McGregor Summer 2026
Arts Workshops
Toowoomba
Carnival of Flowers
McGregor 2025
Arts Workshops
McGregor Summer 2026
Arts Workshops
12 – 16 January 2026
Material Lists
David Bongiorno
Acrylic Still Life Painting
Acrylic Painting
David Bongiorno | Acrylic Still Life Painting
Workshop Outline
Suitable for beginner – intermediate | 16+
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
This five-day course guides you through the foundational techniques of still life painting, using acrylics. Emphasis will be placed on composition, value structure, edge control, colour mixing, and surface texture. By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with a sound understanding of a range of still life painting techniques that can be used for acrylic and oil painting.
Artist Bio
Award-winning artist, curator, and arts mentor David Bongiorno teaches life drawing, anatomy, painting and composition workshops to develop the confidence of contemporary artists. Bongiorno’s national art prize achievements include Emerging Wearable Artist – Winner at the Australian Wearable Art Festival 2022, Highly Commended at the Waterbrook Drawing Prize 2023, Highly Commended at the Lethbridge 20,000 Small Scale Art Award 2024, Finalist in the Kennedy Art Prize 2024, and ACB Selects, 2024, Michael Reid Northern Beaches. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions in venues including Michael Reid Southern Highlands, Steps Gallery Carlton, The Cooroy Arts Centre, Manning Gallery, Maryborough Gallery, Caloundra Gallery, and Cardinia Cultural Centre, while also undertaking commissions, with works in private and public collections. Read more about David’s practice at www.davidbongiornoart.com
Annette Raff
Watercolour Plus: Texture, Layers, & Mixed Media
Watercolour and Mixed Media
Annette Raff | Watercolour Plus: Texture, Layers, & Mixed Media
Workshop Outline
Suitable for intermediate – advanced | 16+
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
Join Annette Raff for a relaxed workshop exploring creative watercolour techniques with a strong focus on design and composition. You’ll experiment with mixed media like ink, collage, and pencil, while learning how to simplify detail from nature and combine elements in ways that reflect your unique style. Rather than copying what you see, you’ll be guided to respond to what’s happening on the page, building your artwork in thoughtful stages to create movement, rhythm, and harmony. Learn how to develop depth and visual interest by working intuitively and letting each stage guide the next. With plenty of demos, tips, and fun exercises, Annette will help you build confidence, embrace imperfections, and enjoy the creative process.
Registration: $950
BYO Materials & Tools: approx $200 – $300 – please see the BYO Materials & Tools list
Artist Bio
Annette Raff has a solid background in art and design, specializing in drawing and watercolour painting. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Art and an Advanced Certificate in Art and Design. With over 28 years of teaching experience, Annette has taught at TAFE, Artist Network University, the Royal Queensland Art Society, Buderim Winter School, and many regional workshops. She enjoys exploring drawing, water media, printmaking, digital art, and mixed media. Annette’s relaxed, supportive style helps students build confidence and enjoy their creative journey. Read more about Annette’s practice at www.watercolourlessonsonline.com
Cindy MacDonald
The Human Head in Charcoal
Charcoal
Cindy MacDonald | The Human Head in Charcoal
Workshop Outline
Suitable for beginners | 16+ | Life model (clothed)
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
In this immersive charcoal portrait workshop, you’ll explore the foundations of drawing the human head from various angles and profiles. We’ll cover essential techniques such as measuring for accurate proportions, understanding the planes of the head and developing confident contour drawings. Through focused exercises, you’ll learn to render facial features with structure and sensitivity. We will explore the expressive potential of value, line, edges and shading. You will build your skills progressively, developing an understanding of form and light. On the final day, you will put it all into practice with a live model session, bringing together everything you have learned in a dynamic real-time portrait study. This workshop is ideal for artists wanting to deepen their observational skills and expressive mark making in charcoal.
Artist Bio
Award-winning artist Cindy MacDonald is a passionate artist renowned for her captivating charcoal and oil portraiture. With a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation of the human emotion, Cindy brings her subjects to life through expressive mark making, with a tender sensitivity to her subjects. Her artistry reflects a unique ability to connect with viewers, inviting them to engage with the stories behind each face. Cindy is a co-founder of The Toowoomba Studio Art Trail and is a vibrant member of the local art scene. See more of Cindy’s work at www.cindymacdonaldart.com.au
Kathryn Wardill
Miniature Masterpieces: An Introduction to Micromosaics
Glass Mosaics
Kathryn Wardill | Miniature Masterpieces: An Introduction to Micromosaics
Workshop Outline
Suitable for all levels | 16+
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
Step into micromosaics, where tiny pieces of coloured glass come together to form stunning images and intricate patterns. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn to create your miniature artwork using precision and patience. Whether you’re imagining a wearable piece or small sculpture, you’ll gain the skills to bring your ideas to life. Explore the fascinating history of micromosaic art while mastering the techniques, tools, and materials. No prior experience is needed, just a steady hand, good eyesight (think threading a needle), and a willingness to work on a small scale. Expect a structured, engaging experience with live demonstrations and time to practice. You’ll create your own beautiful micromosaic, and confidence to keep making your own. Perfect for artists, crafters, and curious creatives alike. Come discover the magic hidden in the smallest of details.
