Join Umbrella and artist Marion Gaemers from 9:30am-12:30pm Saturday 24 October 2020 for a fun sculptural workshop. Participants will use beach-found rope and learn a traditional technique of stitching and coiled basketry to create a basket, piece of coral or other sculptural form. Participants of all skill levels will find value in this workshop by developing new skills and taking home a 3-dimensional form.

Participants are required to wear covered footwear, and are encouraged to bring face masks and ideas for their sculptural forms. All other materials will be provided.

Tickets (3 hours total) $70 each for Umbrella members | $80 each non-members | Limited to 12 spaces
For Umbrella members, log in to your account to receive your workshop discount | Bookings close 4pm Friday 23 October 2020

The workshop will be held at Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts, 408 Flinders Street, Townsville (next to Mary Who? Bookshop and opposite Woolworths).

Marion Gaemers has been active within the art world since 1988, exhibiting locally, nationally and internationally, and conducting workshops for various galleries and organisations. She holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Diploma Upgrade) (1994) and Graduate Diploma Material Anthropology (1992), both from James Cook University, and a Diploma Fine Arts (1988-90), Fibre Arts major, from the Townsville College of TAFE. A significant component of Gaemers’ art practice is her exploration of basketry traditions, teaching others these traditions and working collaboratively. She has conducted workshops in regional QLD and NSW locations, including Thursday Island, Papua New Guinea, Broken Hill, Moa Island, Mornington Island, Darnley Island, Bamaga and Cairns. In 2015, Gaemers was the principal artist in Weave the Reef, Love the Reef (a series of community workshops working with beach and urban rubbish). This was exhibited in Perc Tucker Regional Gallery and as part of Sculpture by the Sea in Sydney. The artist has exhibited extensively in Townsville and QLD, and also in Sydney, London, Geneva, Singapore and Monaco. She currently has work touring nationally in Umbrella’s landmark exhibition Legacy: Reflections on Mabo.

Images | Left: Marion Gaemers, photograph courtesy Luke McLeod. | Top: Marion Gaemer’s basket example | Below: Examples of the artist’s other sculptural basketry forms.

Umbrella is responding to government restrictions for gatherings at this time and visitors must comply with our COVID-19 Safety Plan. Umbrella’s regular opening hours:  Tues-Fri 9am-5pm | Sat-Sun 9am-1pm | Gallery closed Mondays, public holidays and during exhibition install weeks | Shop open during gallery open hours and Tues-Thurs of install weeks. Follow our social media for updates.