“Legends abound as to the origins of the Spondooli Brothers: Born in a guitar case in a Lower Spondoolovitch potato field. Raised by feral goats in the barren foothills of Upper Spondolia. Illegitimate heirs to the throne of the Grand Hoopla of Absurdistan, sold as child slaves to a nomadic circus tribe who trained them […]
The Spondooli Brothers (2003 – 2006) Read More »
Just had a great couple of cartooning workshops at the brand-spanking new Moonah Arts Centre, which opened recently. The new MAC building is quite a departure from the old space – lots of post-modern concrete & steel, with that MONA sheen that’s become a popular aesthetic around town. The new design offers much more space
April 10 & 11, 2015 – Cartooning @ Moonah Arts Centre (Tas) Read More »
DRAW YOUR WILDEST IMAGININGS! @ MOONAH ARTS CENTRE, 27 Albert St, Moonah It’s back! I’m very pleased to be able to offer another after-school Creative Cartooning Course in Term 2, this time at the fantastic new Moonah Arts Centre! Last year’s Courses were very well-received, with the students really extending their skills & developing their
6-WEEK CREATIVE CARTOONING COURSE / Apr 22 – May 27 Read More »
Every holidays I get mothers asking why I don’t run Holiday Workshops for under 9s. Most mums are understanding when I explain, but there is always a percentage who insist their 7 or 8 year old should be an exception, and some who just outright lie about their child’s age in order to book them
Some Reasons Why My Holiday Workshops Are Only 9+ Read More »
SAT APR 18 @ GEALC, 419 North Rd, Ormond CARTOON INTENSIVE: CRITTERS’N’BEASTIES!! 10am – 2pm | $50 | ages 9 – 14 only (why?) Advanced techniques for drawing freaky creatures! This month’s Cartoon Intensive is CRITTERS’N’BEASTIES, using the theme to explore simple but sophisticated line effects for creating animal textures (fur, skin, armour, feathers), shading,
APRIL 2015 WORKSHOP – MELBOURNE Read More »
APRIL 2015 EASTER HOLIDAY PROGRAM – HOBART! A fine selection of creative cartooning workshops on offer these Easter holidays, using drawing games & “experiments” to get the kids thinking in new ways about drawing technique, and to push them into new areas of their own creativity. The focus is on fun skills, new perspectives, and
APRIL 2015 EASTER HOLIDAY PROGRAM – HOBART! Read More »
Apr 19 – Kids Like Us (Sandringham) On Sunday April 19 I’ll have the pleasure of continuing some drawing exploration with a small but highly-creative & enthusiastic group of young people from Kids Like Us. This will be our third gathering, and I’m really looking forward to seeing where the journey takes us this time.
Kids Like Us – vital work for (twice) exceptional kids Read More »
Hi everyone! I am only running two workshops at the Glen Eira Adult Learning Centre these Jan holidays, with spaces limited to 16 students per group – so jump in quick! Both workshops are 4-hr intensives, using drawing games & “experiments” to get the kids thinking in new ways about drawing technique, and to push
JAN 2015 SUMMER WORKSHOPS – MELBOURNE! Read More »
A fine selection of creative cartooning workshops on offer these Summer holidays, using drawing games & “experiments” to get the kids thinking in new ways about drawing technique, and to push them into new areas of their own creativity. The focus is on fun skills, new perspectives, and creative inspiration. There are plenty of 2-hr
JAN 2015 SUMMER PROGRAM – HOBART! Read More »
A fine selection of creative cartooning workshops on offer these Spring holidays, using drawing games & “experiments” to get the kids thinking in new ways about drawing technique, and to push them into new areas of their own creativity. The focus is on fun skills, new perspectives, and creative inspiration. Warning: your children may want
OCT 2014 HOBART HOLIDAY NEWS!! Read More »