Artist Bio
Kathryn Wardill is a contemporary glass artist and jeweller who received her Master of Arts, in Fine Art by research from RMIT University. Wardill has actively participated in group and solo exhibitions internationally for over 30 years. Wardill is dedicated to researching jewellery objects combining glass and metal, which has resulted in teaching over 180 workshops, solo exhibitions, being an artist in residency in the USA, and being represented by Studio Ingot Melbourne. Please visit www.wardill.com for more on Kathryn’s art practice.
Jeanne Cotter
Introduction to Soft Pastel Painting
Soft Pastels
Jeanne Cotter | Introduction to Soft Pastel Painting
Workshop Outline
Suitable for beginner – intermediate | 18+
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
This five-day workshop is perfect for adult beginners who are new to soft pastels or would like to revisit the basics. You’ll be introduced to different types of soft pastels, papers, and essential materials including charcoal. Through guided exercises and demonstrations, you’ll explore a variety of techniques including drawing, measuring, blending, feathering, and layering. Each day will build your skills as you progress from simple colour mixing to painting complete still life, landscape and animal studies. You’ll finish the week with a solid understanding of how to start, build, and complete pastel artworks.
Artist Bio
Award-winning artist Jeanne Cotter has been painting with soft pastels since 2010, following a 20-year career as a professional graphic designer. Since 2016, she has taught pastel painting to adult beginners, sharing her passion in a relaxed, supportive setting. Her work explores florals, still life, and landscapes, with recent focus on native proteas, gums, and blossoms. Now painting full-time in her Toowoomba studio, Jeanne regularly exhibits in local galleries and shows. She was recently featured as the Feature Artist at the 2025 Downlands Art Show. Read more about Jeanne’s art practice at www.jeannecotter.com.au
Mauri Maunsell
Jewellery Making and Metalworking Techniques
Jewellery
Mauri Maunsell | Jewellery Making and Metalworking Techniques
Workshop Outline
Suitable for all levels | 18+
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
Silver and copper are extremely malleable metals and this workshop will utilise this quality. Beginners will start by learning the basic techniques such as sawing, filing, and hard soldering. These qualities will be evident in their first project of bending and shaping a copper ring followed by a ring in silver and then basic stone setting . Others with prior experience can explore more complicated stonesettings such as tapered collets, claw and basket settings for different stone shapes or perhaps fashion some small silver spoons. Alternatively, they might want to develop a project of their own (with prior discussion with the tutor). Fold forming is a process utilising the malleability of metals by hammering folds in metal and then unfolding to create three dimensional, interesting forms of jewellery and can be explored by all levels.
Artist Bio
Mauri graduated from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology with an Associate Diploma of Fine Art in 1972, majoring in sculpture. He completed further studies in gold and silversmithing and advanced silversmithing at the Queensland College of Art, where he later went on to lecture in gold and silversmithing. Award winning Mauri has exhibited widely. Explore Mauri’s art practice at www.maurimaunsell.com
Dan Watson
Forging & Finishing a Chef’s Knife
Soft Pastels
Dan Watson | Forging & Finishing a Chef's Knife
Workshop Outline
Forging Steel & Woodwork Suitable for all levels | 18+
This is a two-day workshop | 12 & 13 January 2026 OR 15 & 16 January 2026
If you have ever wanted to try your hand at forging, heat treating, designing, and grinding a culinary knife, here is your chance! Under the watchful eye of knifemaker and craftsman, Dan Watson, you will create your own, one-of-a-kind chef’s knife. Over the course of an intense two-days, you will design your knife, thrash life into high carbon steel, and heat-treat your chef’s knife. Then, you will learn the skills and techniques to grind and polish the blade, sculpt a handle, and sharpen the knife, ready to take home. Registration includes all materials and tools. Numbers for this workshop are extremely limited.
Artist Bio
Dan Watson is a knifemaker and craftsman based in Maleny on Jinibara Country. Working primarily with high-carbon steel and local hardwoods, he creates handmade chef knives and kitchenware that combine utility, durability, and refined design. His work is informed by years of living and working on Country across Australia, and balances function with a deep respect for material and place. See more of Dan’s work at www.danwatsonknives.com
Daniel Butterworth
Painting and the Everyday
Acrylic Painting
Daniel Butterworth | Painting and the Everyday
Workshop Outline
Suitable for all levels | 16+ | Life Model (Nude)
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
Join Daniel Butterworth for an exploration of all genres using acrylic paint and cardboard. Learn Dan’s techniques to create original works with everyday materials. Explore tone, scale, foreshortening, proportion, and point of view while engaging in the study of Self-portraits, the Figure, Landscapes, and Still-life.
