2010.08.15.
I wrote a review from the Camp for the IFA's journal (International Feltmakers Association - UK.). You can read in the "Felt matters"on September, here you are:
“The Gift of the Lambs I.” – International Felt-Art Workshop and Symposium in Hungary
I have long had a cherished idea of a felt-art camp where Hungarian and international felt-artists can work together, and learn from professional felt artists; where they can meet other artists working with felt, meet different ways of thinking, see novel artistic methods and techniques.
I learned to work with felt from István Vidák, in Kecskemét, in 1984, in the same atmosphere as that of the I. International Academic Felt-art Symposium. In 2004 I had the chance to participate in the VIII. Felt-art World Meeting of very high standards, as a teacher and as a felt-artist with exhibition, which was organized by István and his wife, Mari Nagy in Lakitelek and in Budapest. Thousands of people took part in the event. It was fantastic!
I wanted a smaller, more personal camp where people could reach out to each other more. I have been teaching felting for years. In 2008 Kaptár Association seated in Magyarlukafa asked me to be the spiritual leader of a forming Felt-art Center. An informal group called “The Gift of the Lams” was formed mostly out of my students, lending its name to the camp as well. At this point I realized I had the chance to fulfill my long-time dream of organizing an annual international felt-art camp. Using all my knowledge in the profession and relying on my contacts and friends in the field, we organized the “Gift of the Lambs” I. International Felt-art Workshop together with Kaptár Association in Magyarlukafa, from the 26th June – 3rd July, 2010. Magyarlukafa, this small Transdanubian village, near Pécs 50 km.István Vidák and Mari Nagy were the first felt-makers of the village, decades ago.
It was important to establish the camp’s topics, its theme, goals and the names of the teachers who will be invited. We maximized the participants’ number in 50, which makes aninformal, transparent, enjoyable gathering preserving its personal feeling, whose size fits in with the little village’s community where the camp was organized.
Adding the teachers, speakers, volunteers, organizers and interpreters, about 60 of us were there. We divided the camp’s participants into 5 groups of 10 people, since I asked 5 different felt-artists to teach who used their own different topics, techniques and materials. The 5 groups went around to study with all 5 teachers. Each teacher prepared with a one-day program from Sunday untilThursday. At the end of the camp we had 250 artworks created.
The Teachers was:
Inge Evers from the Netherlands: ( „Bleep“ - spiritual felt, the unity of the body and the soul
Dagmar Binder from Germany: („Scarf“ - a combination of chiffon silk and fine merino, a kind of "painting" detailed ornaments with wool fibres on top of silk)
Judit Pócs from Hungary: („Miniature Sculptures“ - magical techniques)
Vanda Róbert from Hungary: („Pillow“ - rustic felts with braided and vowen empiecements)
Marti Csille from Hungary: („Coral-Jewelry“ - felt jewellery combined with metal and embroidery)
On Friday the teachers introduced themselves with an hour-long presentation including slides and pictures, and Mari Nagy and István Vidák, who are nationally and internationally revered artists, teachers and etnographers in the profession, held lectures about the past still alive around us, and talked about their indian and kirgisian field-trips where they studied felt-art.
During the camp we organized 2 exhibitions in the Etnographic Workshop: during teaching sessions the teachers exhibited their works, and on the day of the symposium students had a chance to exhibit their own felt works they made during the camp.
The camp was sponsored by „Lanatex“, a crafts-and-arts store selling felting materials, who provided the camp with high-quality, wonderful wool, additional materials and with tools needed for felt-making.
The camp gathered students from 13 European countries: English, Irish, Spanish, German, Swiss, Belgian, Dutch, Italian, Austrian, Finnish, and also American, Hungartian and Tansylvanian participants took part. On the basis of the topics listed in the call, mostly experienced felt-artists joined.