“Bradfield came to Cygnet Primary much celebrated and recommended. Many of our students had been to his workshops in the past and when his name was mentioned were especially excited. The workshops explored line-making and observation. All the students were engaged by Bradfield’s guided drawing sessions and he lead them gently and respectfully through different
thINK DRAW CONNECT LEARN – Drawing Residency, Cygnet Primary, May 2014 Read More »
Another workshop in my whirlwind mini-tour of Glen Eira! This one came about after a suggestion by Philippa from the Glen Eira Adult Learning Centre, where I was also running workshops this week. Cheltenham Community Centre run a school holiday care & an activities program, and the program co-ordinator Tammy invited me in to be
Melbourne Holiday Workshops, Sept 2013 – Cheltenham Community Centre Read More »
Each year Glen Eira Council runs SCHOOL’S OUT, a fantastic youth-oriented school holiday program with a focus on creative skills, thanks to the efforts of Arts & Culture officer Tori Hayat. Tori invited me to run a day of 2 x 3hr cartoon workshops for the program, as well as create the image for the
Melbourne Holiday Workshops, Sept 2013 – Glen Eira Town Hall Read More »
These holidays I trialled a couple of holiday cartoon workshops in the cozy quarters of the Glen Eira Adult Learning Centre in Ormond. The Centre runs fantastic life & work skills programs for adults, especially working with the local migrant community, and GEALC Manager Philippa Caris is clearly a passionate teacher who cares about her
Melbourne Holiday Workshops, Sept 2013 – Glen Eira Adult Learning Centre Read More »
Sept 12, 2013 After my 3 days up in Penguin, it was time to head South, halfway back down the state to Waverley, near Launceston. Tony Brazendale, the exuberant principal of Waverley Primary, had been very excited about his students having some Creative Communication workshops. Waverley PS works with one of the most challenging demographics
Northern Tasmanian Tour, Sept 9 – 12 – pt 4: Waverley Primary School, TAS Read More »
Sept 9, 10 & 11, 2013 So after the morning session at Penguin High, I scooted 20 mins down the road to Burnie, to spend the rest of the day cartooning at Montello Primary School, at the request of the wonderful Josie Courto. Josie had invited me to be artist-in-residence over 3 days, working with
Northern Tasmanian Tour, Sept 9 – 12 – pt 3: Montello Primary School, TAS Read More »
Sept 9 & 10, 2013 For the Mon & Tues of my visit up North, I began each day with a 2-hour workshop at Penguin High School. The focus was Creative Communication, and I was working with a small group of Additional Needs students, a mix of pretty high-functioning kids with various developmental or learning
Northern Tasmanian Tour, Sept 9 – 12 – pt 2: Penguin High School, TAS Read More »
From time to time I get to travel a bit further afield in my quest to inspire young minds, and in Tassie this usually means getting to take in a bit more of the amazing landscape of this beautiful state. This trip was definitely no exception, in fact for the whole week I felt I
Northern Tasmanian Tour, Sept 9 – 12 – pt 1: Penguin, TAS Read More »
Four years ago, the Friends School (Secondary Campus) in Hobart approached me about running my Creative Communication cartoon workshops with their Year 7s, as part of their Connections program. Over three days I worked with all the Year 7 home groups, a different group each day, and about 50 students in each group. What was
Hobart, September 3, 4 & 6 2013 – Friends School, Yr 7s Read More »
Years ago I used to run a cartooning course for adults (5 x full day sessions) in Kingston, for what used to be known as Adult Ed (now Learn Xpress). Teaching adults is a whole other realm to teaching kids – insecurities & self-doubts are more deeply entrenched, as are opinions and habits of perception.
