Art Bites Workshops 2015:
A Celebration of the Senses
A multicultural workshop program in Brisbane
ArtBites is an annual public workshop program offered by Brisbane City Council as part of its BrisAsia Festival program.
In 2013, Ferment Collaborate delivered its first ArtBites program, producing arts and cultural workshops facilitated by members of Brisbane’s Sri Lankan, Indian and Chinese communities in collaboration with the BCC Creative Communities team.
Brisbane producer and artist Laura Luck worked with Ferment Collaborate to produce the 2015 ArtBites program for Brisbane City Council, with nearly 20 public workshops deliverd around Brisbane in January and February 2015.
Framed within the context of Eastern philosophy, ArtBites 2015 showcased an array of skills in bodywork, cuisine and papercraft from Sri Lankan, Japanese, Chinese and Indian artists, cooks and practitioners.
A workshop program designed to be experienced, ArtBites literally began with a bang on the 31st January with a Sri Lankan Dance and Drumming workshop.
For more information about the BrisAsia Festival and ArtBites, go to Brisbane City Council’s website.
Art Bites included free public workshops in January / February 2015
Sri Lankan Drumming & Dance: Join Dilupa and Yashan for traditional dance and beats during an energised introduction to Sri Lankan performance and culture. BOOK NOW –
Asian Desserts: Tanya Krikke from Indietreats will be teaching how to create desserts that come from her south east asian upbringing. Delightfully creamy Kheer, Gula Melaka and the colourful Ice Katchang are all on the menu.
Yoga, Pranayama & Yoga Nidra: Laura Luck will be teaching the basics of yoga, pranayama (breathwork) and yoga nidra- a hypnotic form of relaxation. Workshops focus on each practice in depth, allowing participants to experience the full possibilities that can come from such a practice.
Botanical photography and papercut flora mandalas: A workshop in two parts. Man Cheung will teach audiences how to photograph flora and then paper cut and assemble these into flower mandalas, combining meditation techniques into the crafting process.
Circus, Acro-balance and plate juggling: An enjoyable way to experiment with the limits of your body, Anna Yen will teach even the most basic novice how to play in the circus.
Giant Origami: Makiko Ward will be teaching people how to make giant paper animals, explaining the history of origami and taking them through a variety of different origami techniques to create different shapes and folds.
Hand cut ceramic finger bowls: Laura Luck will show how to mimic shapes from nature and craft them from clay. These pieces will then be sculpted together to form small finger bowls and then glazed and used during the Taste of Asia event.
Bollywood dance: Join Divya, our energetic dance and visual art teacher, as she shares some introductory dance moves and inspires you to learn about Bollywood culture
Photos above from 2013 Art Bites delivery by Ferment Collaborate for Brisbane City Council
Ayurvedic Cooking: Complementing the classes on yoga will be workshops teaching the history and application of the ayurvedic tradition. This workshop provides an introduction to Ayurvedic cooking: healthy vegetarian cooking based on ancient Indian ayurvedic science.
Spice mixes, indian pastries and pickles Rani Veerasamy will introduce the Mauritian palate, and let you in on a few family secret recipes. From spice mixes to paratha, Rani will show you how to make the most of what you have in the spice rack.
Paper jewellery: Steph and Vinnie will be showing participants how to make beads from recycled paper, including a variety of colours, textures and shapes. They’ll provide general jewellery making tools and materials for participants to hand craft their own necklace, wristlet or earrings.
Lankan Lanterns: Wesak (“ve-sack”) lanterns are a traditional handcraft primarily associated with the Sinhala Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Miloni Amarasinghe will show you how to make lanterns made for the Wesak Festival celebrating the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha.
Images from a few of this years Art Bites workshops
