I have been teaching feltmaking and sculpture (found object assemblage) since 1994. This has included workshops within High Schools and Primary Schools, for private community groups as well as teaching courses at University level and supervising MFA students.
WORKSHOPS 2026-2027
National Art School
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Summer School
12 January – 16 January 2026
https://shop.nas.edu.au/pages/courses
www.nas.edu.au
Felting Sculptural Forms
Wool is a wonderful medium that, with the aid of warm soapy water and friction, can be felted into robust and texturally intriguing sculptural forms. Learn fundamental skills in feltmaking, create seamless hollow three-dimensional forms using resists, and model solid felted shapes directly in the hand by skin-felting. Drawing and collage exercises will be used to develop your own unique felted forms. The class will also discuss the use of felt as a metaphor, its history as protective shelter, its absorption of sound and liquid, and its alluring tactile qualities as points of investigation in sculpture.
Eurobodalla Fibre and Textile Arts Group (EFTAG)
22/23/24 August 2026
Dr Mackay Centre Moruya
info.eftag@gmail.com
Sculptural Feltmaking (3 days)
• This workshop is for people who are intermediate feltmakers. Students should have made a basic hollow form using a resist before, such as a hat or vessel.
Wool can be felted into robust texturally intriguing sculptural forms. This intermediate class will explore some new skills in sculptural feltmaking. These include creating hollow three-dimensional forms using resists in a variety of ways and experimenting with varying grams of wool, and modelling shapes directly in the hand using Anita’s technique of skin-felting. Playful drawing and collage will be used to develop your designs. Along the way the group will also discuss the use of felt as a metaphor, its history as protective shelter, its absorption of sound and liquid, and its alluring tactile qualities as points of investigation in felted sculpture.
Arts Muster Huskisson
29 - 30 August 2026
https://go.artsmuster.com.au/products-list
Feltmaking: sculptural textures using resists
This two-day workshop will begin with an introduction to feltmaking, and students will complete a small wall hanging with interesting textural effects reminiscent of cracked mud, rock pools or barnacles. On the second day, students will make a vessel using the resist method and integrate the techniques from the previous day.
Mt Kembla Studios
12 and 13 September 2026
Mt Kembla, NSW
bookings: info@lizjeneid.net
Miniature Assemblage (6 inches)
Assembling found objects within a limit of 6 inches is a creative challenge. A miniature sculpture gathers the viewer closer to it in an intimate experience where they notice small surface details which are often overlooked in larger work. Anita Johnson has been making miniature assemblages for 20 years and will share many techniques of reconfiguring and joining found objects together. Learn to use a Dremel to shape things, and methods of screwing, gluing, using fillers, rivets, stitching and basketry techniques to join your found things together. Anita will discuss how to create a small work that has a big impact on the observer. This is a workshop of exploring dynamic ways of animating, creating story and meaning from found things, within the scale of 6 inches.
Grampians Texture 2027
13 to 19 March 2027 (2 day days followed by 4 days workshop)
The Grampians, Halls Gap, Victoria, Australia
textures@grampianarts.com.au
https://www.grampianarts.com.au (Bookings available from 3 August 2026)
2-day workshop 13/14 March 2027
Feltmaking: sculptural textures
• (beginners to intermediate)
Learn how to use resists and pre-felt bats to create surface textures in two feltmaking projects. On day one, felt wool fibres into a small wall-hanging with 3-dimensional surface textures reminiscent of cracked mud, barnacles and rock-pool patterns. On day two, apply these techniques in making a felted vessel with these sculptural textures embedded in its surface.
4-day workshop 15 - 19 March 2027
Feltmaking: slotting and twisting resists
• (intermediate and experienced feltmakers) - students must be familiar with using a basic resist to make a hollow felted vessel - a beret or a bowl.
Explore Anita’s innovative ways to make sculptural felted forms by slotting and twisting resists. These techniques create exciting and complex shapes that you have dreamed of making. Curiosity and play within the design process will be emphasized, combined with detailed tuition on the finer points of making 3-dimensional hollow forms in feltmaking. Venture beyond the standard vessel with many new ideas for making sculptural forms.
