![Work by artists in Artist Open Studios Orange. Work by artists in Artist Open Studios Orange.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/7PapGKjYPrPEgYfvAPt3Wq/40b69825-e4b1-4b82-b88e-851f81bd1e75.png/r0_0_1338_1500_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
THE picture-perfect village of Carcoar is a delightful setting for scores of fibre and yarn lovers to gather for the River Yarn Fibre Festival.
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The second annual event (this Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7) will be a weekend of inspiring workshops and market stalls for knitting and yarn enthusiasts.
Organisers also promise scones, sandwiches, burgers, an open garden at "Kentucky", workshops and 30 stalls.
Get more details here.
In Orange, it's Wine Week, which also means art!
Artist Open Studios Orange (Saturday, April 6, 10am-4pm) is a brand new arts trail of the Orange region.
It's a perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in our artistic community while exploring and discovering your new favourite artist.
Visit the studios of Larissa Blake, Madeline Young, Jane Tonks, Amanda Holman, Jaq Davies, Joy Engelman, Josephine Jagger-Manners, Laura Baker (Blayney) and Sam Russell (Blayney).
Get more details here.
Colour City Creatives will also have an exhibition at Orange Scout Hall at 94 Kite Street, Orange (Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7).
It's also a Bathurst Arts Trail weekend.
Drop in on a local artist. See the list of who is open when and where at bathurstartstrail.com
Artist chat: Peter Wilson
IN Lithgow, Hands On Clay has opened for the fourth year at Gang Gang Gallery (now until April 28).
Thirteen master potters are represented, including Bathurst's Peter Wilson.
I caught up with Peter about his work.
MJ: How would you describe the work you have in the Hands On Clay exhibition?
PW: I felt the need to develop some new work because I just didn't want to keep doing the same thing over and over again. It is a departure from my previous work in that I'm using a range of new forms and glazes.
MJ: What special techniques will we see in your work?
PW: Mostly my work is thrown and altered in some way either by facetting the pot, ie, using a wire to cut away sections, or by rearranging the pot's shape in the making stage. Here, I'm using some ash glazes, a local yellow box eucalyptus ash mixed with some local clay and calcium carbonate which provides some interesting effects.
MJ: What draws you to clay and ceramics?
PW: I'm drawn to clay because it is such an expressive medium and it offers so many creative possibilities in the way it can be used. It offers so many ways to explore its materiality when fired with ash and glaze materials, ie, other rocks.
MJ: What areas of ceramic making are you still keen to explore or delve more into?
PW: Every firing contains tests so I can further develop ideas which I can potentially incorporate into my work. It is a continuous process of trial and error learning, keeping accurate notes and working away diligently, refining, experimenting. The process is continual.
Other artists exhibiting in Hands On Clay are Lise Edwards, Pauline Wellfare, Melissa Kelly, Ros Auld, Catherine Phillips, Greg Daly, John Daly, Geoff Thomas, Pam Welsh, Sue Foldhazy, Sarah O'Sullivan and guest artist Jayanto Tan.
Workshops attached to the exhibition will include a Mindful Art Kintsugi workshop - a century-old Japanese craftwork where broken ceramic objects are pieced back together - this Saturday or Sunday, April 6 or 7.
Bookings here.
Also this week
Freaky Friday - A New Musical is at Stannies until Saturday, April 6.
Condo Skyfest (Saturday, April 6) will be a day of storytelling, dance, painting, weaving, music, cultural astronomy, traditional skills such as making clapstick/emu callers and much more in Condobolin.
Medea combines Greek tragedy, epic and physical theatre. It will be performed at Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre on Monday, April 8 at 11am. Get tickets here.
Science theatre show for kids You Are A Doughnut will be at Orange Civic Theatre on Monday, April 8 at 6pm. Get tickets here.
And lots more gigs as listed at What's On.
Book ahead
A FEW hot tickets to grab:
Talks And Tea At BRAG on Wednesday, April 10 at 10.30am. Get tickets here.
Clay Gulgong from April 15 to 21. Get tickets here.
History Talk: The Bathurst Sportsground on Tuesday, April 9 from 6pm at Bathurst Library.
Get your arts events listed
ARTS OutWest's What's On listed more than 2700 arts and cultural events last year across the NSW Central West. It's free to list yours.
See what's listed on the calendar at www.artsoutwest.org.au.
Add your listing at: Submit an Event - Arts OutWest.