Artist Bio
Doug Moran and Archibald Prize finalist, Daniel Butterworth is an established artist specialising in portraiture – frequently using self portraits to express social, political and personal views. Read more about Dan’s art practice at www.danielbutterworth.com
Catherine Large
Cloisonné Enamelling a Small Container
Enamelling
Catherine Large | Cloisonné Enamelling a Small Container
Photography credit Michelle Bowden, Visuall Photography
Workshop Outline
Suitable for intermediate – advanced | 18+
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
Come ready to focus on completing an enamelled container in 5 days. This class offers a week of precision enamelling and a deep dive into cloisonné enamel. Students will spend the week designing and applying a pattern of their own unique design and inspiration in cloisonné wire to a small copper container with a lid (this will be provided). The wires will create the framework and pattern for the application of enamel and the students will learn how to form and create patterns with the cloisonné wire, including but not limited to twisted wires, beading and straight lines. We will be kiln firing the containers, using both dry sifting and wet packing enamelling techniques, making samples and learning the tips and tricks of enamelling on larger, curved surfaces.
Artist Bio
Catherine Large is a contemporary jeweller and metalsmith based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She has a Master of Visual Art (Research) and has taught in Jewellery and Small Objects QCA, Griffith University and is currently a tutor at the Brisbane Institute of Art. She draws on her experiences of travel and the nature of ‘stuff’ to inform her work in jewellery, objects and flatware. Enamel and re-use of materials feature in her work. Catherine has been the recipient of several grants, and she regularly exhibits her work in exhibitions both nationally and internationally. Her work is held in both public and private collections. Explore of Catherine’s artwork at www.catherinelarge.com
Kristen Flynn
Contemporary Printmaking – Loose Lines & Abstract Flair
Dry Point Etching, Solar Plate Etching, Monotype, Collage
Kristen Flynn | Contemporary Printmaking - Loose Lines & Abstract Flair
Workshop Outline
Suitable for beginner – intermediate | 16+
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
Contemporary Printmaking – line, imagery, and abstraction is a creative and explorative printmaking workshop. You will learn the technical skills to create artworks using solar plate etching, dry point etching, monotype printing, and collage. Participants will utilise line, colour, imagery, layers, abstraction, and composition, to create a portfolio of works that communicate student-led meaning and narrative. You will also harness juxtaposition to create interesting and creative print works. This workshop will build your confidence to take creative risks and to reflect on your process and art making.
Artist Bio
Contemporary artist Kristen Flynn uses print-media, collage, appropriation and hybrid approaches to create works that examine who she is, and who she is becoming. Living on a rural property, and being a mother, she is drawn to investigating motherhood, beauty, decay, and life cycles through found objects and images. She has fifteen years teaching experience and has recently graduated with a Master of Arts (Creative Arts) (with distinction) from the University of Southern Queensland. In 2025, she held a solo exhibition at the Print Council of Australia in Melbourne. Flynn has also exhibited internationally in Paris, New York, and Miami. Read about Kristen’s art practice at www.kristen-flynn.com
Lauren Jones
Objects, Memory, and the Painted Table
Oil Painting (Alla Prima Technique)
Lauren Jones | Objects, Memory, and the Painted Table
Workshop Outline
Suitable for all levels | 16+
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
Immerse yourself in a vibrant week of oil painting in this hands-on, fast-paced workshop designed for artists (beginners and experienced) ready to deepen their practice. Across five thoughtfully curated days, we’ll explore the core elements of painting; colour, tone, composition, brushwork, and creative intuition through a series of guided exercises, demonstrations, and finished works. Each day focuses on a fundamental aspect of alla prima painting, beginning with dynamic drawing warm-ups and quick studies, before moving into longer painting sessions. You’ll learn how to mix luminous colour, simplify form through tonal observation, design compelling compositions, and develop your own expressive mark-making. Whether you’re refining your style or reigniting your studio practice, this workshop offers a space to experiment, play, and produce a rich body of work. By the end of the week, you’ll leave with a series of completed canvases, a toolkit of techniques, and a renewed confidence in your creative voice.
