national wool museum 26 Moorabool Street, Geelong, 3220 Tel: 03 5272 4701 Email: nwminfo@geelongcity.vic.gov.au Web: www.nwm.vic.gov.au Open: Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.00pm, Sat & Sun 10.00am - 5.00pm Closed: Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Good Friday.

TEACHER’S GUIDE

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Exhibition Overview:

This year’s Scarf Festival theme is ‘divinely wicked or devilishly good?’. It challenged scarf makers across Australia and overseas to think about:

What path will you take?

Will you be tempted by good or bad, or naughty or nice?

Are you one or the other? Or a little bit of both?

What happens when darkness meets the light?

What does it mean when the lines blur and the balance is broken?

And how will you say it in a scarf?

Scarf makers could use any technique and any material to express themselves. Scarves were entered into 1 of 11 scarves and judged by a panel of 3. This year 329 different scarves are featured in the exhibition. Every scarfmaker and scarf has a story and scarfmakers this year include primary students, home crafters and professional artists.

The exhibition also includes a program of craft demonstrations, check the website for a list of demonstrators, techniques and times.

Key ideas in the exhibition:

Art vocabulary

Interpreting theme and the role of artist’s statement

Introduction to textile/fibre art

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KKKeeeyyy WWWooorrrdddsss (Definitions from the Oxford English Dictionary, unless otherwise specified)

ART The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power

ARTIST A person that practices any creative art as a profession or hobby

CROCHET Creating a textured fabric with yarn using a hooked needle

DISPLAY A collection of objects arranged for public viewing

EXHIBITION Public display of works of art or items of interest

FELT Textile made by wetting or heating, rolling and pressing wool, causing individual fibres to mat together to create a smooth surface

FIBRE A thread or filament from which a vegetable tissue, mineral substance, or textile is formed

GALLERY Room or building for the display of works of art

INTERPRET Convey the creator’s understanding of a particular idea through another medium or in a different way

KNIT A fabric or garment made by interlocking loops of wool or other yarn with knitting needles or on a machine

MATERIAL The matter from which a thing is or can be made

PATTERN A repeated, decorative design

SCARF Length or square of fabric worn around the neck and/or head

SUSTAINABLE

PRACTICES A way of doing things that avoids depletion of natural resources / helps to maintain a certain resource level

TEXTILE Type of cloth or woven fabric

TEXTURE the feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or a substance

THEME Subject or topic of the exhibition

WEAVE Fabric or a fabric item made by interlacing long threads passing in one direction with others at a right angle to them

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DISCIPLINE-BASED LEARNING: The Arts

Fo

un

dati

on

Express and communicate experiences, observations, ideas and feelings about themselves and their world

Talk about ways in which the Arts are part of their personal experience, as well as cultural and social events in their community

Begin to use arts language to describe features of their own and others’ arts works

Learn about ways of making personal responses to arts works based on sensory perception

Level

1

Using ideas and concepts taken from themes, scenarios, narratives and visual stimuli, they experiment with ways of expressing and communication ideas and feelings to particular audiences or for particular purposes

Begin to use arts language in discussions about and response to their own and other people’s arts works

Respond to arts works to gain experience in identifying personal preferences, reflecting on features that might influence their own arts works

Learn about places where arts works can be found and how arts works can be designed and made to fulfill particular individual and community needs.

Level

2

Learn about a range of ways arts elements can be used to communicate experiences, observations and things imagined

Using ideas and concepts taken from themes, scenarios, narratives and visual stimuli, experiment with ways of expressing and communication idea and feelings to particular audiences or for particular purposes

Respond to arts works to gain experience in identifying personal preferences, reflecting on features that might influence their own arts works

Begin to use arts language in discussions about and response to their own and other people’s arts works

Level

3

Explore arts processes and ways to communicate concepts arising from their personal experience and from the world around them

Explore and respond to their own and others’ arts works, students develop skills, techniques and processes for expressing emotions and ideas, and signifying purpose

Use appropriate arts language to identify and describe ways they and others use specific elements, principles and/or conventions, skills, techniques and processes and discuss how ideas, feelings and purpose are conveyed

