News and Information

Here is the latest news from Kim Michelle Toft and Silkim Books.

You can browse the latest headlines below, or choose from the categories in the right hand menu.

Kim Toft with the ChildrenSchool Visits

Kim Michelle Toft is a regular at many festival events, as well as visiting many schools around the country.

Click here to see the Itinerary of School Visits, or browse the School Visits Category from the menu.

Latest News

National Exhibition and Launch – “The Last of the Mighty Dinosaurs”

Posted on February 11th, 2010

National Exhibition and Launch of  “The Last of the Mighty Dinosaurs” A Day in the Life of a Salt Water Crocodile.

March 2010 – Parliament House Library, Darwin NT.

All the illustrations from the book will also be on exhibition.

Sea Silks Gallery closed down

Posted on February 11th, 2010

Due to the great success I had with my gallery , I was unable to paint the illustrations for my books. I had to delay the release for my new book twice . I had to make a decision between keeping the gallery open and doing my children’s books and there was no contest, my books are the most important component of my work.

As from the end of January 2010 ,Sea Silks Gallery will be closed and I can be contacted at my studio at home where I will be busy painting crocodiles for my next book,The Last of the Mighty Dinosaurs. My mobile phone number is 0431429092.

Kim Toft School Tour 2010

Posted on October 14th, 2009

Award winnig author and illustrator Kim Michelle Toft will be touring the Northern Territory throughout term 2 and rural QLD in term 3 .

Timetable below outlines where Kim will be throughout the term. If you would like to book Kim please contact Helen Bain 07 3397 6506 or helen@speakers-ink.com.au or Kim Toft 02 66814241 or info@kimtoft.com.au

Kim Toft painting for children.

Term 2 – Northern Territory

  • 19th April to 27th May – Kim will be in Darwin and is happy to visit all regional schools as well as schools in Darwin.

Term 3 – Rural QLD
JULY

  • July 12 -16 -  Sunshine Coast/Gympie/Maryborough region
  • July 19 – 23 – Bundaberg/Hervey Bay/ Gladstone
  • July 26 -30 – Rockhampton region

AUGUST

  • 2 – 20 – Mackay/ Proserpine/Bowen
  • August 23 – September 3 – Ayr/ Townsville/ Charters Towers/ingham

SEPTEMBER

  • September 6 – 17 -Cairns/Port Douglas north to Thursady Island

New Silk Painting Workshops

Posted on October 6th, 2009

The next silk painting workshops will be held on the following dates:

Saturday March 13th 2010

12 noon -4pm

At my studio at home
East Ballina NSW 2478

Please phone me if you are interested in doing the workshop-
(02) 66814241

Silk Painting Workshops

Posted on June 23rd, 2009

School Visits

There are three options for School Workshops. You can have a combination of
options on each day with a maximum of three sessions, except Option 3 *see note.

Option 1 DEMONSTRATION AND BOOK ACTIVITIES

Suitable: K- Year 7

Double Class Size: (approximately 60 children)

Duration: 1 hour session. Maximum of 3 x 1 hour sessions per day.

Content:

I do a series of 5 – 10 minute activities around each book, including;
drama, reciting, quick question/answer re: environment, and story reading. I
bring ½ dozen original silk paintings/illustrations with me.

I also demonstrate how silk painting is done by painting one fish per group
of students. The school has the option to buy this original 70 x 90 cm silk
for cost price; $150 + GST.

Each child receives a bookmark at the end of the session.

Cost: $450 + GST. Travel costs may apply.

Option 2 ONE BIG COLLABORATIVE PAINTING

Suitable: Years 5-7

One Class Size: (approximately 30 children)

Children are divided into three groups of 10. I provide a creative writing/illustration
activity with the two groups that are not directly painting on the silk. Each
group rotates each ½ hour.

Duration: 1½ hour session

Content: The children work on one piece of silk approx 1.5m x 1m, which the
school keeps. As outlined above, each group of 30 is divided into 3 groups and
teachers work with the other two groups with a creative writing activity, while
one group works with me on the silk.

Cost:

- $450 + GST

- Plus $150 for materials (silk, dyes and gutta)

- Travel costs may apply

Option 3 INDIVIDUAL PAINTING

Suitable: Years 5, 6 & 7 only

Class Size: Maximum 12 students

Duration: 2½ hours* if this session is chosen I can only do one of these
sessions plus one x Option 1.

