Shellharbour to ignite creativity this January with series of workshops and events

Shellharbour will help spark creativity through various workshops and events this January. Photo: Shellharbour City Council.

Shellharbour is set to inspire creativity this January with a vibrant line-up of workshops and events celebrating art through a variety of mediums.

From painting and meditative art to exploring the Lake Illawarra Art Trail, those interested can immerse themselves in free and low-cost activities designed to ignite their inner artist.

Creative workshops will run out of The Imaginarium by the Shellharbour Art Society in Shellharbour Village throughout January, starting with A Simple Life with Sandi Foley on 7 January.

Shellharbour City Council will also hold a number of other art workshops for adults and kids at the Shellharbour City Library and the civic centre.

Council arts and cultural development officer Sarah Townend said there were a number of great art initiatives in the Shellharbour region and the community should find the time to take part in what interests them.

“Local artists are so important to our community and the Shellharbour community should get out and support their wonderful skills they bring to our community,” Sarah said.

“There are a number of events and workshops being held around the city in January, so get out to as many as you can.”

She said Shellharbour had always been a strong hub for innovation and artistic talent.

Events at The Imaginarium will include junk journey making and book binding with Sandi Foley, painting watercolour ocean and land scenes with Kathy Karas, fabric painting on denim jackets and jeans with Michelle Springett, landscape photography with Geoff Smith, and a meditative art experience with Cheryl Cattarin.

Other workshops will focus on vision board creation, mandala dot art, paint and textile art, and fingerpainting between 2 and 22 January.

A number of free and low-cost events will be held at the Shellharbour City, Warilla, and Oak Flats libraries, including turning buttons into art, making pompoms, painting rainbow wooden birds, back to school sticker creation using a Cricut cutting machine, magic scratch door hangers, painting your own pet or the library’s dog, designing tie-dye library bags and making friendship bracelets.

Meanwhile, the civic centre will be hosting a free Dr Seuss-themed Create & Play workshop on 8 January.

Residents and visitors are also being encouraged to get outdoors and explore the Lake Illawarra Art Trail and use the Public Art Map to discover and explore public art collections within Shellharbour.

The trail showcases some of Shellharbour artists’ best work such as ‘Burri Burri’ by Yuin educator Jodi Edwards, and Reddall Reserve sculptures ‘Long Distance’, ‘Synergy’, and ‘Fauna of the Lake’.

Artworks were created by artists in collaboration with the community in response to the lake, its history and its people.

Learn more about Shellharbour City Arts Society events and Shellharbour City Council events. Or check out the full list of artworks at Reddall Reserve on council’s website.