Holiday fun at museums and galleries

Take the family to Redcliffe Gallery over the summer school holidays and meander through exhibitions Oceans from here and 15 Artists while the children get creative at a free workshop.

From designing flags to creating collages, the workshops are facilitated by the crafty crew from RAW Arts.

Redcliffe Gallery Exhibitions

Chemogram abstractions (12+yrs)

Experiment with photographic paper and developer to create different effects and collage your experiments into abstract designs. Tuesday, January 5 and Thursday, January 14, 10.30am-noon.

Flag Design (8+ years)

Explore shape, colour, balance, symmetry and design in a fun print and collage workshop inspired by the work Vexillogical Abstract by Sam Cranstoun in the 15 Artists exhibition. Thursday, January 7, 10.30am-noon.

Packaging Reefs (8+ years)

Create a collage using recycled materials to cut out organic shapes and layers, forming reef designs. Learn about water pollution and its effects on oceans and reefs. Tuesday, January 12, 10.30am-noon.

Seascape through the lens (8+ years)

Create a porthole view of the ocean by experimenting with mixed media effects and collage. Tuesday, January 19, 10.30am-noon.

Layered prints (8+ years)

Play with colour in a fun, relaxing workshop, working with a range of 2D media to create beautiful abstract artworks. Enjoy the process of building up layers of translucent colour. January 21, 10.30am-noon.

Photography for beginners

Demystify the manual settings on your DLSR camera at a fun workshop led by Katie Bennett, who has more than a decade of experience as a professional photographer.

Starting at the Redcliffe Gallery, participants will spend time in the classroom before heading outside to practice, learn and play focusing on how to incorporate light and movement to artistically capture the fluidity of water.

Bring your own camera, walking shoes, hat, sunscreen and water bottle.

Workshops are January 9 and 23, 10.30am-12.30pm at Redcliffe Gallery, 1 Irene St, Redcliffe. Cost: $15. Book here.

Now is the Time: Kids on Tour

Drop in to the gallery to enjoy a hands-on art-making activities encouraging us to reflect on climate change and the environment.

Create your own climate change placards, make a protest T-shirt design, vote for what you care about, and share your climate message on collaborative drawing sheets.

Developed by contemporary Australian artist Raquel Ormella in collaboration with QAGOMA, 'Now is the Time: Kids on Tour' draws inspiration from posters with historical and contemporary protest imagery engaging young people through art on the contemporary issues related to the environment.

‘Now is the Time: Kids on Tour’ is a Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art program presented in association with the Children’s Art Centre exhibition ‘Now is the Time’, which is on show at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art until August.

There’s also loads of free and low-cost activities at museums and galleries across the region.

Pine Rivers Heritage Museum 

Here’s a selection from the Pine Rivers Heritage Museum

Portrait of Australia

A celebration in pictures of the bush, the outback, the coast and the people who live there, the exhibition features photographs from the Australian Geographic archive.

Be transported to some of the most rugged and remote parts of the country and discover the remarkable stories of ordinary Australians - their community spirit, struggles, passions, livelihoods, skills and the changing times through which they have lived.

It’s on until February 14 at the Pine Rivers Heritage Museum, Old Petrie Town, 901-949 Dayboro Rd, Whiteside. The museum is open Wednesday-Friday, 10am-3pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-2pm. Closed public holidays.

Step back in time

Take a step back in time at Pine Rivers Heritage Museum and see what life would have been like for you.

Create and take home a unique picture of yourself in an historical scene as an early pioneer.

Staff will take your picture and you get to choose an old-time background, then have fun creating your portrait using collage.

The backgrounds include professions and lifestyles from the tough pioneering days of the region.

Workshops, on January 8 and 20, 11am-1pm, include a twenty-minute special tour of the museum.

Pine Rivers Heritage Museum, Old Petrie Town, 901-949 Dayboro Rd, Whiteside. Book here.

Caboolture Hub Workshops 

The Hub at Caboolture has a wide range of workshops to beat boredom over summer.

Mapping home

Join the fun and excitement of a map making workshop at the Caboolture Regional Arts Gallery.