Artist Bio
Lauren Jones is a visual artist living and working in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. Her oil paintings—ranging from intimate still lifes to expressive portraits—capture quiet, fleeting moments with a sensuous immediacy. Gestural and impressionistic, her works celebrate the raw materiality of paint, drawing the viewer into a world where gesture, memory, and atmosphere intertwine. Jones holds a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Literature from the University of the Sunshine Coast (2009), and a Bachelor of Fine Art in Painting from Monash University (2012). From her beautiful hinterland studio on the Sunshine Coast, she continues to explore the poetics of the everyday through the rich language of oil painting. You can read more about Lauren’s art practice at laurenjones.gallery
Clare Purser
Abstract Seascapes in Paint & Mixed Media
Painting and Mixed Media
Clare Purser | Abstract Seascapes in Paint & Mixed Media
Workshop Outline
Suitable for all levels | Ages 16+
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
This is a great course for those interested in a loose and expressive approach to painting & mixed media. Over 5 days we will create a series of paintings that express an emotional response to our coastal environments. We will explore how mark making, layering, texture and experimental surfaces can create dynamic and expressive seascapes that convey feeling without being overly descriptive. Bring a variety of coastal images, these may be from Stradbroke Island or perhaps the Sunshine Coast where ever inspires you. These images will serve as initial ideas and jumping-off points for our paintings. Through a series of exercises, we will explore a range of mixed-media, including acrylic paint, dry media, gelli prints and collage.
Artist Bio
Clare is a Painting Tutor at the Brisbane Institute of Art and conducts workshops for schools and art groups. She transitioned to being a full-time artist 10 years ago, after working in commercial and community galleries. She is represented by Woolloongabba Art Gallery in Brisbane and several interstate galleries. Her work is featured in both private and public collections, and she has been a finalist in numerous art prizes, winning the Milburn Art Award in 2016. Read about Clare’s art practice at www.clarepurser.com
Peta Berghofer
Playful Clay: Shape, Stain, Story
Ceramics
Peta Berghofer | Playful Clay: Shape, Stain, Story
Photography credit Grace Yu/Studio Bitsy
Workshop Outline
Suitable for beginner – intermediate | 16+
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
Join ceramic artist Peta Berghofer for a five-day workshop exploring the playful possibilities of ceramic handbuilding with colour-stained clay. Guided by abstracted vessel forms, you’ll be encouraged to think outside the box, loosen up, and embrace experimentation. Throughout the workshop, you’ll discover the expressive potential of handbuilt ceramics and learn how pottery stains can bring vibrant dimension to your work. Peta will work closely with participants, engaging in group discussions and one-on-one feedback to support your creative storytelling – whether you’re new to clay or refining existing skills. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have created a collection of colour test tiles, exploratory test objects, and one final resolved piece – either an abstract vessel or a ceramic assemblage – reflecting your personal approach and creative voice.
Artist Bio
Peta Berghofer is an artist based in Toowoomba Queensland, practicing on Giabal and Jarowair lands. Her ceramic work sits at the intersection of still life and sculptural abstraction, employing handbuilding techniques to reimagine everyday objects and structures. Through the distortion of domestic forms into ceramic assemblages, Berghofer explores the peculiarities of human-made realities and conventions, creating artifacts that suggest an altered perception of the familiar. Since graduating from a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours) in 2016, Berghofer has exhibited across Australia and internationally in France and Denmark. She has participated in artist residencies abroad and her work is held in both private and public collections. Read more about Peta at www.petaberghofer.com
Cheep Trill
This One Time At Bandcamp
A Music Theatre-ish Workshop
Cheep Trill | This One Time At Bandcamp
Workshop Outline
Suitable for all levels | 18+ | This workshop includes a Friday afternoon performance 4pm – 5pm
This is a five-day workshop | 12 -16 January
‘This One Time At Bandcamp’ is a joyous and completely zany music theatre(ish) “summer camp” for adults. We’ll spend a week together learning an epic group vocal mashup by Emma Dean and Tony Dean, combined with dance moves that will make Great Aunt Elsie faint. Your friends and family can come and watch you perform the outcome at the end of the week. If you have any questions – reach out to us at hello@cheeptrill.com.
Artist Bio
Cheep Trill is a supportive, creative community and a school of music with a twist. Our mission is to provide a safe non-judgmental space for anyone of any experience and ability, to express creativity and build human connections through the magical and healing powers of music. Our music school offers: community choir, adult music theatre workshops, choir-aoke (a social event spin on karaoke), singing and musical instrument lessons, and more. We’re here to help you find your creative outlet and community. Read more about Cheep Trill at ww.facebook.com/cheeptrillmusic or on Instagram at @cheeptrillmusic
McGregor Art Workshops 2025
RFL
Half-day: Lost Wax Band Ring
Jewellery
23 August 2025 | 10am – 1pm
Registrations Close 11 August
RFL | Half-day: Lost Wax Band Ring | Jewellery
Workshop Outline
All Levels | 15+
This is a half-day workshop
23 August 2025 | 10am – 1pm
UniSQ Toowoomba, Q2105
Create a timeless, classic band in this half-day workshop, under the expert guidance of Lachlan and Hannah of RFL jewellery. Learn the lost wax technique of jewellery making to design and produce your very own ring.
