Yarn Art Community Workshop
Yesterday saw the end of my two workshops as part of Sydney Craft Week. I thought while fresh in my head that I would write down some thoughts as it was quite a journey to get to them.... well maybe just a journey for my heart and head!
Workshops can be a funny thing- sometimes they sell out, other times you have missed the mark slightly and boom, there is only weed passing through your booking page. Emotionally, this can be challenging as you feel like people don't like what you do, or what you have to say so it can be a bit of a rollercoaster.... am I qualified to run a workshop? Will we have enough to talk about? What if I don't know an answer to a question? What if someone knows more than me? Is it value for money?.... the list goes on and on and on!
I have often thought about running workshops but wanted to make sure I had a point of difference, something that was different to other crochet and craft workshops and something that would make people remember what they had created. There are so many talented people out there, it took quite the jump to press submit and send my workshop idea through to Sydney Craft Week. I mean, the week is organised by the Australian Design Centre so goodness me, if there was ever a place full of creatively amazing people... there it would be in a centre!!!
The idea of a community driven art piece really appeals to me for many reasons. Whenever I install yarn art (yarn bombs), the community connection is so strong.
People love it, start conversations about their connect with yarn and will always want to touch and hug the work. It makes people smile. The idea of connecting with art, and then realising that you can be a part of it is a wonderful process. Realising that even if you only make a small granny square, it can still be added and look wonderful instills a sense of achievement, of creative ability and of being part of something bigger.
I started crafting to help cope. It worked wonderfully and still does so working out a way to share this with others was a real lightbulb moment.
When Sydney Craft Week said the LOVED my workshop idea, it really hit home that I needed to back myself and my idea. I mean honestly, who wouldn't want to sit and crochet for two hours, eat scones, share woolly stories and then attach their creations to trees?!!!
The rain came and kept on coming but the delightful folk at Eden Gardens (location of the community yarn bombed tree) kept us dry in one of their many rooms and made sure we were fed and watered to keep our energy up and ready to craft.
To be honest, there were only a few of us on both days but you know what, that's OK. We came, we crafted and when the rain stopped for a small amount of time, we connected with the tree and created art.
Bugs and butterflies, flowers and leaves, magical mushrooms and textured pieces of crochet all worked together to create a beautiful and happy installation that will keep on growing.
I learnt that this is a process that I need to embrace and a journey I need to follow. I puts me outside my comfort zone just enough that I continue to question and grow but I now realise that yes, I am enough to be able to work with others to create beautiful pieces of art around nature.
If you have a space that you would like to create a community driven art piece, let me know and let's see if we can cover some trees together.
Alison xox