The Rugcrafters Australia Guild will be holding a Proggy and Hooky Rug Exhibition in Milton, NSW on 17th and 18th April 2010. Also in Milton during April, the renowned American rug teacher, Gene Shepherd will be running

rug making workshops (www.geneshepherd.com). For more information contact Miriam Miller narrawillyfarm@shoal.net.au or phone 02 44556870 or go to www.rughookingaustralia.com.

BLUE MOUNTAINS ARTIST NETWORK EXHIBITION: "ART WITH ALTITUDE". A group show by sculptors, writers, musicians and performers from the Blue Mountains. The show will include paintings ,drawings, textiles, ceramics, mixed media, wearable art and video installation. Curated by respected Blue Mountains gallery manager Bernd Jansons. The exhibition is being held at 

Newington Armory, Jamieson St, Sydney Olmypic Park. Phone: (02) 9714 7888

Open every weekend to January 24, 2010. Art with Altitude

MEROOGAL Women’s Art Prize: this is a regional arts, crafts and design competition. The 2009 theme was ‘Books and the world of ideas’, encouraging entrants to explore the titles in the Meroogal library and contemplate the role of books and the world of ideas to which they give access. Selected artworks will tour until May 2010. For details and to view artworks online: www.hht.net.au The show is presently in the Historic Houses Trust Members Lounge, The Mint until 29 January 2010 – open to the public Monday to Friday, 9:30am-4:30pm. Free entry.

ACCESSORIZE!: an exhibition of work by Marilyn Nicholls, Rory Meyer and Marilyn Dear at Peiter Van Gent Winery, Mudgee. On until December 19^th, open 9-5 daily. Alpaca felt handstitched into bags, scarves and framed works; handspun and commercial yarns woven and silk shibori scarves and machined embroidered bags from pre-loved fabrics.

ALISON MUIR’s Master of Design (Hons) assessment exhibition program is as follows: Monday May 10 to Friday May 14, 2010. Location: COFA Space gallery   College of Fine Arts Green Street, Paddington NSW.

Australia is hosting the World Sheep & Wool Congress to be held in Sydney from 6-9 April 2010 at the Rosehill Gardens Events Centre. The Congress Secretariat is Quadrant Australia, PO Box 814, Armidale NSW 2350. www.worldsheepandwoolcongress.com

Entries now open for TAWFA 2010: The Australian Wool Fashion Awards. The presentation parade will be held 7^th April 2010 at the Royal Easter Show, Sydney. www.tawfa.com.au

HORIZONS 2010 Exhibition of The Embroiderers’ Guild of NSW Inc. will be held at Crows New Community Centre from 30^th April to 2^nd May 2010. Members are encouraged to enter for the Margaret Oppen Prize which has a theme of While we Live, We Grow. First prize is $500; 2^nd prize is $250 and 3^rd prize is $100 – it will not be an acquisition prize. www.embgdnsw.org.au The Embroiderers’ Guild of NSW Inc has also released details of their Summer School, 4-17 January 2010 with an excellent variety of workshops offered. www.embgdnsw.org.au Phone (02) 9743.2501.

MOMENTUM the 18^th Tamworth Fibre Textile Biennial touring exhibition has these venues coming up in NSW in 2010: 6 Feb – 14 March 2010 Western Plains Cultural Centre, Dubbo Regional Gallery; 26 March – 2 May 2010, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery and Museum. More information is available from www.tamworthregionalgallery.com.au

TALKING TAPA Pasifika Bark Cloth in Queensland is a touring exhibition curated by Joan Winter and presented by Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre or BEMAC). Works are from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Dates in 2010: It will be at Mosman Art Gallery from 5 June to 18 July and at Manning Regional Gallery Taree from 23 July – 5 September and at Bathurst Regional Gallery from 15 Oct – 28 Nov 2010.

See Object’s website: www.object.com.au Phone (02) 9361.4556). They have organized a touring exhibition: Menagerie: Contemporary Indigenous sculpture, which features 33 established and emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders whose works depict a variety of animals. Further information: object@object.com.au or www.object.com.au An excellent catalogue has been produced (172-pages, in colour).

