NAIDOC Week
School Holidays
Create your own Murnong Daisy Necklace with Deanne Gilson

Join artist and Blak Designer, Dr Deanne Gilson (Wadawurrung), this NAIDOC Week for a free school holiday family workshop.

Participants will learn about the significance of the murnong daisy within Victorian Aboriginal culture and create their own murnong daisy necklace.

Inspired by Deanne’s textile and Blak jewellery designs, learn how to design your own jewellery from fabric off cuts, buttons, beads and everyday materials creating your own fashion pieces to wear.

 This workshop involves hand stitching and is designed for adults to work together with their kids in some of the finer sewing work.  There will be use of scissors and sharp sewing needles.

• All welcome but bookings are essential.  Best for ages 8+
• This workshop is designed for adults and kids to work together.  Adults should plan to stay and work with their kids. 
• Adults are welcome to come solo too.
• All materials supplied and light catering.

Deanne Gilson is a Proud Wadawurrung woman from Ballarat in Victoria. Her art practice is made up of many different mediums including painting, clay, fabric design, photography, drawing and recently being included into the Blak Jewellery Design Program at the Koorie Heritage Trust, 2022.

Her art practice draws on ochre sourced from her Wadawurrung Country, history, story-telling, traditional marks, new contemporary marks and the lived experiences of her family and ancestors.

Gilson loves painting the many plants of the Australian bush and Country, along with objects that surround her home, like pots, baskets made by friends and family and cultural artefacts.

NAIDOC Week

National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about  First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.