Level

4

Explore arts processes and ways to communicate concepts arising from their personal experiences and from the world around them

Consider the purpose and audience of their arts works as they experiment with various ways of presenting works in a range of arts forms

Develop skills, techniques and processes for expressing emotions and ideas, and signifying purpose

Level

5 Learn about ways to design, improvise, represent, interpret, make and present arts works that

communicate feelings and their interests and understanding of themselves, their relationships and other people

Independently and collaboratively explore and experiment with different ways of present arts works and consider appropriateness of presentation for intended audience

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Level

6 Learn about ways to design, improvise, represent, interpret, make and present arts works that

communicate feelings and their interests and understanding of themselves, their relationships and other people

Independently and collaboratively explore and experiment with different ways of present arts works and consider appropriateness of presentation for intended audience

Level

7

Use a range of starting points including observation, experience and research to represent, generate, develop and communicate real, imaginary and abstract ideas

Independently and collaboratively explore and experiment with different ways of present arts works and consider appropriateness of presentation for intended audience

Use appropriate arts language when discussing their own and other artists’ intentions and expressive use of arts forms elements, etc and when describing, analysing and interpreting the content and meaning of arts works

Level

8

Independently and collaboratively work to develop creative and effective ways of combining and manipulating arts elements, principles and/or conventions when designing, making and presenting arts works for particular purposes and audiences

Use appropriate arts language when discussing their own and other artists’ intentions and expressive use of arts forms elements, etc and when describing, analysing and interpreting the content and meaning of arts works

Level

9

Develop skills in making decisions about creative ways of generating and implementing ideas

Keep their intended aesthetic qualities in mind when they experiment with select, vary combinations of and manipulate arts elements, principles and/or conventions to effectively realise their ideas

Develop aesthetic and critical awareness through observation, research, discussion and analysis of arts works

Level

10

Develop skills in making decisions about creative ways of generating and implementing ideas

Keep their intended aesthetic qualities in mind when they experiment with select, vary combinations of and manipulate arts elements, principles and/or conventions to effectively realise their ideas

Develop aesthetic and critical awareness through observation, research, discussion and analysis of arts works

Activities that support Physical, Personal & Social Learning and Interdisciplinary Learning are indicated with the following symbols:

Health & Physical Education

Communication

Interpersonal Development

Design, Creativity & Technology

Personal Learning

Information & Communications Technology

Civics & Citizenship

Thinking Processes

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Review arts vocabulary with your class before visiting the exhibition. Assign or have students select an arts term (see list below for suggestions). Each student must research the definition of their term then write a simple definition in their own words. 1. Distribute A4 paper and colouring materials to students. 2. Fold A4 sheet in half length-wise. 3. Lift the flap and write the definition on the inside. 4. Use pictures and creative lettering to write the word in

a way that illustrates its meaning on the outside face. 5. Post these words on a classroom bulletin board.

Some suggested words: abstraction, balance, colour, composition, contrast, crochet, distortion, emphasis, felt, fibre, form, harmony, juxtaposition, knit, line, movement, pattern, point, proportion, recycle, relationships, repetition, reuse, sequence, shape, space, surface, symmetry/asymmetry, textile, texture, tone, tone, unity, warm/cold colours, wearable, weave

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The theme of the 2013 Scarf Festival was Home. The theme invited scarf makers to explore what the idea of “home” meant to them – what is home? It was an opportunity to create a scarf that explains, explores, and explodes the myths and realities of what it means to belong. Before viewing last year’s winners, discuss what students’ feel “Home” could mean; how would they interpret the theme?

There are 11 different categories to enter, along with the Scarf of the Year:

Thematic scarf

Use of colours

Use of sustainable practices

Menswear

Knitted scarf

Woven scarf

Crocheted scarf

Felted scarf

100% wool scarf

Primary school student

Secondary school student

When judging a scarf, judges must be careful not to judge the scarf based on personal taste – it is not a simple question of do I like or not like this scarf? This is also not a technical assessment of an artist’s execution of a particular technique. Judges are looking at the connection between the artists’ statement, their creation and the theme; at how the different elements in the scarf work together; at the types of techniques artists have used and so forth. In small groups, and using appropriate arts language, have students create a simple judging checklist that could be used to assess the scarves in a particular category. Distribute relevant flash cards (pp. 7-12) to each group and have students a look at the scarves using this checklist. Then as class select a Scarf of the Year from amongst these 23 scarves.

