Sat 7 & Sun 8 October

Working sculpturally you will learn different hand building techniques that will enable you to complete small sculptures ready for bisque firing. There will be the opportunity to work with two very different clays – Porcelain and Raku, each will give you beautiful results. Instruction will also be given on applied patinas to finish your work. This workshop is suitable for all levels of experience. Materials included in workshop fees. However, there will be additional clay and firing costs for larger sculptures.

5 Jan – 28 Jan 2018

Limited places available, bookings open 8 May, 11am.

Italy comes to Erskineville!

You will learn to use traditional hand-tools and techniques for carving, including methods of transferring ideas onto a piece of marble and finding form within the stone. The aim of this carving workshop is to complete a carved sculpture and return home with a finished piece. Participants will work directly on the famous White Statuario Marble from Carrara to acquire basic skills and to understand the nature of the material.

You will learn to use traditional hand-tools and techniques for carving, including methods of transferring ideas onto a piece of marble and finding form within the stone. The aim of this carving workshop is to complete a carved sculpture and return home with a finished piece. Participants will work directly on the famous White Statuario Marble from Carrara to acquire basic skills and to understand the nature of the material.

Fri 19 - Sun 21 January 2018

Friday 19 - 10.00 - 5.30
Saturday 20 - 9.00 - 5.30
Sunday 21 - 9.00 - 4.00

A 3 day hands-on intensive course run within cooee of the world heritage area of the Jenolan Caves, the ideal setting to focus on developing your confidence and skills to communicate ideas in a non-representational form.
Drawing on the natural world, both familiar and unfamiliar, you will take the steps to form-up a 3D work using modelling materials ( clay, plasticine or wax), fabricating materials ( cardboard, steel, balsa wood) or found objects.
Contemplate the surrounding landscape or bring a sculpture, drawing or an image of an idea you would like to scale up or develop and Ingrid will assist you to create a work in three dimensions.
Selected works can be kiln fired and welding is available to a limited number of students. All levels of experience are encouraged.

Early-bird available until 5 Jan

Saturday 23rd November

This is an invaluable opportunity for senior students and emerging artists to receive mentoring from sculptor and TBSSS guest teacher Jim Croke. This is an intimate class - only six participants (per session) will have the opportunity to attend and it will take form as a group critique.

Participants will each have 20mins allocated to show and discuss their work with Jim. Jim will be able to offer guidance, advice and support on how you can push your sculpture to the next level. As this will be done in a group environment, participants will benefit and learn from hearing Jim speak with each participant.

About Jim Croke
With over thirty-five years of exhibiting experience, Jim Croke has an admirable reputation and a revered presence in the Sydney sculpture scene. His works have been acquired by the University of Sydney Union Collection, the UTS Union Collection, Goulburn Regional Art Gallery and Artbank, among other Australian collections. Until recently Jim was Head of Sculpture at the National Art School, Sydney and he continues to teach special courses at NAS. Jim has always had teaching as a prominent part of his career, taking him around Australia and Europe.

Sat 11 July & Sun 12 July 2020

Carol Crawford, a specialist alabaster sculptor, will be teaching this weekend workshop.  Carol works almost exclusively in alabaster of different kinds, and is known for her soft sensuous forms.  She will guide you on the use of different hand tools, and how to realise a beautiful form out of the rough stone you have chosen. Alabaster is a very fine, stable beautiful stone that can be easily carved, it can be translucent or opaque white, salmon orange, yellow or green or a combination. For this workshop you will be working with beautiful white alabaster (translucent and opaque) shipped all the way from Italy! Places are strictly limited and early bookings are encouraged for this popular course.

$450.30* (earlybird) - $495.30

Fees include one piece of stone. Additional stone will be available for purchase.

Saturday 26 June 2021

$245.30

Back by popular demand...the ultimate winter experience!

Anne Marie Taberdo is a practitioner of the ephemeral art of ice sculpting. Working internationally with both natural and manufactured ice to create large-scale ice exhibitions from Alaska to Germany, ice musical instruments in Norway and event pieces in Sydney, she is accustomed to the many intricacies of the material in various environments.

In this one-of-a-kind TBSSS workshop, Anne Marie will guide and develop your understanding of working with an ever-changing material. You will work against time using various carving techniques with chisels and other ice adapted hand tools on your own block of crystal clear ice. By the end of the workshop you will have experienced one of the most unique ephemeral sculpting materials that has been sculpted and built with for centuries - but don’t forget to photograph it!

All materials supplied (ice, tools, gloves and waterproof apron). Places limited.

Monday 17 January - Friday 21 January 2022

$460.30 (Earlybird)
$510.30 (General)

This summer join us for an intensive 5 days of making sculpture. This is an open workshop class which will be run by TBSSS teacher Wendy Black. This workshop is for all skill levels. Students have the chance to work on any project they choose and in the media of their choosing. This may include - stone carving (alabaster, soapstone, limestone), direct plaster, wire, clay modelling, mould making and casting or a ceramic work (to be fired offsite and organised by yourself).

It may be a new project or it could be a sculpture that you are already working on. These 5 days are a wonderful chance to have uninterrupted Studio time over the summer! Places are limited and a short online mentoring session is available with Wendy before the workshop to talk about your ideas / project.

Fees include GST and all materials - except stone, which can be purchased at the Studio.

Sat 8 & Sun 9 July

This workshop is now sold out. You can join the waiting list by emailing admin@tbsss.org.au.

A unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of alabaster carving and learn from popular guest teacher Carol Crawford.

Carol is a specialist alabaster sculptor who works predominantly with alabaster and who is known for her soft sensuous forms.  Carol will also be assisted by artist Elena Murgia, who specialises in marble carving.  For this weekend course Carol and Elena will guide you on the use of different hand tools, and how to realise a beautiful form out of the rough stone you have chosen. 

Alabaster is a very fine, stable beautiful stone that can be easily carved, it can be translucent or opaque white, salmon orange, brown or blue or a combination.  

For this workshop you will be working with beautiful white alabaster (translucent and opaque) shipped all the way from Italy.

This is a workshop not to be missed!  Places are strictly limited and early bookings are encouraged for this popular course.

* Please note that this course will give participants a good foundation to create a unique alabaster sculpture.  As each person works at an individual pace, some people may find they need a bit more time to complete their sculpture and this can be done by booking in for some casual workshop classes during term time at TBSSS.

Fees include one piece of stone of up to 2kg, as well as the use of chisels, files and finishing sandpapers during the workshop.  Upsizing your piece of stone for the workshop or purchasing additional stone for your own use will also be possible for people attending the workshop.

Earlybird discount finishes 24 June.

Visit Carol’s website: www.carolcrawfordsculpture.net

Sat 7 & Sun 8 October 2023

$420.30 (Earlybird)
$460.30 (General)

Wax is a wonderful medium and has many unique properties that make it ideal for sculpting. Wax can be used as a liquid, as a paste, warm (like plasticine), or cold (carvable). During this workshop students will be shown various techniques to utilize these variable states of the medium. Students will be shown how to construct a wax armature, explore modelling techniques and the use of tools for smoothing and texturing. Students will have the opportunity (at an additional cost*) to have their finished wax sculptures cast in bronze by Michael at his foundry.

*Bronze casting will be provided at a significant discount to students who wish to cast their work. However prices will need to be looked at on a case by case basis after the the workshop concludes as it is impossible to predict the size and complexity of individual artworks before they are made. 

This workshop is now fully booked. If you would like to join the waitlist, please get in touch admin@tbsss.org.au.