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The annual “Summer Do” is held in the beautiful and inspirational environment at the Quarry Arts Centre. It is the longest running mixed media summer school in N.Z (currently in its 24th year) and a highlight in the Northland arts calendar.

The Quarry is the perfect place to immerse oneself into our intensive 7 ½ or 3 day courses designed to be stimulating, inclusive, intensive and fun. We invite you to join us, to gain and share experiences and knowledge in the hands of an experienced renowned tutor in this supportive, social and encouraging environment. The “Do” also includes informal talks by participating tutors and fun evening events.

Below are course details for the 2011 Summer Do. Please contact us if you would like more information on any of the following courses.

Cost for full week $490.

Cost for half week $260

*Early bird bookings will be available to all our members so make sure your membership is up to date.

Camping on site is available for $60 for duration of ‘Do’ (includes cereals, milk and hot drinks for breakfast)

Full Week Courses:

Clay sculpture and primitive firing techniques – Helen Hughes

Short film and script production– Karen Sidney and guest tutors

Stone carving - Iosefa Leo

Mixed Media Sculpture for the Soul– Elizabeth Alexander Spotswood

Art photography, philosophy and new media – Valentine G.

Painting as a process of discovering new artistic language – Cristina Popovici

Short Courses:

Build an outdoor Pizza Oven and al fresco dining area (earth building)

African Drumming - Richard Yaw Boateng

Darjit Garden Sculpture – Kobi Beck

Full Week Courses:

Clay sculpture and primitive firing techniques – Helen Hughes

Max 12 students

Course Content:

This course will be a week of exploration and fun with the added bonus a high energy, knowledgeable tutors!

Suitable for artists at all levels of experience. Each day of this workshop will incorporate construction of clay hand built sculpture and investigation of the various ways that pottery was fired before gas and electricity.

Throughout the week students will be constructing a pit firing, teepee kiln and an open firing as well as experimenting with a multitude of decorative techniques.

Tutor Profile: Helen attended her first Summer Do 18 years ago which sparked a passion for working with clay and experimenting with firing. She has taught primitive firing techniques in Malaysia and Europe and has exhibited widely throughout New Zealand. “The alchemy is always a magical combination of the elements”

Short film and script production– Karen Sidney and guest tutors

Course Content:

This course will cover the principles of film production in NZ, as well as offering an insight into real world filmmaking. By the end of the week participants will have taken part in making at least one ‘documentary’ style video, as well as at least one ‘drama’ style production through all stages from pre-production to final product.

Guest tutors will also be engaged to cover some areas in more detail stemming directly from their industry experience.

Tutor Profile: Karen has had a varied experience in the NZ TV and Film Industries since the mid 1980's. During this time she has worked a variety of roles including: Production Manager, Researcher, Director, and Writer.

She describes herself as 'A Filmmaker, working as a scriptwriter by passion and in various other roles as necessity'. An array of guest tutors who are professionals in the industry will make special appearances though out the course of the workshop to share their skills and knowledge.

Stone carving - Iosefa Leo

Max 6 students

Course Content

This workshop will concentrate on the composition and carving of a figure in Oamaru limestone using hand tools. The course will include working from a Marquette, looking at relief carving, appropriate tools and finishing details. The aim of the course is to complete a sculpture and gain confidence in the process of carving. 

Tutor profile: Iosefa Leo, a self-taught sculptor carving since 1987 was born in Samoa. He is a keen observer of the human form and is known for his expression of Pasifika values, emotion and daily life, through his figurative sculptures. Iosefa carves sculptures of great serenity and spirit with careful attention to detail and gesture.

Mixed Media Sculpture for the Soul– Elizabeth Alexander Spotswood

Max 8 students

Course Content:

In this course students will be tearing, burning, carving and sewing their way through the human condition to make several mixed media sculptures, boxes, reliquaries, and/or mirrors. Expect to explore and experiment with different mixed media techniques including image transfers, fabric, paper, found objects. Burning and drawing on wood. Suitable for artists at all levels of ability.

