Form+Function

Zine making workshop

 
Saturday 7th August
11am - 3pm

Suitable for any level including beginners
Ages 14 upwards including adults.

Places are limited, please pre book on 01625 613210 - £5  

Part of the Unknown Pleasures festival: if you're a fan of music, Joy Division, art or design come and find out how to create and publish your own handmade magazine. 

Black and white zine making, using basic cut and paste techniques was an essential feature of music in the late 1970s / early 1980s and is big news in art and design worlds right now.

Using ideas based on Joy Division as a starting point, we'll help you do everything to create, illustrate and fold your own handmade magazine.

Ideal for bands who want to promote their work, art or design students, and arts and craft dabblers. We'll provide everything you need, but feel free to bring any extra images, doodles, quotes or lyrics and special papers along that you'd like to use. The theme of your zine will be up to you...

Macclesfield Silk Museum, Park Lane, Macclesfield SK11 6TJ

www.joydivisionexhibition.com

Image: EmmaJane

Ceramics and Meaning Exhibition

A new exhibition opens today at Gallery Oldham, offering an alternative perspective on contemporary ceramics.
 

Fired Up: Ceramics and Meaning brings together the work of some of today's most exciting potters whose work lies within the realms of political, social and cultural statement.

Challenging themes are interpreted and conveyed using a range of ceramic media. Topics include violence, domestic and global conflict, social injustice, government and politics, media manipulation and human rights.

Includes work by Peter Lewis, Stephen Dixon, Claudia Clare and Paul Scott. 
 
Further information *here*

Shirt Hack two-day course

Shirt hack: a short course in creative fashion

Suitable for any level including beginners
Ages 14 upwards including adults 
 

Tue 3rd – Weds 4th August
10am – 3pm
Places are limited, please pre book on 01625 613210
£25 

Part of the Unknown Pleasures festival: this two day fashion construction, customisation and decoration course takes the Joy Division’s regular 'uniform' of shirts, tailored pants and sharp ties as its starting point.

This short course explores how shirts can be constructed, reconstructed and decorated to show individuality. We'll provide a stash of shirts, textiles equipment, and the support of professional printers, fashion designers and textile artists.

We'll also take a look at some of the Silk Museum's own shirt related items for extra inspiration. By the end of the course you'll have hacked, constructed, stitched, printed and adorned your piece into the perfectly fitted and personalised shirt or perhaps a bag, skirt or dress...

All materials provided, though you're welcome to bring your own extra bits along too. 

Macclesfield Silk Museum, Park Lane, Macclesfield SK11 6TJ
www.joydivisionexhibition.com

Image: CateMahiri

Lady Luck Jewellery Tour

Jewellery Workshop and Trade Secrets Talk
 
Fred Aldous, Manchester
Saturday 17th July
2-5pm

As part of her UK Tour, Leona Baker of Lady Luck Rules OK jewellery shares the secrets of her work and how to set up a successful jewellery making business. 

Leona says,
"The Trade Secrets Talk will cover topics such as how to start, run & grow an independent creative business; how to successfully sell online; PR, marketing and social media; wholesale and trade shows; and how to deal with the tough stuff like competitors and copycats.

The jewellery workshop will reveal all our unique production methods & materials including how we made our personalised jewellery, enamel & gold charms, glittery broken hearts, printed acrylic pendants, fuzzy wooden animals & mixed media Midnight Forest designs. I'll also detail the importance of sampling, working with manufacturers, where to source and practical tips on how to get the best results. The techniques involved can also be applied to many other products inc. accessories, clothing, homewares, greetings cards and stationery."

Full details and to book online click *here*.  
£26 / person 

Pattern in Architecture: Screen-printing workshop

Saturday July 24th
1-3pm
 
Suitable for any level including beginners
Ages 14 upwards including adults

Places are limited, please pre book on 01625 613210 - £3.50
 
 (Cost includes tote bag and / or t-shirt to take home)

Part of the Unknown Pleasures festival: based on Anton Corbijn and Kevin Cummins' photography of Joy Division, you will be guided in making your own screen printing templates based on pattern in architecture.