Influenced by artworks from the Moreton Bay Regional Art Collection, the Mapping home workshop looks at Quandamooka artist Megan Cope and her art Yunggulba (Woorim), 2014.

The workshop looks at Cope’s work and workshop toponymy (the study of place names), landforms and elements of climate change.

Participants will be guided through making and using templates, silhouettes, paint, shading and layering to create their own individual detailed maps.

The free workshops at The Hub Gallery, 4 Hasking St, Caboolture, are January 13 and 18, 10.30am-noon. Book here.

The Secret Lives of Trees

Included in Caboolture Regional Art Gallery’s workshop series over the summer holidays is collage-based workshop The secret lives of trees.

Influenced by First Nation art from the Moreton Bay Regional Art Gallery collection, the workshop looks at Badtiala artist Fiona Foley and her works Yam Leaves, 2000 and Bodhi Leaves, 2010.

Children will connect to their lived and surrounding environments through nature, specifically focusing on trees.

Using collage, painting, layering, and arrangement, participants will experience a mindful approach to art making, connecting to a deeper understanding of cultural heritage and the natural environment.

All materials provided, but participants are invited to bring along their own collection of dried leaves that have fallen from one of their favourite trees.

The workshops are at The Hub Gallery, 4 Hasking St, Caboolture on January 11 and 20, 10.30am-12.30pm. Book here.

Spiral art

Celebrate summer school holidays with an art workshop connected to the spiral.

Join artist Janice Peacock for an introduction to her Culture Cullt Clan works exhibited in First at Caboolture Regional Art Gallery.

A free hands-on workshop inspired by her art will follow.

The spiral is a powerful symbol for creation, growth and renewal, and is used in many ancient cultures and religious traditions throughout the world.

The spiral shape is fundamental to nature, appearing on animals, seashells, and in natural phenomena – in whirlpools, hurricanes, tornadoes and spinning galaxies.

In Torres Strait Islander Meriam culture, the spiral is used as a metaphor or symbol in relation to traditional cultural concepts - the spiral shape is not only likened to nature but also signifies that of the social life of its people, as in time before, present and after.

Seasonal Spirals is also linked to the Tagai story that represents the social and cultural identity of all Torres Strait Islander people.

Tagai is a story about stars in the night sky and the changing of seasons.

All materials provided.

The workshops, at The Hub Gallery, 4 Hasking St, Caboolture, are on January 12, 14, 19 and 21 from 2-4pm. Book here.

Bribie Island Museum 

Over at the Bribie Island museum, kids can get hands-on at workshops that are all about marine life.

Marine fun

Ocean Life Education is bringing the ocean inside the Bribie Island museum.

Children can get their hands wet interacting with fascinating live marine animals and enjoy games and fun.

Two environmental education workshops on January 12 will inspire children to appreciate and take responsibility for the marine ecosystem.

Workshop 1: Weird and wonderful creatures of the sea, runs from 9.30-10.15am.

Discover amazing facts about extraordinary sea creatures.

The interactive program will teach the important message of caring for our environment. Children can touch live sea creatures.

Workshop 2: Shark discovery, runs from 11am-12.15pm

Discover the importance of sharks to the ecosystem; why different sharks have different teeth; and how we can stay safe when swimming.

There will be marine creatures that children can touch and artefacts such as a shark jaw.

The Bribie Island Seaside Museum is at 1 South Esplanade, Bongaree. Each workshop costs $5. Book here.

Redcliffe Museum 

Lastly, there’s something for older kids at the Redcliffe Museum, with a shadow box workshop for over-16s.

Shadow Box Art

Create beautiful art using only the interplay of light and shadows in a workshop aimed at those aged 16 and over.

Choose between a landscape, dreamland or fantasy scene. The final product will be a three-dimensional, back lit, paper cut scene, fully framed and ready to display at home.

All materials provided.

The workshop costs $10 and is on January 9, 10.30-11.30am at the Redcliffe Museum, 75 Anzac Ave, Redcliffe. Book here.

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