Cartooning For Adults, August 2013 – Kingston Read More »
I always welcome the opportunity to travel a bit in Tassie & visit schools a bit further afield, it rekindles my sense of adventure and reminds me how much stunning country there is to appreciate in this state. And it’s always a pleasure to return to a school I’ve visited before, I like the sense
Launceston, August 6 2013 – Scotch Oakburn College Read More »
Hot on the heels of July’s school holiday workshops, I hurtled headlong into a week-long Artist Residency. Last year Mirjam Holthuis from Cygnet Community Childrens Centre (CCCC) was successful in securing a grant to employ three local artists from the Cygnet area, including myself. Each of the artists were asked to offer creative experiences to
Cygnet Early Childhood Artist-In-Residence, July 2013 Read More »
The Big One! The Kingston LINC cartoon workshops have traditionally been the most well-attended, and this one was no exception. Most of the kids were old-timers who have been coming to these sessions regularly, and most of them went for the hardcore all-day option. But it was also wonderful to see some new faces too,
TAS Holiday Workshops, July 2013 – Kingston LINC Read More »
It’s difficult to have favourites with these workshops because they all offer up fresh delights, but I reckon this day at Glenorchy LINC was one of the most fun for me these holidays. The morning session was just 3 kids (!), but all 3 had booked in for the whole day, so I didnt want
TAS Holiday Workshops, July 2013 – Glenorchy LINC Read More »
After the morning session at Bridgewater LINC, I zipped into Hobart to run a Parent & Child cartoon workshop in Criterion House in the CBD, at the invitation of Amanda Midgley, for the Hobart City Council’s school holiday program. Amanda has been involved in coordinating youth services projects for years now, and we’ve collaborated on
TAS Holiday Workshops, July 2013 – Hobart City Council Read More »
I was invited back to run another cartoon workshop at Bridgewater LINC these holidays (I was there last January hols), thanks to the wonderful Jordyan Coombe! Jordyan really cares about offering opportunities to her community that they wouldn’t normally access, and she very generously subsidised my visit out of her own budget so she could
TAS Holiday Workshops, July 2013 – Bridgewater LINC Read More »
This was an all-day workshop with a busload of kids from the outlying rural areas north of Hobart, as part of the Southern Midlands Council school holiday program. Greg Hunt and his devoted crew do an amazing job of providing these kids with opportunities & experiences that they might not otherwise access. Many of these
TAS Holiday Workshops, July 2013 – Southern Midlands Council Read More »
Back home in gorgeous Tassie after my dash to Melbourne, and straight into a full week of cartoon workshops for the Tas school hols, mostly at southern LINC (library) centres – first stop: Huonville LINC, my local. A small but very inspired group with plenty of wacky ideas! We kicked off with a combo of
TAS Holiday Workshops, July 2013 – Huonville LINC Read More »
Flew back to Melbourne briefly to run a day of school holiday workshops for Eastern Regional Libraries, who cover libraries throughout the Knox, Yarra Ranges and Maroondah shires. Thanks Janet for inviting me to be part of the library school holiday program! It was a fantastic day, kicking off with a morning workshop at Lilydale
Melbourne July 2013 – Eastern Regional Libraries Read More »
In 2001, Wesley College approached me to design a cartooning workshop program addressing bullying, for inclusion in a Yr 7 Resilience Program the college was piloting, and which incorporated many other materials such as drama, video, discussion, writing etc. When Wesley approached me with the commission I had just completed my year-long residency at Pembroke
Melbourne June 2013 – Wesley College Read More »
Another really rewarding 2-day visit to Rowville Secondary, one of my favourite schools to visit (yes, I know, I’m not supposed to have favourites!). This is the fourth year running that I’ve been invited to run the Creative Communication workshops there, thanks to the wonderful leader of the Arts Faculty, Robyn Geake. Each year that
Melbourne June 2013 – Rowville Secondary College Read More »
A whirlwind visit to Upper Ferntree Gully Primary School in the morning, two x 1 hr sessions with Grades 5/6, thanks to their awesome art teacher Nikki Ashman! We focused on facial expressions, the kids were wonderful, really engaged with the process and articulated some great ideas about emotions. Whenever I commence a workshop, there’s
Melbourne June 2013 – Upper Ferntree Gully PS Read More »
Tues June 11 2013 – Landed in Melbourne from Tasmania on the ferry first thing in the morning (boat-lagged!) for a two-week teaching binge, and headed straight over to Yarra Rd Primary School in Nth Croydon to spend a fantastic day catching up again with Grades 3 – 6. But first…. Rewind to March of
Melbourne June 2013 – Yarra Rd PS Read More »