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Best Thematic Scarf

Home in the rainforest (Cecile Falvey)

I live on Mt Tambourine above the Gold Coast in Queensland. My weaving creations in the studio are highly influenced by where I live. In this piece, I have tried to show the rain forest and the track on which we walk. Red soil, baby ground flowers and pebbles below the green colour of the trees above.

Highly Commended Thematic Scarf

Somewhere over the rainbow (Chris Boerner) What is home Dorothy? Is it a safe place? Is it a scary place? Is it a comforting place? Is it a confusing place? Is it a challenging place? What goes on behind the curtained windows? Know that you can be the designer of your own home, should you choose to. So follow the yellow brick road, avoid the poppy fields and find the ruby slippers. Click the heels together three times and say 'There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home.’

Best Use of Colours in a Scarf

My garden at home (Jean Inglis)

This tole represents my garden in all its moods, in rain, in drought but always a little colour.

Highly Commended Use of Colours in a Scarf

Well stitched (Barbara Rogers)

Home is a place where something is discovered, foundered or developed - a source. I have discovered Shibori, developed Shibori into scarves.

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Best Use of Sustainable Practices

Scribbly Gum (Lis Mertens)

This delicate silk and merino wool scarf was created in an ironbark slab hut built in the 1860's which was my home for 10 years and is now my studio. The design intention was to produce an item to comfort against the cold climate of the Southern Tablelands of NSW using materials found in the vicinity and methods which would have been available to the original residents of the building.

Highly Commended Use of Sustainable Practices

…a quick tidy up, then a nice cuppa (Samantha Anderson)

I was struggling to find inspiration until it literally struck me on the head! A fresh roll of pink chex. It fell from the cupboard and there it was - it was obvious. Home to me means family, a haven and endless chores. I added the flowers as no home is complete without a garden...and a nice cup of tea!

Best Knitted Scarf

Bridal Heirloom (Margaret Langford)

Learning to knit, using huge skeins of khaki wool during the second world war. Born was my love of exploring fibres, spinning, felting and old traditional patterns from Wales, Ireland and Shetland. My mother knitted all the family's socks and jumpers - nevery idle hands! My father grew all our vegetables and kept bees and pheasants - all surrounded by gardens of glowers. Great memories of a loving family home. Home is where the heart is -Langfordf and idle hands the tools of the devil?

Highly Commended Knitted Scarf

Dragon (Jai Qi Xu)

When people talk to me about home, the first word that comes to my mind is my hometown China. This instantly reminds me of the dragon. We have a huge culture based around the dragon. Chinese believe we are descendants of the dragon. As a child of the dragon, I hand knitted this scarf. The dragon tells a tale about one's beliefs and also has the power to bring good luck and fortune. Everything in my life can be told by the dragon - who I am and where I belong.

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Best Woven Scarf and Scarf of the Year 2013

Diamonds (Laurie Paine)

'Diamonds' is a hand woven evocation of the patterned and coloured quilts we use to keep us warm and decorate our beds. A symbol of the very heart of our home.

Highly Commended Woven Scarf

Honeycomb (Laurie Paine)

'Honeycomb' is a hand woven evocation of the honey bees at home.

Best 100% Wool Scarf

The Australian tartan (Jean Inglis)

My father was born in Scotland, then after fighting in the war, he came to Australia, hence I have reproduced the Australian Tartan to remember him and his two homes.

Highly Commended 100% Wool Scarf

Take me home (Georgia Brunmayr)

Supportive. With all the chaos that comes with life, your home is a tightknit community. It might be held together with the finest of threads but when it truly counts, you are never left out in the cold. Changing with time and experiences the scarf is all so interchangeable, the arms and shoulder pads are removable but the base always remains the same.

