Sustainable Knitting with artist Rosina Godwin

Join feminist textile artist and sculptor, Rosina Godwin, for this one–off workshop which will introduce participants to the practice of sustainable knitting using both recycled and unconventional materials. Focusing on the artistic potential of simple techniques, this session aims to unpick the feminine craft associations of knitting through the making of yarns from recycled fabric, garments and plastic bags and through knitting with experimental materials, such a string, garden twine or ribbon.

This session will include demonstrations of yarn making and knitting techniques, and a worksheet and samples will be supplied, to inspire further ideas after the session. Although the emphasis is on making an experimental sample, the techniques introduced in this session can be adapted to create an accessory or household object.

This workshop is happening in support of Oxfordshire Great Big Green Week.

Learning outcomes:

• Create yarns from recycled materials
• Incorporate experimental materials into knitting or crochet practice
• Use free and intuitive knitting (knitting without a pattern)

Level of experience required to take part: The workshop is suitable for adults of all abilities; knitting novices can try crochet or finger crochet.

Climate and Arts: Can the arts support work on climate change?

Join the Oxford Climate Alumni Network and their guest speakers to discuss how the arts can support work on climate change, including different regional views:

Cerulean (Cerulean Sounds, UK)
Ellie Monk (Green Arts Oxfordshire Network, UK)
Roberto M. Saco (Life=H2O, USA)
Munir Al Sachroni (Soboman 219 Art Space, Indonesia)

This event is organised by Oxford Climate Alumni Network.

More about the panellists:

Cerulean
Hi I’m Cerulean: a performing-artist born Laurence Warner in Eastleigh, a small town on England’s South Coast.

I make pop music for your ears AND your brain (and sometimes even your funny bone too!).

I’m the first singer-songwriter going record-for-record with a rapper alter-ego (MC Beastly).

I’m proudly #SavvyIndie: I lead my own sonic-driven entertainment collaborations. – @Cerulean Sounds

My upcoming climate-themed production is Snowflakes in SoCal! I describe it as a (temperature’s getting) High School Musical, because it’s about Gen Alpha coming-of-age amidst a global catastrophe which plugged-in California doesn’t even seem to notice.

I can’t wait to put our pre-pandemic Kickstarter funds towards a debut production, and then license the modern sung-and-rapped musical (with backing-tracks) to underserved secondary schools on both sides of the pond.

Ellie Monk
Ellie Monk is the Project Lead at Green Arts Oxfordshire Network.   Green Arts Oxfordshire Network was set up in January 2021 to unite Oxfordshire’s artists and cultural organisations in their work to tackle the climate & ecological emergency.

We began as a small seed of an idea, planted by the Tandem Collective Community Action Group, and the network has since grown with the support of Fusion Arts and other Oxfordshire artists and cultural organisations.

We facilitate conversations and connections between Oxford’s creative community, and signpost to information, suppliers and organisations that can help to reduce the environmental impact of arts programming and practices.

Over 50 artists and individuals from Oxfordshire’s cultural organisations collaborated to design the Green Arts Charter, a set of 10 action points to help us, as a network, to create a greener city and county.

Join the Green Arts Oxfordshire Network by signing the Charter, to work towards climate justice and a zero-carbon future, together.

Roberto M. Saco
Roberto teaches University courses and works as a consultant and facilitator with organizations embarking on transformational change. As part of his work, he designs and facilitates collaborative workshops in strategic planning, service design, and innovation.

Roberto is currently an Adjunct Professor in Business & Economics at Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida where he has taught for nearly ten years a full spectrum of courses ranging from Strategic Planning and Leadership to Organizational Behavior and Business Ethics. And since 2008 serves on the faculty of the CIED (Center for International Executive Development) program at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., where he conducts innovation workshops for executives from Europe and Latin America.

Prior to teaching and consulting, Roberto worked at American Express Company for 22 years. As VP-Strategic Planning he led various successful programs such as Business Transformation, and demonstrated thought leadership in various disciplines like customer research, process management, and employee engagement. In addition to his long-term association with professional societies, Roberto also belongs to the Change Leaders global community of change management practice based in Oxford, England.