Tutor Profile: Alexander’s work deals with concepts revolving around human condition, folk lore, and identity.

She blends wood, paint, paper and other materials to create a layered and visceral narrative dependent upon intuition and chance. Her work has been described as rich, dramatic, wooden and mixed media narratives that construct a fantastical reverie.

Art photography, philosophy and new media – Valentine G.

Max 12 students

Course Content:

This is a practical workshop for any budding or experienced artist who wants to expand the potential of photography. The week will consist of practical photo sessions, exploring traditional techniques and experimenting with new media. It will also incorporate time for group discussion and review. Valentin will bring a 24 inch printer and everybody will take home finished photos at the end of course. students will cover a variety of genre and subject matter incorporating a multi disciplinary approach.

Tutor Profile: Valentine is a photographer and contemporary artist who practices with multiple media and utilizes current technology. His work emphasizes a contrast between surface and image. Careful consideration of imagery through choice of colour, form and balance is subverted through handling of surface. He likes to use almost any medium available to create painting, films, and photographic works and blends digital and analogue technique often using new technology with the traditional. More on www.artphoto.co.nz

Painting as a process of discovering new artistic language – Cristina Popovici

Max 14 students

Course Content:

In this course formal aspects of visual composition and grammar will become the subject matter, as we will focus on process and creative artistic technique. In writing, a story is written with words - subject matter. Like good literature and good poetry is more than words and subject matter, art is more than pictures.

Tutor Profile: Cristina Popovici has made a firm and resounding mark on the New Zealand art scene.

Immigrating from Romania in 2000, Popovici has taken her extensive history as a painter and carved a niche for herself as one of the country’s most accomplished and daring abstract expressionist painters. Popovici has had many successful solo exhibitions and has won several major art awards including the CoCA Artist of the Year Award in 2003. In 2006, she published a comprehensive monograph, ‘A Colourful Movement through Life’ that documents the last six years of her creative efforts in New Zealand.

Short Courses:

Outdoor Pizza Oven and al fresco dining area (Earth building) – Henry Mackeson

12-14 Jan – Max 12 students

Course Content:

Build an outdoor pizza oven and al fresco dining area – Henery Mackeson. This is a hands-on course where students will learn how to build a wood fired pizza oven and create their own al fresco dining area using earthbuilding techniques such as cob, adobe in-situ and paperclay plaster.

Tutor Profile: Henry Mackeson is an earth builder and developer of the adobe-in-situ method. He has been involved in earthbuilding projects in New Zealand, UK and Vanuatu. Henry is also a potter, sculptor and builder and has been tutoring earth-building methods since 1985.

African Drumming - Richard Yaw Boateng

12 – 14 Jan

Course Content:

This workshop is open to anyone wanting to learn about beat, rhythm, tempo and experience the excitement of the drum. Learn all aspects of the instrument from the different types to drumming a beat. Students will learn form a drumming master and collaborate as a group. Drums provided.

Tutor Profile: Richard Yaw Boateng is from Ghana in West Africa. He grew comes from a royal family in the Volta region, where music was an integral part of the everyday life. From his childhood and through continuous study of traditional Ghanaian music, Yaw has become a master drummer, dancer, composer and storyteller.

His career in New Zealand has included touring extensively through the North Island performing (with his band Zohzoh) and teaching.

Darjit Garden Sculpture – Kobi Beck

12 – 14 Jan – Max 10 students

Course Content:

Workshop begins with a demonstration and individual practice at using Darjit (95% recycled, non-toxic and natural. A blend of china clay, rock powder and cellulose fibre (from recycled paper products) Wire netting and steel bars are used for skeletal forms which are then coated in Darjit to create your free form sculpture. Open to beginners or Darjit pros, a fun, hands on course.

Tutor Profile: Kobi has been working with Brent Sumner on a number of darjit projects over the last few years.

She contracts as a sculptor for the NZ film & TV industry. Kobi teaches darjit sculpture to adults and children and uses darjit in sculptures and as a creative architectural building medium for her own work and various projects within the community. Her work can be seen at www.stonefudge.com.