The camp took part in 3 places. Dagmar Binder had lessons in the Village-house, Inge Evers in the Gallery-Church, and Hungarian teachers in the yard and in the barns of the Etnographic Workshop. The night-lectures and the symposium was organized in the Village-house. Lodging for Students and Teachers was provided for in private apartments.
Lodging arrangement did not strictly follow group participation and arrangement, which means that in the evenings students had a chance to exchange thoughts and share their experiences, therefore to peek into the next day’s programmes and of course, finish thier piece. Although the camp was hectic for many, even for the teachers, it ended in a jolly atmosphere, with great impressions and satisfied participants, all hoping that it would be continued next year.
Unfortunately cooperation with Kaptár Association ended with delusion, and for this reason the next, „II. Gift of the Lambs“ camp will be organized in a new place, in Orfű-Tekeres, Hungary, in the Horse-ranch of the town. We hope we will not have to move any more, and that the premises and the name of the camp will form a single unity.
After considering the suggestions and the feedback after the camp, I will introduce changes in the organization of the camp, and make it less hectic: it will last 12 days instead of 7, the courses will be 1.5-2 days long, some afternoons we will have free program facilities, and taking into consideration that we have families, we will have kids‘ crafts-and-arts workshops. The place is a resort area, with lots of programs and options for excursions, bathing, horseriding. Tekeres is a small town, but it is closer, only 20 kms from Pécs, and it is located in the triple lake-complex of Orfű. I will again invite 5 teachers, 2 from abroad and 3 from Hungary. Every 2nd night felt-art lectures will be held by the teachers, by the invited speakers, by the students who would like to introduce themselves. Applications are welcome through my email address.
I do hope that those who worked for the camp to become reality, did a fruitful job. Students travelled back home with a „felt-essence“ in their bags, so they will have something that recalls memories, they’ll have new ideas in their fingers, which help them remember this camp, and this will hopefully give them enough motivation to join next year as well. I would like to thank everyone for their participation!
2010.06.10.
Informatory Letter to the Participants of “The Gift of the Lambs” International Felt-art Symposium and Workshop
Dear Participant,
- “The Gift of the Lambs” International Felt-art Symposium and Workshop will be organized between 26 June and 3 July in Magyarlukafa
- We are pleased that You participate in the workshop, reinforced by your application and the payment of the tuition fee
- Thank you for filling in the questionnaire helping us in organizing and in making the camp comfortable for everybody in spite of the simple circumstances
- Costs of accommodation and catering will be collected after arrival, foreigners can pay in Euro
- Participants will be accommodated in 7 separate private houses located close to each other and to the “workplaces” too. We had to consider numerous aspects during the distribution of lodgings, so please, observe the list we have compiled
- Those who have chosen cheap accommodation should bring linen or sleeping-bag with themselves. Unfortunately we cannot ensure towels for personal usage in the lodgings, so you have to bring one (and please, do not forget to bring a separate towel for felt-making)
- We would like to keep the daily schedule as specified in the Call for Applications. We will have lunch and dinner together, while breakfast packages will be distributed in the evenings and everyone can eat it in their lodgings.
- A move-around store comes to the village every morning (and an ice-cream man, too) and there is a small grocery where you can purchase basic products. In the shops you can only pay in Forint but Szigetvár is only 20 kilometers where there are plenty of shopping facilities. You cannot change money in the village, so it is worth to do so before arrival (at the airport, in Budapest or in Pécs).
- Each teacher will have a permanent place for teaching, thus Judit Pócs, Vanda Róbert and Márti Csille will teach in the buildings of the Ethnic Museum, Inge Evers in Lukafa Gallery and Dagmar Binder in the Village House. Study groups are compiled on the basis of the questionnaires, each group involves Hungarian and foreign students as well, naturally those who know each other are in the same group. There will be three interpreters and other persons to help the teachers.
- We can provide the most necessary materials in the basic amount described in the teachers’ programmes, these are included in the tuition fee, while other necessary but optional materials should be brought by you or purchased there. There will be a facility to purchase all the necessary materials and supplies on the spot. At the end of the letter you can find a list of things to be brought.