He is a graduate of the University of Oxford/HEC(Paris) program on Change Leadership, and of the Aspen Institute Values Leadership seminars. He has had a life-long engagement with the arts, which includes many years of Board leadership at the Miami Light Project, a nationally-recognized performing arts organization.

His most recent projects are the design of a college course on innovation & change, a transformational leadership and social change training pilot for the Pacific Council of Churches in Fiji, and the launch of a climate change awareness project called Life=H2O.

Munir Al Sachroni
Munir, born in Banyumas, Indonesia, is an Artist and Activist that is based in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. His art discusses his surroundings that are full of humanitarian and environmental issues, whilst also being involved in campaigns related to those issues.

In 2020 he was involved in a campaign of rejecting the opening of a sand mine in Kulon Progo River, Yogyakarta. In 2021, he also carried out the campaign against the opening of Quari Stone Mine in Wadas, Purworejo.

In December 2021, he was also involved in an eco art related campaign that was done through a series of exhibitions on Banjarbaru (South Kalimantan) and Samarinda (East Kalimantan), cities that are both filled with oil and coal mines.

With the gallery called Soboman 219 Art Space, Munir acts as one of the project managers, making programs that are related to social-political and environmental issues. The idea started with another artist and the owner of Soboman, Fauzi As’ad, who wanted to direct the cultural arts in alternative space, in order to make social and environmental change for the better.

Q&A session You are kindly invited to send your questions when registering. On the day, there will be a live Q&A, however due to the number of people registered we cannot otherwise guarantee your question will be answered.

Crafting for the Climate

Come and see our demonstration of human-powered handcrafts designed to be sustainable, useful and fun! Working with wood and wool we’ll demonstrate ancient techniques of spinning, felting pole-lathe turning and carving to produce beautiful and functional objects from sustainable organic materials. Come and have a go and be inspired to craft for yourself.

How important are our insects?

Green Henley present an exhibition of primary school children’s work in answer to the challenge – How important are insects?  This was part of the Greener Henley Environmental Science Challenge set earlier in the year which the children answered using a variety of media.  Some of their work will also be displayed at the Gallery at the Great Big Green Fair where awards will be made by the Mayor on Saturday 24th.

Rebel for Life

‘Extinction Rebellion was launched in Parliament Square in October 2018 with people from Oxford very much taking part. Returning to Oxford we were inspired immediately to start silk screening flags and painting banners.

Since then nonviolent XR actions have proliferated internationally, nationally and locally frequently around art, music and theatre.

Creativity is central to XR protests and in Oxford many of us needed an outlet for our fears and concerns over the long term lack of governmental action towards reducing the carbon output of this country.

Whilst the reports from climate scientists have become increasingly dire to the point where we are now apprehensive about the survival of the human race, many of us have got together to act and create, purposefully drawing attention to our planetary predicament. We have found that the support from each other in the face of the lack of government leadership and the looming crisis ahead has helped us to carry on.

This exhibition is an attempt to present to the public the rage we feel about the inaction over the terrifying prospect that now faces humanity, together with the love that is a core value of XR and the only way that we believe we can with people from all over the world find our way into the future. There will also be a day of creation and discussion on 24 September.

Extinction Rebellion welcomes everyone.’

Events

Exhibition opening
Friday 23 September, 5pm
Join us for the opening of the exhibition, with speakers, music and free soft drinks.
Free – just come along.

Block printing workshop
Saturday 24 September, 10am, 10.45am & 11.30am
A block printing workshop for children ages 5+, run by the Extinction Rebellion Oxfordshire art group.
Free – click here to book.

Talk: Be The Change
Saturday 24 September, 2pm & 6pm
Join the Oxfordshire division of Extinction Rebellion for a talk about their work.
Free – click here to book.

Linocut printing workshop
Saturday 24 September, 2.30pm & 3.30pm
A linocut printing workshop for adults aged 14+, run by the Extinction Rebellion Oxfordshire art group.
Free – click here to book.