Draw Plants Together (Craig)

Very much looking forward to this one :) On Saturday June 7, join me and the lovely Michelle and Sofia from Darebin City Council for a drawing workshop at Cherry Street Grassland, MacLeod, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country, for World Environment Day. This workshop follows a very special workshop with Michelle and Sofia in October last year, also at Cherry Street, when the Stylidium trigger plants were flowering. I’m really looking forward to drawing together again, at a different time of year, in this beautiful urban remnant grassland. Participant feedback from last time: ‘The workshop was brilliant. I feel calmer, and really enjoyed being outside, getting to notice the smaller things, and the plants in the grassland’ ‘I loved the opportunity to share drawings in small groups’ ‘I felt so many moments of wonder and connection’ Workshop is free to attend thanks to Darebin City Council 💚 Register via link in bio 🌱 Here’s some more info: Join this friendly and inclusive nature drawing workshop as part of World Environment Day. No experience needed! We invite you to explore plant drawing in a supportive space and to meet the living species of Cherry Street Grassland Reserve. Drawing invites us to observe nature in a mindful way, helping us notice what’s really there and to form more intimate connections with our surroundings. Plus, drawing is a fun way to connect with others! 🌱🌱🌱

Drawing is always in relationship (sharing some of my recent drawings) If you’ve come along to a workshop you’ll know that I always talk about drawing as a relational process. My view is that drawing is not something we can ascribe to an individual — and yet that’s not what we’ve been told. We are always in relationship, as is anything we do – including drawing. My own experience of the ‘I can’t draw’ feeling (that I see as arising from the normalisation of outcome-oriented and individualistic thinking) has led me to deep reflection around the supports for a more inclusive and accurate version of what drawing is and what it can be. It’s not on the individual – drawing is always collaborative, whether that’s collaboration with materials we choose (or that choose us), the place and more-than-human worlds we’re in, the context, the stories, the histories, or the people we’re with. What’s it like to draw this way – from the place of relationship? What’s it like to reclaim drawing as personal, subjective, interpersonal, intersubjective, relational? These drawings are in relationship 1) with the lovely acacia trees around the campsite at Nanadhong / Cathedral Range Taungurung Country in the restful company of the lovely Diego 2) with the lovely community that has formed around UNFURL at NECCHi East Coburg Wurundjeri Country and in relationship with the lovely Sheena who held last week’s session, in the support and care of the lovely Mitch and the lovely Mei 3) with the darebin / welcome swallows at Darebin Parklands Wurundjeri Country in the embrace of ‘create by the creek’ and the lovely folk who came along and the lovely Sarah and the lovely rain that morning My experience of drawing is that it’s not about the end point. I’ve never experienced an end-point with drawing. For me, drawing is a support, a way in — endlessly humbling and always connecting 🌱

Some last-minute promotion! 😘🌱 Join Craig from @drawplantstogether  for a creative way to spend a Saturday morning — in the propagation shed and outdoors in the ‘seed orchard’ at @vinc_nursery  in Yarra Bend, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country. An opportunity to spend some time with the plants grown at the nursery at different stages, from seed to established plants, and to experiment with different approaches to drawing in a supportive and inclusive space.  Victorian Indigenous Nurseries Co-op is a not-for-profit co-operative, and has been an integral part of local ecological restoration since 1985. VINC propagates and supplies plants to local councils and contractors, schools, community groups, landscape gardeners and members of the public. Draw Plants Together offers friendly, inclusive drawing workshops that support creativity, nature-connectedness and wellbeing. Link in bio 💚