Content: Each student produces their own individual painting, (approximately
45cm squared) which they get to keep

Cost:

- $450 + GST

- Plus $150 for materials (silk, dyes and gutta)

- Travel costs may apply

For queries and availability

Contact Kim Toft on 6681 3993 after 10.30am

info@kimtoft.com.au

Books for Sale

If you would like to order any of my books and get them personally signed see
below:-

GALLERY WORKSHOPS

Time: 12 noon – 4pm

Duration: 3 ½ – 4 hours

Where:

Sea Silks Gallery

Shop 3/2 Moon Street, Ballina NSW

(River end of Moon Street)

When:

Once a month – July’s  workshop Saturday 11 July

Size:

Maximum 6 people

Cost:

$120 all materials provided

Outline:

During the afternoon you work on your own silk painting (approx 45cm square)

By the end of the 4 hours you have a finished silk painting, which you keep.

To enquire or make a booking call:

Sea Silks Gallery 02 6681 3993 after 10.30 daily except Tuesday and Sunday

Or email – info@kimtoft.com.au

Itinerary of School Visits and Workshops for 2009

Posted on June 23rd, 2009

Below is a list of the Itinerary of Schools and Festivals visited by Kim Michelle Toft in 2009. The list will be updated as more detail comes to hand.

Kim Toft painting for children.

MAY

  • May 18-21WriteFest – Bundaberg Schools, Qld
  • May 25-28   Books North Fest, Townsville Schools, Qld

JUNE

  • June 1-2   Townsville Schools, Qld
  • June 4   Beechmont State School, Qld

JULY

  • July 14-17   Voices on the Coast, Mooloolabah, Qld
  • July 21-22   Fairholm College Toowoomba, Qld

AUGUST

  • Aug 3-4   Grand Avenue State School, Brisbane, Qld
  • Aug 6   Brisbane Central State School, Brisbane, Qld
  • Aug 12 – 13   Marlborough School, Rockhampton, Qld
  • Aug 19   Pottsville Beach Public School, Pottsville, NSW
  • Aug 24   St Joseph’s Public School, Glen Innes, NSW
  • Aug 25   St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Rochdale, Qld
  • Aug 26   John Paul College, Daisy Hill, Qld

SEPTEMBER

  • Sept 3-4   Ipswich Literature Festival, Qld
  • Sept 10   Loganholm State School, Qld

OCTOBER

  • Oct 21-29   Kim will be in Victoria
  • Oct 27   Trafalgar Primary, Vic
  • Oct 28   Wellers Hill State School, Vic

A Wonderful Year of Schools

Posted on December 13th, 2008

At Mingaloo Public School November 2008To all the wonderful children and staff at all the schools I visited this year , I would like to thank you for making me feel so welcome and lets keep working together to save our beautiful natural environment.

 

See you in 2009.

Kind Regards

Kim Michelle Toft

Merry Christmas to Everyone !

Posted on December 13th, 2008

Croc illustration from my upcoming book Tick Tock Tick Tock What\'s Up Croc?I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me with my work over the past year. I’m looking forward to finishing my new book Tick Tock Tick Tock : What’s Up Croc? next year and  I look forward to seeing you all in my gallery in 2009.

 

Have a wonderful Christmas and A Very Happy New Year.

Lots of Love

Kim Michelle Toft XXX

Exhibition at Lismore Regional Library

Posted on November 22nd, 2008

Eight Gropers greeting from the book The Twelve Underwater Days of ChristmasFrom Saturday 22nd November Lismore Library , 1st floor, will be exhibiting 4 of my larger paintings from my book The Twelve Underwater Days of Christmas.

 The paintings will be on display until the end of December.

Lisa Hunt & Kim Toft CD Launch a Success

Posted on November 22nd, 2008

Lisa & I at the CD launchOn November 1st in Sea Silks Gallery, the fabulous Lisa Hunt sang The Twelve Underwater Days of Christmas to over 120 people. The Ballina Public School sang the traditional version and Lisa followed with her own unique soul version. I was thrilled to hear my lyrics being sung by 2 very different but talented sources.

The three track CD is also available with the hardcover book of The Twelve Underwater Days of  Christmas or you can buy the CD on its own , and both are available now from our online store or from the gallery , river end of Moon Street, Ballina.

Wishing everybody a very merry Christmas.

 Kind Regards

 Kim

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