Art Tours with Freestone Press

2015 - Tasmania

The initial reason for visiting Tasmania was to have a workshop with Raymond Arnold.
Raymond Arnold is a Printmaker who makes beautiful prints. I contacted Raymond after seeing a show of his at Australia Galleries, May of 2015, titled Elsewhere World. I was so impressed with his interpretation of the landscape through etching on copper plate, I had to meet him, and hopefully be taught by him.

Raymond offered Freestone Press Printmakers a two- day workshop, and he informed me it would be his last workshop, so we were extremely lucky, in his own studio in Queenstown Tasmania.
Raymond is passionate about Queenstown, a place whose landscape was decimated and utterly changed by Copper Mining in the 19th century. There is a strange beauty about Queenstown which Raymond has captured in his exquisite etchings.
Visiting Tasmania with a bunch of artists was a wonderful experience, the people, the food the hospitality, the landscape, are all top quality on this beautiful gem of an island.
Two highlights stand out, apart from our fabulous workshop with Raymond Arnold & his lovely partner, Helena, both outstanding generous hosts,
were the
‘West Coast Wilderness Railway’ trip, a unique Tasmanian Heritage and wilderness experience, travelling deep within the wilderness, experiencing unique, cool temperate rainforest only accessible via this remarkable rain journey, and of course, MONA, the most awesome art gallery you will ever visit, we accessed MONA via Ferry and that experience, in itself was wonderful too.
Seven memorable days on this pristine island was like stepping back in time, Tasmanians revere hand made products from beautiful materials made by caring people, this attention permeates everything.