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Best Scarf by Primary Student

Our family Christmas tree (Tiana Wells)

The smell of pine in the living room is comforting and the lights flash different colours. To me this is home.

Highly Commended Scarf by Primary Student

Home and me (Warrnambool Primary School)

What is home? Home to me means family, comfortable, cosy, warm, big, small, love, shelter, surprising, exciting, heart, relaxing, fun, memories, Sunday roast, animals, sisters, brothers, parents, food, everything, belong, play, fight, safety, smiles, space, cooking, technology, play games, happiness, fit in, rest, sleep and pets.

Best Crocheted Scarf

Spectrum (Rosie Cicak)

A home is full of colour and life that should bring a smile to those it surrounds.

Highly Commended Crocheted Scarf

Living in the garden (Maureen Watts)

For me, home is both a real garden and a metaphorical garden. Events, memories, aspirations, emotions, relationships are interwoven in a sort of ecosystem that continues to evolve over time and across many actual places. I used window frames, paths and fences entwined with garden images to represent the idea of growth and creation within a contained area and recognisable shapes underline the idea of domesticity.

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Best Felted Scarf

A natural (Kate Williams) The materials simply felt at home with one another.

Highly Commended Felted Scarf

Connectivity (Judy Styles)

Home is a place to which I am physically, emotionally and spiritually connected. It is a place where I am comfortable, belong and where I experience a warm, inner passionate feeling - hence the colours used in the scarf. Home is also about people and their connections and relationships. The circles in my scarf symbolise this. Home is all about connectivity - the title of my scarf.

Best Scarf by Secondary Student (Htoo Gay Ku Shwe Myaing Thein Win)

Weaving makes me happy because I weave at home with my family around me. My mum taught me how to weave first and now a friend is helping me. When I weave at home, my baby brother crawls under my weaving and I get cross with him. He sits and looks at me with his big smile and I smile too. My scarf is full of happy colours.

Highly Commended Scarf by Secondary Student

Home is where the cats are (Tailah Pearson)

I love animals, so when I heard the theme was home, I though of making an animal scarf. Home is where the love is and I love animals. I chose to do a cat scarf because they are so cute and comfort you. Just like home.

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Best Menswear

Home is a word (Kate Williams)

Home is a word we use to indicate different things - where we live with loved ones, where we lived before, there is leaving home, making a home, home made, home plate, home run, homeward, home country, going home, coming home, home town etc. The word is repeated 44 times in this scarf.

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This year’s Festival theme is a question: “divinely wicked or devilishly good?” In small groups, discuss what this question means to you. How could you break it down?

Independently, have each student complete the mind-map template (p. 14) before visiting the exhibition to gain an understanding of working with a theme.

Completing the mind-map:

1. In the centre of the page write your understanding of the key words and question.

2. When you think of the key words (divine, wicked, devilish, good), how do you feel? Record any feelings in the identified box.

3. When you think of the key words what colours, textures, patterns, shapes come to mind? Record them in the appropriate box.

4. Do any movements remind you of the thematic words? For example, climbing stairs, playing.

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5. Review your mind-map. Some boxes might have lots and lots of different words, others very few. With a highlighter, identify one or two key words in each box.

6. Use only these key words to design a scarf reflecting home on the template provided (p. 15).

7. Create a title for your scarf that reflects the idea of home you have selected. 8. Write a brief statement describing your scarf. Your statement should mention

what concept of home you chose, why it is important to you, and some of the key words that you selected to design your scarf. See the flash cards for examples.

Optional extension: Before writing their own statement, in small groups have students work through the artist statements on the flash cards provided pp. 7-12. Have them group information from each statement into 3 categories: link to theme; choice of materials; and, arts vocabulary.