Coming up next week Thursday May 14 in ‘together’ as part of UNFURL at NECCHi East Coburg @eastcoburgandnewlands  , ‘Autumn Still Life with Natural Inks and Charcoal’ with Pen Pender @penpenderbotanicaldyer Deepen your senses this autumn with a seasonal still life of pumpkins, leaves and flowers. We will begin with a demonstration of how to make a classic ink with walnut husks to produce a rich brown . We will then draw with charcoal and a selection of vibrant inks made with colours derived from nature. Take home some charcoal to help keep you sketching!  Words from Pen: “I have a long held passion for plants.  Growing, tending and learning about them as a florist and gardener. My introduction to natural dyeing came from reading a magazine article in 2019, I have been hooked ever since!  This is an ancient craft and one that is fascinating to explore. It is seeing a welcome revival and with it the awareness of materials, thoughtful manufacture and consumerism. “ Full-term sign ups for the remaining 7 sessions are available. And a few single sessions are also currently available for Pen's session. Link in bio :)
 ‘together’ offers folk coming along to UNFURL a diverse program of plant-centred making activities, with different artist-facilitators each week. And offers artist-facilitators a supportive space to grow their facilitation practice at the meeting place of nature-connectedness and creative process 🌱 ‘Together’ is an inclusive and intersectional space. Everyone of all ages, backgrounds, sexualities, genders, bodies and abilities is welcome. Draw Plants Together acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Land where the workshops take place, and I express our respects to First Nations Elders and community and to all First Peoples.

RESCHEDULED on Saturday June 13 due to wet weather! Join Scarlet Sykes Hesterman @the_ottofish  and Craig Burgess @drawplantstogether  for a playful, imaginative walk and draw along the Merri Creek Trail in Clifton Hill, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country. A fun day out with friendly folk. Experiment with drawing and creative process in a nourishing, inclusive space. We’ll meet at Quarries Park carpark and walk together, following the Merri Creek Trail through Hall Reserve to the Rotunda Wetland and back again (roughly 2.5km all up). Link in bio 🌱 tickets $10 to $30, no fee for First Peoples
 Scarlet Sykes Hesterman (she/they) is an artist, educator and conservationist in training. Scarlet teaches animation and encourages humans to connect with ecologies through the natural world, artmaking and community. Craig Burgess (he/him) is an artist and facilitator. Craig started hosting drawing workshops in 2023 at the overlap of creative process, nature-connectedness and wellbeing. Craig brings curiosity around drawing’s capacity to support presence and relaxation and revitalise our senses in conversation with nature. This event is an inclusive and intersectional space. Everyone of all ages, backgrounds, sexualities, genders, bodies and abilities is welcome. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Land where the workshops take place and express our respects to First Nations Elders and to all First Peoples

Coming up next week Thursday May 7 in ‘together’ as part of UNFURL at NECCHi East Coburg @eastcoburgandnewlands  , Gesture, mark making and print with Sheena Mathieson @sheenamathieson Join Sheena in exploring gesture and expression in printmaking using everyday materials, and of course plants!

Sheena Mathieson is a visual artist and community arts facilitator, whose varied practice is united by a respect for difference and the play of colour, form, texture and the found. Full-term sign ups for the remaining 8 sessions are available. And a few single sessions are also currently available for Sheena’s session. Link in bio :)
 ‘together’ offers folk coming along to UNFURL a diverse program of plant-centred making activities, with different artist-facilitators each week. And offers artist-facilitators a supportive space to grow their facilitation practice at the meeting place of nature-connectedness and creative process 🌱 ‘Together’ is an inclusive and intersectional space. Everyone of all ages, backgrounds, sexualities, genders, bodies and abilities is welcome. Draw Plants Together acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Land where the workshops take place, and I express our respects to First Nations Elders and community and to all First Peoples.

Join Craig from Draw Plants Together as we celebrate World Bee Day on May 20. Limited places so bookings are essential. Call 9878 6632

Coming up next week Thursday April 30 in ‘together’ as part of UNFURL at NECCHi East Coburg @eastcoburgandnewlands , ‘A little bit of bush’ with Annie Bolitho @annieartworking Join Annie to ‘draw’ a bit of bush with kangaroo grass, naturally dyed wool tops, silk thread and cotton. Learn the simple basics of nuno felting. Materials provided. Take home some wool tops to try if you’d like :) We’ll get soapy so bring rubber gloves. Also old towels for water spills if you have any. ‘together’ offers folk coming along to UNFURL a diverse program of plant-centred making activities, with different artist-facilitators each week. And offers artist-facilitators a supportive space to grow their facilitation practice at the meeting place of nature-connectedness and creative process 🌱 Full-term sign ups are available. And single sessions are currently available for April. I’ll make the May single sessions available soon. Link in bio :) ‘Together’ is an inclusive and intersectional space. Everyone of all ages, backgrounds, sexualities, genders, bodies and abilities is welcome. Draw Plants Together acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Land where the workshops take place, and I express our respects to First Nations Elders and community and to all First Peoples.

