OCTOBER 2017 | Hayley Manning and Nadine Ozols

A TWO-DAY workshop was held by Hobart based Botanical Artist, Deborah Wace.  This was part of the Meander Valley Festival of Creative Ageing to invite elders to revive their creative skills.

The first workshop saw participants enjoy a social bus trip to Kanangra and the Deloraine Community Garden.  Edible plant specimens were collected such as kale leaf and herbs.  Then morning tea at the Raspberry Farm and a search for more plant matter from the impressive gardens that surround the restaurant.

The assembled bounty of flowers and leaves were then placed between sheets of paper in plant presses.  These were hand-made by Deloraine Community Shed volunteers, for participants to keep as a memento or save for future use.

The array of dried and pressed plant matter was laid on tables at the Rotary Pavilion, ready for the creative process (of arranging and adhering to cardboard).  The completed works will be mounted and framed ready for an exhibition that will be on show from the 16th – 20th October at the Rotary Pavillion, Deloraine.

The Festival of Creative Ageing provides a week of 25 art and health based sessions, workshops and exhibitions (which follow the theme of Seniors Week – the great outdoors).  The program encompasses a dynamic range of activities, that aim to provide something to suit all interests and tastes. All activities are held within Meander Valley.

This is the second festival, which aims to be an annual event.  Although the festival is targeting creative ageing, there is an open invitation to everyone in the Meander Valley to participate.

Copies of the program are available by dropping into the Meander Valley Life Office, 71 Emu Bay Road Deloraine.  Or download one at meandervalleycommunitydirectory.com.au (scroll to the bottom of the home page).

To see more of Deborah Wace’s botanical artworks, head to this year’s Craft Fair and visit her stall at Venue 5, the Community Complex.

Festival of Creative Ageing events include:

Wine and Cheese Evening 6.00pm Monday 16th Oct at Grenoch.

Sketching with Robert Gower no experience required, 10.30am Tuesday 17th Oct at Grenoch.

No Song Left Unsung 2.00pm or 3.00pm Tuesday 17th October at Marakoopa Caves.

Grand Story Time 11.00am Wednesday 18th Oct at Westbury LINC.

Art of Brewing Workshop 1.30pm Wednesday 18th Oct at Kanangra.

Big Picnic Seniors Week Luncheon 12 noon 19th Oct at Rotary Pavilion.

Creative Spring Play 10.30am Friday 20th Oct Westbury Day Centre.

Long Table Dinner 6.00pm Friday 20th Oct at Kanangra, $30.00pp for two courses.

Photo | Mike Moores