BARBARA ROGERS is now operating a gallery (gallery Barometer) in Paddington Sydney, with a strong emphasis on the textile arts. See www.barometer.net.au The gallery is located at 13 Gurner Street Paddington phone (02) 9358.4968. Bus #389.

Marie-Therese Wisniowski is a studio artist and lecturer who is also the curator for the exhibition "ArtCloth: Engaging New Visions. For further details please email: marie-therese@artquill.com.au This exhibition travels to Orange Regional Gallery, Orange, NSW in April 2010 and will be on show concurrent with the April FORUM in Orange – details from Janet De Boer tafta@iinet.net.au

FYRE GALLERY in Braidwood NSW will stage an ART QUILT exhibition to 21 December 2009 in conjunction with the annual Airing of the Quilts in Braidwood, with a $1000 prize to be offered. The acquisition prize is for an art quilt that celebrates the work of Hall Thorpe (Australian, 1874-1947). Information from Cheryl Hannah, Director, Fyre Gallery, 84 Wallace Street, Braidwood NSW 2622. Phone (02) 4842.1142. Or contact Jill McLeod at dunvegan@activ8.net.au or phone June Weatherstone on (02) 4842.2355 or visit the Braidwood Quilters’ website www.braidwoodquiltevent.org.au

5-9 July 2010 – Sturt WINTER School, Mittagong, NSW. Courses in Basketry, knitting, weaving, painting, mosaics, botanical art, drawing, ceramics & more. Accommodation available. Waverley Parade, Mittagong NSW 2575.Contact: Ph 02 4860 2080 or 02 4860 2083. www.sturt.nsw.edu.au

Sturt I & II, intensive studio weaving courses: Level I : Monday - Wednesday 1 March-19 May $1800 + materials Level II : Monday - Wednesday 23 August-10 November $1800 + materials. Learn to weave or to further develop your weaving skills. The intensive studio weaving courses runs for 12 weeks including a 2 week break with ten hours tuition each week. Class size is kept small and the course is spread over 3 days. Extra access for independent exploration can be available by arrangement. There will be ample time to work at one’s own pace and level in a relaxed community setting. Students will gain a solid grounding, confidence and understanding of weaving, and will be encouraged to experiment widely with chosen techniques. Using a variety of materials sampling will be translated into personal projects during the course. For more info: http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/course_short.htm

ATASDA NSW Workshops:. Download programs and enrolment forms for 2010 from www.atasda.org.au and email to atasda.org.au or post to PO Box 709, Turramurra NSW 2074. All events are held at Dence Park, Epping. Also ask about the selection of Textile Tasters, 1-day workshops with noted tutors on a variety of subjects. Contact Helen MacRitchie at nsw@atasda.org.au of c/- P.O. Box 709, Turramurra NSW 2074, or ring (02) 9487.4389. ATASDA stands for Australian Textile Art and Surface Design Association. General Meetings, often with speakers, are also held at Dence Park Epping.

PASSAGES OF INTRIGUE "Swap Works" created by ATASDA members (see above) will be exhibited in Orange, NSW at the Texile FORUM from 11-17 April 2010 in the Anderson Building at Kinross-Wolaroi School.

TUMBARUMBA MASTERCLASS with RUTH HADLOW DATES: January 24th (Sunday) – January 30th (Saturday) 2010. Cost:To be advised. Fees include all meals, accommodation + tuition for 6 days – cost variations depend on choice of single; twin-share; 3-share rooms or camping. Materials not included. 14 places only.

Bookings and Deposits: Dates and details to be advised early November Location: McPherson’s Plains Lodge, Tumbarumba, NSW http://www.alpretreat.com.au/index.htm tel: 02 6948 3116; fax: 02 6948 3942

Contact the Masterclass Coordinator –Julie Montgarrett, School of Visual and Performing Arts, Charles Sturt University Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga NSW 2678 Tel: 02 69332838 (work - preferred number to call with voicemail for messages) 69250419 (home ah only) email: jmontgarrett@csu.edu.au; mobile : 0418 218056