Those who came to the morning photography tour can use their photographs as a starting point. Spare images will be available for newcomers, or bring your own architectural pictures.

We'll help you transform these images into a handcut silkscreen which you will use to print your design onto a bag or t-shirt (provided). You're welcome to bring your own items to print on if you'd rather (cotton or denim will work best).

Heritage Centre, Roe Street, Macclesfield

www.joydivisionexhibition.com 

Pattern in Architecture: Photography tour of Joy Division's Macclesfield

Saturday July 24th
10am-12noon
 
Suitable for any level including beginners
Ages 14 upwards including adults

Places are limited, please pre book on 01625 613210 - £3.50 

Part of the Unknown Pleasures festival: walking photography tour of Joy Division places of interest.

Based on Anton Corbijn and Kevin Cummins' photography of the band, the tour will focus on pattern found in industrial architecture.

Learn more about photographic composition with full technical support to produce industrial architectural shots that echo iconic Joy Division portraiture and find out more about Macclesfield's contribution to Joy Division's history. 

You can also book onto the afternoon's printing workshops to recreate your photographs onto cloth, printing your image on t-shirts and bags. *Click here for details*

* Understanding of your cameras basic automatic functions required
* Event starts at Macclesfield Heritage Centre
* Please bring your digital or digital SLR camera, sensible footwear and be dressed for any weather 

Heritage Centre, Roe Street, Macclesfield
www.joydivisionexhibition.com

Image: Linda Lund

Vintage and Historical Hats

Hatworks is Stockport's museum for all things millinery.

Object of the Month talk
Wednesday 26th May
1pm 

This month's Object of the Month short talk focuses on novelty hat design, including this silk flower hat from the museum's collection. 

Free - no need to book just turn up. Suitable for all ages.
Visit the Hatworks site for more details about the museum and its activities.

Ethical Textiles Workshop

As part of Adult Learners Week, Arcspace in Hulme, Manchester, are hosting an Ethical Textiles Workshop.

Tuesday 18th May.
6.30-8.30pm
St Wilfred's Enterprise Centre, Hulme, M15 5BJ

Bring along some old clothes and customise them into something new, or help Arcspace start making costumes for the first ever Manchester Day Parade in June*

Continuing their making theme for Adult Learners Week there are a mixing pot of other events taking place from gardening to upcycling computers... take your pick!

More *here*

*Image: Theboyg not from this event, no guarantees you'll end up with one of these from the event but if you're lucly and talented enough who knows...

Eastman Cheng Open Studio

Furniture-sculpture-artist Eastman Cheng's new exhibition opens tomorrow at Manchester's Chinese Arts Centre. 

During her residency at Chinese Arts Centre, Eastman will observe, analyse and create objects from the perspective of a foreigner. She will also learn new skills from local practitioners and make new works.

She will create a series of ‘objects’ from her impressions of Manchester and its people, so that these works will imitate British culture.

Eastman wishes to ask members of the public to loan sculptural works and make use of them in their homes. Eastman will then photograph these objects in situ.

During her residency Eastman will be running a series of workshops at Manchester Art Gallery as a trailblazer for the Asia Triennial Manchester in 2011. She will also be taking part in Future Everything.

Chinese crafts workshop leaders wanted

Manchester's centre for all things Chinese and cultural, the Chinese Arts Centre, are looking for people who can lead workshops in contemporary or traditional Chinese arts and crafts.

In my experience of the Chinese Arts Centre they excel in authenticity and quality so I'm guessing those are two of the qualities they'll be looking for.

They create a unique range of exhibitions, events, arts residencies and partnerships with other arts organisations nationally and internationally, so you'd be part of something pretty special. They also have a rather a nice workshop space.

Here's what they say...
 
"The Chinese Arts Centre is currently looking for a number of artists who have well established workshop skills in either traditional or contemporary chinese arts/crafts. This is an exciting opportunity for artists and designers to join our team and work within our developing educational programme."  

Full details *here*