For example: I was struggling to find inspiration until it literally struck me on the head! A fresh roll of pink chex. It fell from the cupboard and there it was - it was obvious. Home to me means family, a haven and endless chores. I added the flowers as no home is complete without a garden...and a nice cup of tea! Breaking it down: Link to theme: Material found at home; location; flower image; chores, family Choice of materials: chux clothes Arts vocabulary / key words: inspiration/home/means/literal

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________________

_________________________

_________________________

______________________

COLOURS

SOUNDS

SHAPES

TEXTURES

MOVEMENT

PATTERNS

FEELINGS FEELINGS

MOVEMENT

COLOURS

PATTERNS

SOUNDS

SHAPES

TEXTURES

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Title: ___________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

________________

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Students will be guided through the exhibition of scarves and view some of the key pieces entered in 2014. They will look at different techniques, materials, and designs that artists used to interpret the theme. Students will also hear a few of the artists’ statements and try to match the statement to the various features visible in the scarf. Students will then be divided into small jury panels to judge the scarves. Each group will be given a selection of scarves to view, a category name, and a set of simple judging criteria. Each jury can select up to 2 scarves they feel are the best example of that category. Using appropriate arts language they must present their winning scarf to the class. Before leaving each student has the opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice Award.

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Create an artistic response to Divinely wicked or devilishly good? using provided materials.

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Minimum of 45 minutes for a workshop.

Introduction to Felting

Introduction to French Knitting

Introduction to Knitting

Introduction to Spinning

Introduction to Weaving

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Recall your visit to Scarf Festival 2014. Which scarves do students remember particularly? Why do those scarves stand out (colour, artist statement, pattern, materials, etc)? Each student will write or draw a personal response to / reflection on their visit.

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Vary the sophistication of this activity based on the age and abilities of your students

1. In small groups, have students brainstorm ideas for an exhibition theme. Then share these ideas with the class, providing one or two suggestions for how the theme could be interpreted. As a class, vote on your exhibition theme.

2. Are there any restrictions on the pieces for your exhibition? For example, The Journey required the finished art product to be a scarf, although there were no restrictions on materials or techniques.

3. Individually, students will create a mind-map (similar to template, p. 8) to plan out their artistic response to the selected theme (keeping in mind any exhibition conditions around size, style, etc).

4. Get creating! Each student should produce both a piece of art and an artist’s statement explaining the relationship between their piece and the exhibition theme.

5. Build your exhibition. In Creating a Classroom Museum, the Smithsonian Centre for Education and Museum Studies suggests the following team approach:

Assign each group a different task to complete in getting the exhibition ready for visitors. (Explain that in museums, exhibitions are usually the result of teamwork.) Here are some suggestions for group tasks:

Floor Plan Group Designs the overall plan for the exhibition. Point out that traffic flow is one of the most crucial elements to keep in mind. Have students give the recommendations they generated in step 2 to the members of this group. Encourage the group to consider the recommendations as they design the floor plan.

Graphics Group Makes all the large signs for the exhibition; writes final copy for introductory label (telling visitors what to expect) and final label (summarizing the entire exhibition) as well as any additional labels for various areas within the exhibit.

Construction Group Arranges tables and shelves and puts all objects into place. To provide ideas for how to arrange labels and objects, place any photos you were able to get from the museum exhibition in an area where everyone can refer to them. (Depending on time and materials, you might also want to suggest that the students build simple display cases.)

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Publicity Group Writes, edits, and distributes announcements and brochures about exhibition. If the exhibition is accessible to the public, have the students write announcements and send them to local media.

Exhibition Guide Group Writes, edits, and illustrates a brochure describing the exhibition's objects and theme. Provides any additional information that isn't included in panels. (Provide students with examples of such brochures, which many museums produce.) Have students put completed brochures in a prominent location near the beginning of the exhibition.

6. Create a class catalogue, identifying each piece and outlining the “big picture” for the exhibition. Invite parents, teachers, other classes to tour your museum; you could even offer guided tours.

** for further ideas see Smithsonian Centre for Education and Museum Studies, Creating a Classroom Museum: http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/collect/crecla/crecla0a.htm

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Choose another country and investigate their textile traditions. Consider, how they are similar to and different from the techniques and materials you saw in the exhibition.

For example: Peru - www.cuscotextiles.com/ or Indonesia - www.threadsoflife.com/; nga.gov.au/indonesiantextiles/code/Default.cfm?MnuID=2

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Consider making your own scarf for Scarf Festival 2015. The theme and further information about entering a scarf will be available from www.nwm.vic.gov.au in December 2014.

