years of traditional rural and urban life in Ireland, during the  1970’s and 1980s.  In assocaition with Dunamaise Art Centre’s Elenses club Laois Year of Craft is delighted to show  episode four of Hands which features Mountmellick embroidery. We are also greatly honoured by the presence of renowned fim maker and aosdana member David Shaw Smith who will give a talk about the Hands series that he lovingly created over 30 years ago.To accompany the screening and talk Dolores Dempsey, based in the Mountmellick museum and teacher of Mountmellick embroidery for the last 15 years will give a demonstration and talk.

Young People’s Exhibition
The Drawing Room, Dunamaise Arts Centre, 9th December 2011 - 14th January 2012
In a special exhibition to mark Year of Craft 2011 the young people of Laois have been industriously creating a colourful and varied body of craft works that will be on display in The Drawing Room, the new dedicated children’s gallery in Dunamaise Arts Centre. This exhibition includes a number of craft pieces selected from craft workshops undertaken in various Laois schools throughout the year.  From printmaking to willow weaving, Mountmellick embroidery to felt making the Laois craft makers of the future will not fail to impress with the wonderful wares that they have created.

Pop up collection
Dunamaise Arts Centre, 9th December 2011- 14th January 2012
The Dunamaise Arts Centre will host a craft exhibition featuring local and national makers.  Selected artists/makers will exhibit work made as part of their creative process as well as commercial work which will then be for sale in a pop up shop in the gallery. 

Laois Partnership and Laois County Enterprise Board will also run training courses over the next few months dedicated to the craft sector.

For further details call Marina Rafter, Laois Year of Craft 2011 Co-ordinator on 086 869 8996 or email marinarafter@gmail.com

Laois Year of Craft 2011 Committee:
Muireann Ni Chonaill,
Bridie Keenan(Laois Arts Office),
Louise Donlon(Dunamaise Arts Centre)
Orla O’Meara(Laois Partnership),
Evelyn Reddin (Laois County Enterprise  Board)

Categories:
Exhibition / Talk & Lecture / Workshop / Fairs / Children's Event / Other
Disciplines:
Clay / Glass / Metal / Other / Textiles / Wood

This event listing is compiled for informational purposes only and is correct at time of publication. Event listings may be subject to change by the organisers and readers are advised to contact the organisers directly for the most up to date information. CCoI cannot be held responsible for any alterations to the existing schedule.

Spread the Word


Dates

13 September 2011 to 14 January 2012

Venue

Laois

Admission

Free unless otherwise stated

Further Information

Marina Rafter
086 869 8996
marinarafter@gmail.com

Suitability for families

Yes