- Travelling should be arranged personally but we are willing to help to find the shortest way for those coming by car and we send a timetable for those coming by train from Budapest to Pécs. We can provide micro-buses from Pécs to the village, we will inform you about the fares after surveying the needs and you will be able to pay in the camp. This is necessary because you can only get to Magyarlukafa after several changes of buses and on Saturday there is only one bus to the village. We can organize 1 transfer on 26 June afternoon for those arriving in Budapest by plane, the fare of this will also be calculated after surveying the needs. Those who require any of the above mentioned services, please specify the exact time of their arrival. Please inform us how you can travel home and whether you need any help in that, too. This is of special importance in the case of foreigners.
- Unfortunately for those who would like to cancel their participation after 10 June, tuition fee cannot be repaid.
Programme:
26 June Saturday: arrival, occupation of lodgings, common dinner, getting to know each other
27 June (Sunday), 28 June (Monday), 29 June (Tuesday), 30 June (Wednesday) and 1 July (Thursday):
9-12: felt-making
12-14: lunch, siesta
14-18: felt-making
18-20: dinner, relaxing
20- : lectures, discussions
29 June evening: free time. It is worth visiting Pécs, there are numerous cultural programmes within the framework of European Capital of Culture: . http://www.pecs2010.hu/
2 July: conference
The works of participants will be displayed in an exhibition in the Ethnic Workshop.
10-12: lecture of Mari Nagy and István Vidák
12-13: buffet
13-14: lecture of Inge Evers
14-15: lecture of Dagmar Binder
15-16: lecture of Judit Pócs
16-17: lecture of Vanda Róbert
17-18: lecture of Márti Csille
18.30-20-30 farewell dinner, discussion
3 July Saturday: departure, programme in Pécs
At the same time Márti Csille’s felt-exhibition entitled “Leletek” (Artefacts) will be displayed in Cella Septichora, participants of the camp can attend it for a reducted price of admission.
Everybody is welcome:
Csille Márti csillemarti@gmail.com
What to bring to camp
You have to bring with own:
· towels, apron, sprinkler - the water is very hard (that is, rich in scale) here, so we work with Cappy or Nestea bottles with a large opening, sharp scissors (little and bigger), cloured pencils, pen, pencils, papper to draw, notebook, waterproof felting pen to draw on plastic, towel.
· needle to sew and thread in all colours, tape-measures, pins, Needle with a triple, flattened end to make holes and sew leather
· felting needles with sponge – Dagmar, Inge
· ca. 50x50 cm plastic gauze (mosquito-netting), 60x 170 cm light polyester fabric to protect the delicate felt-piece, Moisture absorbent kitchen cloth – Dagmar, Inge, Judit
· small hard beans (250-500gr) - Inge
· small personal object, foto, jewel, pearls, stone, feather, poem, letter etc. of themselves or from someone dear to their hearts... pieces of thin fabric with a memory…also fabric or lace that they like to share with other participants - Inge
· flat stones, corals, shells, metal pieces, buttons, pearls (with big hole) or whatever you can imagine to felt into the sculpture (1-3cm) – Judit
· wool yarns, interesting fibres, silk pieces, curly and raugh wool - Judit
You can bring with own:
· silvered or other soft wire (0.8mm) - Márti
· goldsmith tools: small hammer, plier, small wire cutter, fine metal-file, small anvil - Márti
· coloured needlefelt - Inge
· 45x150 cm chiffon silk 3,5 - Dagmar
· little pieces from different type of wool, curly and raugh wool – Judit, Vanda
· coloured threads, different fine wools, wool yarns, curly and raugh wool, needlefelt in different colours,
· different metal things,Metal staples, locks , different pearls
· different type of felting needles with wood and sponge
· goldsmith tools: plier, small wire cutter
Practical circumstances brought to the village:
· Waterproof footwear, raincoats, warm clothes
· Protective hand cream, mosquito lotion
· Flashlight
Your own mug
Dagmar Binder:
2010.02.02.