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WWWeeebbbsssiiittteeesss American Textile History Museum: http://www.athm.org/ Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles: https://sites.google.com/site/amcatmuseum/History-of-Textiles/fibres (simple glossary of fibres) Australian Textiles Arts and Surface Design Association: http://www.atasda.org.au/ Build your own cardboard loom. http://www.craftstylish.com/item/2546/how-to-weave-on-a-cardboard-loom/page/all Learn How to Knit: http://www.wikihow.com/Knit (great illustrated, step-by-step guide to get started) National Wool Museum: www.nwm.vic.gov.au Oxford English Dictionary (online): http://oxforddictionaries.com/ Smithsonian Centre for Education and Museum Studies: http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/collect/crecla/crecla0a.htm Textile Museum of Canada: http://www.textilemuseum.ca/ The Textile Museum: http://www.textilemuseum.org/

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FINGER SPINNING (adapted from B. Greenwood (1994), A Pioneer Story, p. 98) Materials: cotton balls Directions: Left hand – pinch one section of a cotton ball loosely between your thumb and index finger. Right hand – with your thumb and index finger pinch a tiny piece of the cotton ball and slowly pull out a few fibres, twisting as you pull. DROP SPINDLE Materials:

Pencil

Cardboard

Scissors

2 x rubber bands

Metal hook

Directions: 1. Cut a 6-8cm diameter circle out of the cardboard. 2. Mark the center of your circle and poke a small hole with the scissors. 3. Push the pencil, eraser end first, through this hole (should fit snugly), about 2-

3cm. 4. Secure by twisting one rubber band around the pencil above the cardboard,

and the other around the pencil below the cardboard. Bands will act as stoppers.

5. Screw the metal hood into the eraser. 6. You are ready to spin! 7. For spinning directions: http://www.handspinning.com/lollipops/spininst.htm

or http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/HowToDropspin.shtml

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Materials:

Cardboard tube

4-6 popsicle sticks

Masking tape or glue

Ball of yarn Directions:

1. Evenly space the sticks around one end of the tube and tape or glue in place. Allow about 2cm of the stick to protrude above the end of the tube.

2. Thread the end of the wool in down through the hole. 3. Wind the wool from left to right once around each stick. Pull on the end until

the yarn is fairly taught. 4. Wind the yarn around each stick in turn (just around the outside, not

completely around the stick this time). Lift the bottom loop over the top loop and over the stick.

5. Continue winding around the outside and looping the bottom over the top. As the tube grows it will appear out the bottom of the tube. To change colour or attach a new ball of wool, just make a knot, but make sure the joined ends pass down through the centre of the tube so they are hidden.

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Bubble wrap

Plastic freezer bag

Warm, soapy water

Net

2 rubber bands

Wool top Directions:

1. Place the bubble wrap on a flat surface with the smooth surface facing up. Pull the wool tops into short sections and place on the bubble wrap. Lay them all in one direction, (vertically) overlapping each piece slightly, then repeat horizontally. Depending on how thick you would like your end product to be, you may need to do another layer. Remember that you must make your piece approximately 1/3 bigger than you intend it to be to allow for shrinkage.

2. Place the net on top of the wool top. Slightly wet your wool top, and rub your hand over the top in the plastic freezer bag in a circular motion. Continue to do this, adding more water as needed until the wool tops become smooth.

3. Gently remove the net. Roll the bubble wrap up and secure it with two rubber bands at either end. Roll with your hands 50 times then unravel the bubble wrap and rewrap it from the other end. Repeat this 4 times so that you have rolled it 200 times in total. At this stage the wool tops will be in a pre-felt stage.

4. Continue to roll. This time 200 rolls before rewrapping it. Repeat this 4 times. So that our overall total will be 1000 rolls. Unwrap the bubble wrap. Carefully fold up the felted piece and squeeze out the water. Throw the piece heavily down onto the surface, roughly twenty times. After this continue with a kneading process using both hands. This where the shrinking will occur. Rinse with cold water to remove the excess soap. Lay flat to dry.