Open Day 2023 is August 19th

Supported by: The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and Cork County Council

Open Day 2022 at Chapel Hill School of Art

The 2nd Annual Open Day at Chapel Hill School of Art

August 20th 12.30 to 4pm

The second annual Open Day at Chapel Hill School of Art in collaboration with Heritage Week, August Craft Month and Cork Craft Month celebrates the re-opening of the Art school for Art classes and Heritage Workshops in September. The variety of craft and heritage based demonstrations, talks and workshops on site explores and recognises the community diversity and the wealth of the heritage talent around us. Join us for a lively day of creative exploration from the smoke and alchemy of Blacksmithing to clay modelling and throwing, willow and textile weaving, bee hive and lace making with music from The Fresh Air Collective and food from local Artisan producers.

Our workshops, demonstrations and talks will offer everyone a greater awareness of our timeless heritage Crafts and recognise it’s cultural importance locally, regionally and nationwide. We are delighted to be sharing and honouring our cultural heritage by collaborating with our project partners Heritage Week, Cork Craft Month and August Craft Month.

Demonstrations

Demonstration 1: Sustainiability

Peadar O Riada

Best for Bees - Ancient Technology – Skep Traditional Beehive Weaving

2pm to 3pm - Upstairs - Community Room

Using locally harvested mountain Sege grasses Peadar O Riada demonstrates this ancient craft long proved best for Bee health. Skeps are baskets that have been used for about 2000 years by Bee keepers. Initially they were made from wicker plastered with mud and dung but from the Middle Ages they were made of straw. In northern and western Europe, skeps were made of coils of grass or straw. Join us at Chapel Hill as we learn and explore this ancient craft.

Demonstration 2: Exhibition Only

Circular Weaving Exhibition with Ann Mechenlick - All Day - Ground Floor Parlour

Inspired by the ancient alluvial forest of The Geragha and the environment around her Ann has responded with beautiful weavings in a forest floor series of work. Join us at Chapel Hill school of art on August 20th to see Ann’s beautiful work on exhibit.

Demonstration 3: August Craft Month Event

Pottery Throw-down Creative Shout Out !

2pm to 4pm Front Lawn

Ceramic Artists Jim Turner and Bernadette Tuite

Chapel Hill School of Art in central Macroom is delighted to take part in August Craft Month 2022. As part of the heritage based celebration of the school Open Day this lively and fun interactive Demonstration will take place on the front lawn of the spacious and historic former convent of Chapel Hill School of Art.

From 2pm to 4pm on August 20th you can join in the fun with Ceramic artists’ Jim Turner and CHSA Coordinator Bernadette Tuite as they mesmerize you with the hypnotic wonders of throwing clay forms on the potter’s wheel. Fun for all the family as Jim and Bernadette invite you to challenge them in a Creative shout out to ‘throw anything’ !

Demonstration 4: Smoke and Alchemy

P.P.P. Forge

Blacksmith P.J. Cremin, coppersmith Ragnar, Fergus and Kerian

All Day - Front Lawn

Bladesmiths and metal artist P.J. Cremin will be here on Open Day mixing the smoke and alchemy of metal smithing. PJ and the team will demonstrating their ancient metal crafts with their contemporary Forge. We are delighted to have have wood sculptor Noel Murphy demonstrate his beautiful copper and wood botanical sculptures.

Workshops

Workshop 1 - Booked Out

Portrait Modelling in Clay - sculptor Stephanie Dinkelbach

1pm to 3.30 with Life Model Tracey Harper

Head Modelling workshop -The planes and features of the Human face provides the spring board for participants to explore the ancient and craft of sculpting in clay with sculptor Stephanie Dinklebach - Using a traditional armature to encourage participants of all ages to have a go at this ancient skill in a fun explorative atmosphere.

Workshop 2

Willow Weaving with Wildrose Basketry

Rosemary Kavanagh of Wildrose Basketry will transport you on a journey from Willow cultivation to a completed piece of willow basketry to take home.

Two Workshops –

1pm to 2 pm for Children - Salmon of Knowledge- storey telling and willow weaving
2.30 to 3.30pm Adults - Willow Star Weaving to brighten your day

· One for children up to the age of 13 (with their parents or guardians help being essential) making a willow fish with some storytelling about our native salmon and fish --this would be for an hour. Ideally not more than 10 children.

· The other would be for older children over the age of 14 and adults where we would make a willow star. A willow star can be used as a wall hanging, table ornament, or hot plate. This will be about an hour and a half. Ideally not more than 10 participants

Workshop 3,4,5,6,

Meet the Chapel Hill School of Art Teaching Team and have some creative fun!

We have four Workshops for you to enjoy throughout the day

Ava Hayes - Interactive Drawing Salon Style for Adults and children 2pm to 4pm - Stained Glass Prayer Room

Conor Cleary - Try Lino Printing and take home a gift - 1.30 to 3.30 pm - Stained Glass Prayer Room

Gemma Harris - Giant Kids Colouring Book - 1pm to 3pm - Walled Garden - weather dependent

Allanah Dennehy - Make Making for Adults and Children - 12.45 to 2.45 pm - Yellow Chapel

Learn & Explore

Lace Making past and present at Chapel Hill School of Art

Irish Needlepoint Lace revival at Chapel Hill School of Art

In its former life Chapel Hill School of Art was home to a busy lacemaking industry. Records from 1906 show payments to makers of over €2000 pounds in 1906, that almost €250k in 2021!

Enjoy an Open Day of Lace with us and The Traditional Lace Makers of Ireland. The international award winning Veronica Stuart, and the lacemakers will be here for the day sharing and enjoying this exquisite craft with you.

The most beautiful of materials, lace was worn by the wealthiest women across Europe, yet produced by some of the poorest women in Ireland. Lace was a luxury commodity, used to decorate elaborate wedding dresses, christening robes, and church vestments, but it also played a vital part in saving many families from starvation and destitution. Irish lace reflects the social and political changes that took place between 1700 and the present day.

Pied Piper Treasure Hunt with the Up and At Em’s Performance Troop

The Up and At Ems Acending Ensemble will lead a Pied Piper Treasure Hunt around the school grounds

Music

Fresh Air Collective

Chapel Hill School of Art,

Macroom, Co. Cork

Saturday August 20th 1pm to 3pm 2022

Ruti Lachs (accordion/voice) and Edel Sullivan (fiddle) are members of The Fresh Air Collective, a group of musicians who play an eclectic and lively mix of folk and klezmer music. They deliver a wonderful cross range of acoustic music from around the globe, including France, Argentina, Eastern Europe and America, as well as some original compositions.

They are delighted to perform as part of the Open Day celebrations at Chapel Hill School of Art in Macroom. For this special event they will be including some participatory dances and songs.

They promise a fun performance for EVEYONE OF ALL AGES!

Proudly supported by

The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and Cork County Council