VC Community Month Workshops
Feb - Mar 2020
'This bookbinding workshop is all about learning by making and everyone should expect to go home with one or two handmade books. Using age-old traditional techniques we encourage participants to experiment with contemporary designs, processes and materials.
This introductory workshop is open to participants of all skill levels, so no previous experience is necessary. Tools and materials will be provided but participants may bring their favourite tools (rulers and straight edges, bone folders, glues, scissors, scalpels and craft knives). Come and learn to design and make your very own handmade book.'
Glen Calleja is a book artist, writer and cultural manager. Glen runs Kotba Calleja and is also co-founder of Studio Solipsis. Calleja has designed, led and participated in many interdisciplinary artistic projects where paper and book take centrestage.
Kotba Calleja is a small bindery based in Rabat (Malta) which designs and make books by hand using basic handtools and equipment. The bindery is a studio and a laboratory which collaborates with clients to design and make bespoke limited editions of books and paper products.
There are so many techniques and disciplines to learn within the sewing practice that it can be overwhelming for a beginner. Where do they start? This is the question I hope to answer in this 2 part workshop.
'In Part 1, we will go through the sewing basics - how to use a sewing machine, basic stitches, fabric and their uses. We will then move straight into learning the basic techniques of altering and repairing clothes, giving you time to mend or tailor your own piece of clothing from home. Moving onto Part 2 after a short break, we will make a completed project together - a simple Tote Bag. This is one of my favourite projects to do with beginners because it covers all the key techniques in sewing - cutting a pattern, pinning and stitching it together with the machine. You will go home with your very own tote bag, hand-made by you.'
Shannon is a self-taught sewist who enjoys experimenting with fabric, styling and upcycling. Lately she has been interested in imparting what she knows to beginners who want to learn simple and useful sewing skills to kick-start their own projects.
'Curious to learn about the art of screen printing and try your hands at it?
In this two-session workshop, split over two Saturdays, Max Saliba from Island Of Print will be teaching you the basics of screen printing. By the end of the sessions you will have designed and created your own print and learnt the core skills involved in screen printing.'
Maximilian Saliba is a designer/creative, illustrator, and printmaker based on the Island of Gozo, Malta. He graduated in graphic design and interactive media in 2014 at MCAST. Max started painting and experimenting with different mediums at the age of 14 where he was also fascinated by graphic design and print. Following his degree, his love for design and visual communication has extended his professional career, where he worked as a freelance designer on various projects with local and foreign businesses mainly on branding, magazines, books, advertising, and digital/web (UX/UI design). Max is also a self-taught printmaker specializing in silkscreen printing and design.
Max has collaborated with many local artists, including Jimmy Grima at Tiny Island Studio and Rubber Bodies Collective. Together they worked on exhibiting printed work for a local event and created the very first limited-edition silkscreen prints inspired by local surroundings. Max has also launched his solo edition of prints as a tribute to David Bowie in 2019, which was illustrated on the same day of Bowie’s death in 2016, where it got featured internationally on dezeen.com and creativebloq.com. Max still works as a freelance designer and in 2019 he set up his own print studio 'Island Of Print' based on Gozo. Island Of Print's main concept is to build a community giving artists the possibility to collaborate and create editions of silkscreen prints.
Located in the centre of the Mediterranean and between three continents, Malta hosts a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, and beliefs. For many of us modern-day nomads, Malta is a new place to call home. In this workshop we will provide the opportunity for a meet-up with other nomads.
So, if you are a foreigner living in Malta for longer than six months or a Maltese individual that have lived abroad for more than 6 months, come share your experiences and reflect on the meaning of home, community and the self for you. At the same time we will experiment with the art of mixing different materials (pictures, fabrics, text, etc.) to create a representation of home.
Tools and materials will be provided but participants will be sent some questions to inspire their creativity. Come and meet new people, share your experiences and impressions on living abroad, make new connections!
Led by Nathalie Moran & Manuela Zammit.