BYO materials list: Approx $145 (you may already have some of the required materials. Additional costs to be paid to the tutor at time of workshop, depending on the size/design of your ring: $150-$300 (covers sterling silver or gold vermeil material cost, lost wax casting cost, ring finishing cost).)
Cost: $385 (+ BYO Materials & Tools List and Additional costs as noted above)
Bio
RFL is an independent Australian jewellery label made by married partners, Hannah Roche and Lachlan Drew Malone. Together, they design and handcraft RFL with a conceptual depth rooted in critique, exploration, and re-imagining tradition. RFL is handmade in Australia by Hannah and Lachlan using ethically-sourced luxury materials. Our precious metal suppliers are Australian, and are certified with the Responsible Jewellery Council. Prior to RFL, Hannah worked as a photographer for Chanel, Vogue, and Net-A-Porter while Lachlan is an internationally published philosopher with a PhD in Language, Philosophy & Culture.
Deb Mostert
Plein Air Sketchbooks
Pen & Watercolour
Registrations Close 8 September
Deb Mostert | Plein Air Sketchbooks | Pen & Watercolour
Workshop Outline
All levels | 15+
This is a one-day workshop:
20 September | 10am – 4pm | Meeting point UniSQ Toowoomba Campus, Q166 (the workshop will take place in the Gumbi Gumbi Gardens, and the Japanese Gardens)
This workshop will explore the use of sketchbooks as our companion to being outside. With a simple kit of materials, you can carry with you everywhere, you will discover that you can be opportunistic about drawing outside, from the natural world, and this can help get us into daily creative habits of observation, discovery, and wonder. We will run through different drawing exercises and practise our skills. We will explore the versatility of pen, ink and watercolour as a fast and fun way to record what we observe in the natural world.
Cost: $250 for a one day workshop
BYO materials list: Approx $50 – $100 (you may already have some of the required materials)
Bio
Deb Mostert’s art practice includes drawing, painting, small sculpture, and public art. Interested in objects and collections of social and natural history, her artworks use gentle, offbeat narratives and a crisp aesthetic pointing to beauty, truth and grace. Mostert holds a Bachelor of Fine Art. She has presented 22 solo shows and been involved in more than 80 group shows, in both regional and commercial galleries. Mostert has won several awards, and been a finalist in many National art prizes including the Bale Painting Prize, the Salon de Refuses, Jacaranda Drawing Prize, and Marie Ellis Prize for Drawing. Her art practice is over 30 years young and includes over 15 years teaching experience and artist in residencies.
Annette Raff
Painting En Plein Air
Watercolour
Registrations Close 8 September
Annette Raff | Painting En Plein Air | Watercolour
Workshop Outline
Embrace the magic of painting in nature – no fear, just fun! Annette will guide you through a relaxed and playful approach to watercolour, teaching fundamental techniques while helping you gain confidence, let go of hesitation, and experience the joy of plein air painting. Watercolour is the perfect medium for capturing the beauty of flowers in sunlight and shadow, allowing you to respond to nature’s fleeting moments with spontaneity and ease. This workshop is all about being in the moment, seeing like an artist, and playing with colour while soaking in the lush surroundings. So bring your brushes and get ready to paint, relax, and bloom!
Cost: $230 for a one day workshop
BYO materials list: Approx $50 – $100 (you may already have some of the required materials)
Bio
Annette Raff has an extensive knowledge of art and design fundamentals, and is skilled in drawing and watercolour painting. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Art and Advanced Certificate in Art and Design. Annette is a sought-after teacher, having taught at TAFE, Artist Network University, Royal Qld Art Society, Bienarté Art School, and regional art workshops. Annette enjoys exploring new ways with drawing, water mediums, printing, digital art and mixed media. Over 27 years of teaching, Annette has refined her approach to prioritize fostering a relaxed, supportive environment that boosts student confidence.
RFL
Full-day: Lost Wax Ring
Jewellery
20 September 2025 | 10am – 4pm
Registrations close 8 September
RFL | Full-day: Lost Wax Ring | Jewellery
Workshop Outline
All Levels | 15+
This is a full-day workshop
20 September 2025 | 10am – 4pm
UniSQ Toowoomba, Q2105
Create a timeless, classic band or signet ring in this full-day workshop, under the expert guidance of Lachlan and Hannah of RFL jewellery. Learn the lost wax technique of jewellery making to design and produce your very own ring. If you have attended the half-day workshop, you are also encouraged to try incorporating gemstones into your designs!
BYO materials list: Approx $155 (you may already have some of the required materials. Additional costs to be paid to the tutor at time of workshop, depending on the size/design of your ring: $150-$300 (covers sterling silver or gold vermeil material cost, lost wax casting cost, ring finishing cost). Gemstones will be available – allow $50 (approximately).