‘Together’ starts tomorrow as part of the ongoing UNFURL sessions at NECCHi East Coburg @eastcoburgandnewlands , Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country. ‘together’ offers folk coming along to UNFURL a diverse program of plant-centred making activities, with different artist-facilitators each week. And offers artist-facilitators a supportive space to grow their facilitation practice at the meeting place of nature-connectedness and creative process 🌱 Tomorrow, I’m hosting the first workshop of the term as a gentle start to the sessions. My experience of drawing in conversation with nature is that it really helps. Approached as process, as play, as a ‘way in’ to being here, drawing can be so supportive, and drawing together is especially special. Tomorrow, we’ll meet at NECCHi at 10:30am, have a cup of tea in the garden at NECCHi East Coburg, and then head down to the Merri Merri Creek (a 5-minute walk away) for some drawing. See link in bio for more info on the guest artist-facilitator sessions, starting with ‘A little bit of bush’ with Annie Bolitho on April 30. Full-term sign ups are available. And single sessions are currently available for April. I’ll make the May single sessions available soon. Link in bio :) ‘Together’ is an inclusive and intersectional space. Everyone of all ages, backgrounds, sexualities, genders, bodies and abilities is welcome. Draw Plants Together acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Land where the workshops take place, and I express our respects to First Nations Elders and community and to all First Peoples.

Draw Plants Together workshops with Bridge Queer Gathering and NeuroConnect Come along to this friendly series of drawing workshops with Craig from Draw Plants Together in collaboration with Bridge Queer Gathering and NeuroConnect. Experiment with drawing and connect creatively with nature in a supportive and inclusive space. * All drawing materials provided * Please get in touch with any access needs * For outdoor sessions, please wear suitable shoes that are good for walking over uneven ground, water bottle, snacks, sun/rain protection Second workshop When: Saturday 2nd May, 2pm-4pm Where: The Gleeson Centre, Separation Street, Alphington Follow the link in our bio for more info and to book.

Coming up on Sunday May 3 — ‘Create by the Creek’ — a gentle day of drawing & making to restore the soul and enliven the senses at Darebin Parklands, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country. Craig @drawplantstogether and Sarah @snakebirddesigns invite you to a gentle day of creative activities to relax, play, make and learn together in conversation with nature and the Darebin Creek. This day of activities follows our first 3-week ‘Create by the Creek’ course held earlier in March, and is an opportunity for folk who attended to gather together again, and as well as an opportunity to welcome folk who haven’t attended previously. Let your thinking mind take the back seat - the sessions on offer are for treating our senses, making room for experimentation and play and for deepening our relationship to ourselves and the natural world.  Program for the day 9:30am to 11am ‘Morning drawing’ with Craig – drawing as a practice for arriving, warming into the day Morning tea 11:30am to 1pm Clay with Sarah – impression-making and playful ephemeral artefacts Shared lunch Bring a plate if you like :) 2 to 3:30pm Free creative play / bring something you’re working on / have chat and a cup of tea Tickets are sliding scale $45 to $75 for the full day of activities. First peoples no fee. Register via link in bio 🌱

Coming up in Waring season at NECCHi East Coburg @eastcoburgandnewlands — ‘together’ for UNFURL - weekly plant-centred making sessions with guest facilitators 💚 An opportunity for creativity each week, in supportive company, in conversation with plants. ‘together’ will offer a program of workshops led by guest-artist facilitators interwoven with drawing sessions led by Craig from @drawplantstogether The sessions with Craig will also be an opportunity to participate in NECCHi East Coburg’s budding garden mapping project. The program of guest-facilitators will be confirmed in the coming weeks :) ‘together’ offers folk coming along to UNFURL a diverse program of plant-centred making activities. And offers artist-facilitators a supportive space to grow their facilitation practice at the meeting place of nature-connectedness and creative process 🌱 If you're an artist-facilitator and would like to run a workshop please contact Craig to find out more :) Image is a cyanotype from ‘Gathering Place’ — a workshop with Robin Tregenza along the Merri as part of the ‘nature-hearted’ weekend held at NECCHi East Coburg in March