Workshops | Maxine Burney

Workshops

                                  'Learning is a Lifelong Journey..To keep that Spirit alive in people, enhances life'

As a working professional Artist for many years, I value the input I have received from the many Art and Creative Tutors I have had over the years. The earliest Teachers to really have an influence on me were in Embroidery and Design, at Otago Girls High and while travelling on my Big OE, at Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry India and The Royal School of Needlework, London. The Tutor of the latter (in 1985) told our group to 'go out into the world and start sketching...everything and anything' ..an excellent piece of advice that I have passed on to students over the years. 'Sketching and Drawing helps one to 'see'. Subsequent Tutored studies I have done over the years have been in Fibre Arts, Figure Drawing and Painting, Design, Art History, studying with fabulous Tutors at Nelson Polytechnic specifically to thank.  
 
My journey into teaching began in India, 1984; when, while learning I was asked to teach a group of non english speaking Indian school children the basics of stitching, so I called upon my own experiences of learning on hessian with brightly coloured wools as we did at Primary School in Christchurch .

1993 I completed Adult Teaching Certificates 1 and 2 at Nelson Polytechnic, alongside Foundation in The Visual Arts Certificate.
So, over the years of Art Making Practice, I have taught Art part time in one capacity or another..., Groups I have worked with in the past include Community Education for Adults at Christchurch High Schools and Risingholme Community Centre, local and Regional Art Groups,( including Hokitika, Greymouth, Motueka, Leeston  and Ashburton); Aged Care in Restomes, Mental Health, Visiting Journalists, IT Crowd, and One Week Artist in Residence at Chisnallwood Intermediate, and Kids Fest/School Holiday programmes at The Arts Centre of Christchurch. 

Since 2021 and being back fulltime in my Studio at The Arts Centre...its School Holiday workshops that I mostly do now, with the odd group or private workshop in between.  From 2025 I have introduced Embroidery Workshops and happily share those creative and practical skills with children and adults alike.      