Cost: $595 (+ BYO Materials & Tools List and Additional costs as noted above)
Bio
RFL is an independent Australian jewellery label made by married partners, Hannah Roche and Lachlan Drew Malone. Together, they design and handcraft RFL with a conceptual depth rooted in critique, exploration, and re-imagining tradition. RFL is handmade in Australia by Hannah and Lachlan using ethically-sourced luxury materials. Our precious metal suppliers are Australian, and are certified with the Responsible Jewellery Council. Prior to RFL, Hannah worked as a photographer for Chanel, Vogue, and Net-A-Porter while Lachlan is an internationally published philosopher with a PhD in Language, Philosophy & Culture.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
En Plein Air with Deb Mostert, Annette Raff, and RFL
Sketching, Watercolour, Acrylic, Jewellery
20 September | 10am – 4pm
Deb Mostert
Plein Air Sketchbooks
Pen & Watercolour
Registrations Close 8 September
Annette Raff
Painting En Plein Air
Watercolour
Registrations Close 8 September
RFL
Full-day: Lost Wax Ring
Jewellery
20 September 2025 | 10am – 4pm
Registrations close 8 September
More workshops coming very soon…
Watch this space!
Past Workshops
Cindy MacDonald
Portraiture
Charcoal
March 29 | 10am – 4pm
Registrations Closed
Cindy MacDonald | Portraiture | Charcoal
Workshop Outline
Beginners | 15+
This is a one day workshop
March 29| 10am – 4pm | 12 people max
UniSQ Toowoomba, Q166
Join award winning artist Cindy MacDonald for this one-day workshop. Under Cindy’s expert guidance, you will navigate the nuances of portraiture in charcoal. Learn traditional drawing methods as you are introduced to the materials, methods and techniques that Cindy uses to draw a simple, realistic portrait in charcoal from scratch. Discover the ‘Andrew Loomis’ method of drawing; the concepts of values and edges, line, and shading; proportion; facial features; and what constitutes a good/poor reference. Some drawing experience preferred, but not essential.
BYO materials list: Approx $150 (you may already have some of the required materials)
Cost: $260
Bio
Award-winning artist Cindy MacDonald paints in a variety of styles and mediums. She considers animals, particularly birds, and humans to be her preferred subjects. Her art practice allows Cindy to express her phenomenological response to her lived experiences, her faith, and the world around her, ‘To find that essence, that divine spark that is within us all…’
David Bongiorno
Draw Anything!
Drawing
26 & 27 April | 10am – 4pm
Registrations Closed
David Bongiorno | Draw Anything! | Drawing
Workshop Outline
Beginners-Intermediate | 15+
This is a two-day workshop
There will be a clothed/nude life model
26 & 27 April | 10am – 4pm
UniSQ Toowoomba, Q166
Spend a weekend with award-winning artist David Bongiorno, learning the underlying fundamentals of drawing that will allow you the freedom to draw anything you want. Learn foundational techniques and apply your learning to drawing still life, plants, buildings, animals, the figure and more, in and around the classroom.
BYO materials list: Approx $35 (you may already have some of the required materials)
Cost: $635
Bio
Award-winning artist, curator, and arts mentor David Bongiorno teaches life drawing, anatomy, and composition workshops to develop the confidence of contemporary artists. Bongiorno’s national art prize achievements include Emerging Wearable Artist – Winner at the Australian Wearable Art Festival 2022, Highly Commended at the Waterbrook Drawing Prize 2023, Highly Commended at the Lethbridge 20,000 Small Scale Art Award 2024, Finalist in the Kennedy Art Prize 2024, and ACB Selects, 2024, Michael Reid Northern Beaches. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions in venues including Steps Gallery Carlton, The Cooroy Arts Centre, Manning Gallery, Maryborough Gallery, Caloundra Gallery, and Cardinia Cultural Centre, while also undertaking commissions, with works in private and public collections.
Peta Berghofer
Thinking Through Clay: Handbuilding Techniques
Ceramics
Tuesday Evenings | May – June | 6pm – 9m
Registrations Closesd
Peta Berghofer | Thinking Through Clay: Handbuilding Techniques | Ceramics
Photography by Grace Yu/Studio Bitsy
Workshop Outline
Beginners to Intermediate | 15+
Tuesday Evenings: May 13, 20, 27 May, and June 3, 10 & 24, 2025, 6pm – 9pm (please note a 1-week break between lesson 5 & 6)
UniSQ Toowoomba, A229
Join Australian ceramicist Peta Berghofer for an in-depth exploration into hand-built ceramics. Learn to build ceramic objects unique to your own artistic interests, ideas and storytelling using a variety of ceramic handbuilding techniques and surface finishes.
