Hawaii Craftsmen will sponsor our annual Aha Hana Lima workshops March 27, 28 and 29, 2009. This year the featured artists will be ceramist Michael Wisner, fiber artist Annet Couwenbert and metal artist Ronda Coyell. The workshops will take place at the Honolulu Academy Art center at Linekona. The artists will also give a free slide lecture about their work on Thursday, March 26 at 6:30 PM at the University of Hawai1`i at Manoa Art Auditorium, reception at 5:30.

Costs for the three day workshop will be: $275 for members of Hawaii Craftsmen or The Contemporary Museum, $150 for student members of Hawaii Craftsmen, $350 for non-members, $195 for student non-members.

CERAMICS - Michael Wisner Contemporary Southwest Pottery About the Artist Michael’s work addresses the innovation of traditional pottery. Over the past Twenty years he has studied extensively under Juan Quezada and many matriarchs of the southwest pottery traditions. He was drawn to ancient ceramics by the harmonious fit between vessel form and decorative pattern. For he experimented with design placement to better understand how negative and positive spaces interact. Today his work continues investigating this relationship now using texture as the design element. This new work explores the interaction of form, texture and pattern. Baskets and heavily woven fabrics influence the texture, and anatomy inspires many of the shapes. Patterns made by texturing the clay surface dramatically evolve as they move across the pottery surface. Negative and positive spaces yield multiple levels of design that change depending on the viewer’s perspective. Traditional outdoor firing and Raku techniques breathe multiple layers of depth into the surface. This adds random flash patterns that seemingly freeze-frame the potential energy of the fire into the clay body. A $30 materials fee will be payable to Hawai‘i Craftsmen. Workshop Description: Participants in the three-day Michael Wisner workshop will learn the techniques for creating black on black and polychrome Southwest pottery. They will hand-build and texture the pottery made in class. Sanding, polishing and painting will be done on pre made pieces that will be available at the workshop and covered by the materials fee. Brush making and firing will also be covered. Participants will learn everything needed to continue making this pottery on their own. There are no secrets. A lot of material will be covered so come ready to listen, learn and make pots.

FIBER/MIXED MEDIA - Annet Couwenberg Fashioning Culture-Readdressing Clothing About the Artist Annet Couwenberg, an artist born in The Netherlands, received a MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI and a MFA in Textile Arts from Syracuse University, Syracuse, both in the USA. Couwenberg has been the chair of the Fiber department at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD since 1989. She has received individual artist awards from the Maryland State and Ohio State Art Councils. Telos Art Publishing published a Monograph of her work in 2003. Her work is in numerous collections, among them the Textiel Museum in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including Museum of Arts & Design, Belger Arts Center, Kansas City, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE; 28th Street Studio, New York, NY; Contemporary Museum, Baltimore, MD; City Gallery, Atlanta, GA; Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD; The Arkansas Art Center, Decorative Arts Museum, Little Rock, AK; Textiel Museum, Tilburg, The Netherlands. Annet’s work has been reviewed and featured by the Washington Post, New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Baltimore Sun, City Paper, The Atlanta Constitution, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Fiberarts. NO (Nouvel Object), Le Monde, Surface Design and Sculpture Magazine. Please check out her website at www.annetcouwenberg.com Workshop Description: This sculptural mixed-media class will be an intensive exploration of clothing as a metaphor of meaning. "Since garments have never been solely functional," the instructor writes, "students will examine clothing as a means for expressing psychological, sexual, and cultural identity." A broad visual vocabulary from contemporary and historical sources through readings, slides, and discussions will be presented. In addition we will address questions of the historical significance of cloth, clothing and culture for the discourse of fashion. Innovative fiber constructions will be inspired by, among others, historical garments--the bustle, crinoline, and corset. Technical instruction will include: armatures and coverings, millinery, and sewing techniques such as tucking and piping. Basic sewing skills are required.

METAL- Ronda Coryell Fusing, Fabricating & Granulating with Argentium Sterling Silver About the Artist Ronda Coryell holds a degree in Art Education and founded the Northwest Chapter of the Florida Society of Goldsmiths. Her designs and techniques are inspired by the work of ancient craftsmen, especially those that used the process of granulation. Her expertise in granulation has brought her worldwide recognition as a pre-eminent teacher in the field. Ronda’s commitment to experimentation keeps her continually learning and inspires her to go beyond the known limits of jewelry making. She is a member of the faculty of the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco, a world-renowned institution. Her work has won recognition in competition and exhibition. Please visit www.revereacademy.com or www.rondacoryell.com. Workshop Description: In this class, participants will explore the technology and techniques required to work with Argentium Sterling Silver. Master goldsmith, Ronda Coryell, will provide expert instruction and in depth demonstrations. She will teach the process of fusing both flat and three-dimensional forms. Demonstrations are followed by hands-on experience to create earrings, a ring, bezels, and a bead. Participants may bring small stones or gold (18kt or 22kt) to add them to the projects. Basic fabricating and soldering skills are required. A materials fee of $100 will be payable to the artist on the first day of the workshop.

 Check our past program archive for details and photos of prior workshops.

For more information call 808-521-3282

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