CALL FOR APPLICATION
For felt-makers, and prospective students of felt-making of the world
An International Felt-art Workshop is held in Magyarlukafa, Hungary, between 26 June and 3 July 2010.
In 2008 we founded an art group of South-Hungarian felt-makers. This group is named "The Gift of the Lambs", and is in cooperation with the Magyarlukafa Kaptár Association. By the autumn of 2009 the need articulated for an international felt-making camp. Magyarlukafa, this small Transdanubian village, near Pécs (about 50 km) with its capacites, and picturesque beauty provides anoptimal venue for the workshop. István Vidák and Mari Nagy were the first felt-makers of the village, decades ago. Since that time felt-makers from all over Hungary have regularly gathered here in summer camps and workshops. This year is the first when we organize an international workshop, but we intend to found a tradition and hold annual workshops of high quality named: "The Gift of the Lambs" International Felt-art Symposium and Workshop.
Seven felt artists have been invited to lecture and teach in the workshop:
Inge Evers felt artist (from the Netherlands) as a teacher ( spiritual felt, meditation, introspection, personal felt cards)
Dagmar Binder felt artist (from Germany) as a teacher (a combination of chiffon silk and fine merino, a kind of "painting" detailed ornaments with wool fibres on top of silk)
Judit Pócs felt artist (from Hungary) as a teacher (miniature sculptures)
Vanda Róbert felt artist (from Hungary) as a teacher (stitched, woven felts)
Marti Csille felt artist (from Hungary) as a teacher (felt jewellery combined with metal and embroidery)
and Mari Nagy and István Vidák felt artists (from Hungary) as lecturers (They are going to lecture on their felt collecting field trips at Friday evening.)
The actual programme of the Workshop is still shaping and subject to change, and it is the function of the future favourable outcome of funding applications.
According to our plan, each teacher teaches 5 days to 5 groups of the participants, who practise different techniques each day, in a revolving stage fashion. (1 group is max.10 people). Teachers can work with interpreters. The Workshop can host max. 50 people from all around the world, The 5 groups go around to study with all 5 teachers. Each teacher prepares with a one-day program.
The detailed program:
26 June: Arrival
27 June - 1 July: Art workshops
2-3 July: Exhibition and Discussion on artwork completed in the Symposium
3 July: Closing, departure
The daily schedule:
8-9 Breakfast
9-12 Workshop
12-14 Lunch-break, siesta
14-18 Workshop
18-20 Dinner, relaxing
20- Lectures, discussions
During the workshop good quality wool and other materials are for sale.
We plan to organize an exhibition displaying the artworks of the camp during the summer in Pécs, within the framework of the European Capital of Culture program. (Pécs is one of the three European Capitals of Culture this year, so there are plenty of programs to participate in during the summer, and Magyarlukafa is only 50 kms far from Pécs.)
Applications are handled in the order of arrival. It is worth applying soon, as the camp can accommodate max. 50 people. As accommodations differ in quality, the prices also differ.
Detailed information on accommodation is available at Márti Csille's website, application in e-mail.
Accommodation: 52 Euro / 7 nights in Tourist Lodging: 28 people: 7.50 Euro/night,
or 91 Euro / 7 nights in High quality private apartments: for 22 people: 13 Euro/night
Full board: breakfast, hot lunch and dinner / 8 days: 60 Euro
Tuition fee: 315 Euro
If you would like to take part in the event and finalize your application, you may do so by paying the Tuition fee (315 Euro). Please transfer the amount by the 1st of May, 2010. After receiving your application, we will give you the bank account number. You have to pay for lodging and catering on the first day of the camp.
Márti Csille (Felt artist, the art director of the Felt Art Workshop) :
http://www.csillemarti.blogspot.com
e-mail: csillemarti@gmail.com
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