Within the first two classes, Peta will guide you through fundamental ceramic hand-building methods including pinch, coil, and slab building techniques. With these new skills, under Peta’s guidance you will then be free to create objects of your own artistic vision. To follow, objects can be decorated with a selection of ceramic colours. At the completion of the course, you will have confidence in clay joining and finishing skills, leaving with several ceramic objects.
Cost: $660 – Registration includes tuition, materials, tools, use of studio space, and firing.
Bio
Based in Toowoomba, Australian ceramicist Peta Berghofer practices on Giabal and Jarowair lands. Her ceramic work sits at the intersection of still life and sculptural abstraction, employing hand-building techniques to reimagine everyday objects and structures. Through the distortion of domestic forms into ceramic assemblages, Berghofer explores the peculiarities of human-made realities, creating artifacts that suggest an altered perception of the familiar. Since graduating with First Class Honours in a Bachelor of Creative Arts from the University of Southern Queensland in 2016, Berghofer has exhibited across Australia and internationally in France and Denmark. She has participated in numerous artist residencies abroad, and her work is held in both private and public collections.
David Bongiorno
Draw Anything!
Drawing
10 & 11 May | 10am – 4pm
Registrations Closed
David Bongiorno | Draw Anything! | Drawing
Workshop Outline
Beginners-Intermediate | 15+
This is a two-day workshop
There will be a clothed/nude life model
10 & 11 May | 10am – 4pm
UniSQ Toowoomba, Q166
Spend a weekend with award-winning artist David Bongiorno, learning the underlying fundamentals of drawing that will allow you the freedom to draw anything you want. Learn foundational techniques and apply your learning to drawing still life, plants, buildings, animals, the figure and more, in and around the classroom.
BYO materials list: Approx $35 (you may already have some of the required materials)
Cost: $635
Bio
Award-winning artist, curator, and arts mentor David Bongiorno teaches life drawing, anatomy, and composition workshops to develop the confidence of contemporary artists. Bongiorno’s national art prize achievements include Emerging Wearable Artist – Winner at the Australian Wearable Art Festival 2022, Highly Commended at the Waterbrook Drawing Prize 2023, Highly Commended at the Lethbridge 20,000 Small Scale Art Award 2024, Finalist in the Kennedy Art Prize 2024, and ACB Selects, 2024, Michael Reid Northern Beaches. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions in venues including Steps Gallery Carlton, The Cooroy Arts Centre, Manning Gallery, Maryborough Gallery, Caloundra Gallery, and Cardinia Cultural Centre, while also undertaking commissions, with works in private and public collections.
Alana Wilkie
Portrait Drawing Essentials: From Sketch to Masterpiece
Graphite & Charcoal
Tuesday Evenings | May – June | 6pm – 9pm
Registrations Closed
Alana Wilkie | Portrait Drawing Essentials: From Sketch to Masterpiece | Graphite & Charcoal
Workshop Outline
All Levels | 15+
Tuesday Evenings: May 13, 20, 27 May, and June 3, 10 & 17, 2025 | 6pm – 9pm
UniSQ Toowoomba, Q166
Join highly-skilled and internationally renowned artist Alana Wilkie for this engaging portrait drawing workshop, and explore the art of creating lifelike portraits. You’ll learn key techniques, including facial anatomy, proportions, and capturing different perspectives (profile, three-quarter, and full face). Through hands-on practice, visual aids, and expert guidance, you’ll gain a solid foundation in portraiture. Transform the way you see and draw portraits! This course is open to all levels—whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist looking to enhance your technique.
Using both charcoal and graphite, you’ll discover which medium suits your style while refining your skills. This course is open to all levels—whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist looking to enhance your technique. By the end, you’ll complete a portfolio featuring technical studies, structured portraits, and a final personal portrait project.
This workshop blends technical mastery with creative expression, helping you build confidence and deepen your artistic voice.
Cost: $895
Plus
BYO Materials & Tools list: Approx $150 (you may already have some of the required materials)
Bio
Australian artist Alana Wilkie is known for her intricate and thought-provoking paintings and drawings. Drawing from found images, she disrupts their original narratives by introducing unexpected elements, creating a sense of mystery and reinterpretation. With a Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting) from RMIT University, she has exhibited internationally, earning recognition such as the Rome Art Program Purchase Award. Her work is collected worldwide, reflecting her meticulous technique and unique storytelling. Passionate about portraiture and automotive art, Alana also teaches art classes, sharing her expertise with aspiring artists.
David Bongiorno
Draw Anything!
Drawing
31 May & 1 June | 10am – 4pm
Registrations Closed
David Bongiorno | Draw Anything! | Drawing
Workshop Outline
Beginners-Intermediate | 15+
This is a two-day workshop
There will be a clothed/nude life model
31 May & 1 June | 10am – 4pm
UniSQ Toowoomba, Q166
Spend a weekend with award-winning artist David Bongiorno, learning the underlying fundamentals of drawing that will allow you the freedom to draw anything you want. Learn foundational techniques and apply your learning to drawing still life, plants, buildings, animals, the figure and more, in and around the classroom.
BYO materials list: Approx $35 (you may already have some of the required materials)
Cost: $635
Bio
Award-winning artist, curator, and arts mentor David Bongiorno teaches life drawing, anatomy, and composition workshops to develop the confidence of contemporary artists. Bongiorno’s national art prize achievements include Emerging Wearable Artist – Winner at the Australian Wearable Art Festival 2022, Highly Commended at the Waterbrook Drawing Prize 2023, Highly Commended at the Lethbridge 20,000 Small Scale Art Award 2024, Finalist in the Kennedy Art Prize 2024, and ACB Selects, 2024, Michael Reid Northern Beaches. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions in venues including Steps Gallery Carlton, The Cooroy Arts Centre, Manning Gallery, Maryborough Gallery, Caloundra Gallery, and Cardinia Cultural Centre, while also undertaking commissions, with works in private and public collections.
Jane du Rand
Large Bird Sculpture Workshop
Ceramics
12, 13, and 26 July 2025 | 10am – 4pm
Registrations Closed
Jane du Rand | Large Bird Sculpture Workshop | Ceramics
Workshop Outline
All Levels | 14+
This is a three-day intensive workshop
12, 13, and 26 July 2025 | 10am – 4pm
UniSQ Toowoomba, A229
During this three-day intensive workshop you will be guided by award-winning ceramicist and mosaic artist Jane du Rand as you look at Australian birds, considering various reference sources, to then design and make a large sculpture based on your observations. Jane will bring some of her taxidermy bird collection to use as reference models. You will learn ways of observing, planning, and designing a large sculpture, constructing the work and dealing with textures and surface decoration. Finally, you will learn about glazing, underglazes, oxides and stains, and apply this to the decoration of the sculpture.
Cost (includes materials, use of tools, and firing): $1250
Bio
South-African born ceramic and mosaic artist Jane du Rand uses her art practice to document and better understand the world around her. Originally trained as an architect, du Rand’s practice also extends to large-scale ceramic and mosaic installations, with her intricate designs incorporated into the architecture of civic and private buildings around the world.
Jane du Rand
Making Relief Tiles
Ceramics
14, 15, and 28 June | 10am – 4pm
Registrations Closed
Jane du Rand | Making Relief Tiles | Ceramics
Workshop Outline
All Levels | 14+
This is a three-day intensive workshop
14, 15, and 28 June 2025 | 10am – 4pm | 12 people max
UniSQ Toowoomba, A229
Over three days, you will combine working with award-winning ceramicist and mosaic artist Jane duRand’s personal wood block stamp collection,
together with learning to carve surfaces and build up relief forms on the tile surface. You will look at: tile design; using stamps and making stamps; carving surfaces for decorative effect and sculpting; adding relief sculpture to clay surfaces; textures and surface decoration; and finally, colour and using underglazes, oxides and stains to decorate the tiles.
Cost (includes materials, use of tools, and firing): $1185
Bio
South-African born ceramic and mosaic artist Jane du Rand uses her art practice to document and better understand the world around her. Originally trained as an architect, du Rand’s practice also extends to large-scale ceramic and mosaic installations, with her intricate designs incorporated into the architecture of civic and private buildings around the world.
David Bongiorno
Draw Anything!
Drawing
28 & 29 June | 10am – 4pm
Registrations closed
David Bongiorno | Draw Anything! | Drawing
Workshop Outline
Beginners-Intermediate | 15+
This is a two-day workshop
There will be a clothed/nude life model
28 & 29 June | 10am – 4pm
UniSQ Toowoomba, Q166
Spend a weekend with award-winning artist David Bongiorno, learning the underlying fundamentals of drawing that will allow you the freedom to draw anything you want. Learn foundational techniques and apply your learning to drawing still life, plants, buildings, animals, the figure and more, in and around the classroom.
BYO materials list: Approx $35 (you may already have some of the required materials)
Cost: $635
Bio
Award-winning artist, curator, and arts mentor David Bongiorno teaches life drawing, anatomy, and composition workshops to develop the confidence of contemporary artists. Bongiorno’s national art prize achievements include Emerging Wearable Artist – Winner at the Australian Wearable Art Festival 2022, Highly Commended at the Waterbrook Drawing Prize 2023, Highly Commended at the Lethbridge 20,000 Small Scale Art Award 2024, Finalist in the Kennedy Art Prize 2024, and ACB Selects, 2024, Michael Reid Northern Beaches. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions in venues including Steps Gallery Carlton, The Cooroy Arts Centre, Manning Gallery, Maryborough Gallery, Caloundra Gallery, and Cardinia Cultural Centre, while also undertaking commissions, with works in private and public collections.
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