In this live online workshop, students will be guided by award-winning multidisciplinary artist and proud Gunai Woman Kirli Saunders OAM. This hands-on session invites young people to explore zines as powerful tools for storytelling, creative expression and resistance, while thinking critically about voice, identity and whose stories are told.
Through engaging with zines and visual texts, students discover how DIY publishing has amplified voices often excluded from mainstream publishing. Kirli supports participants to experiment with creative techniques such as drawing, collage, painting and simple printmaking to design and produce their own original zine.
The workshop encourages curiosity, critical thinking and self-expression, empowering students to share something they care about in a format that is personal, playful and powerful.
Key Course Takeaways
- Understand how zines can be used to tell stories and share ideas.
- Explore how creativity can amplify voices and perspectives.
- Develop skills in drawing, collage, painting and simple printmaking.
- Create an original zine that communicates a personal message.
- Think critically about identity, voice and representation.
- Build confidence in creative expression and idea-sharing.
About Kirli
Kirli Saunders (OAM) is a proud Gunai Woman who rarely stays in her lane. She's an award winning multidisciplinary artist, writer, singer-songwriter and consultant. Kirli creates, to connect, to make change. She was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her contribution to the arts (2022). Kirli has partnered with global organisations including Google, Fender, Sydney Opera House, Qantas and Spotify, Mecca and Aesop on visual art and writing projects.
Her award winning film collaboration, Cry of the Glossy (Grassland Films) has been screened around the world. Kirli created drone installation, Buungbaa Ma Ndhu (Fremantle Biennale x Ngunuggula Gallery) and voice to art work TRACES (Google, Magabala, Sydney Opera House with Kamsani Bin Salleh). Kirli is currently working on her second solo exhibition Your Fantasy is Our Reality.
Her books among others include Bindi (Magabala 2019), Eclipse (JOAN press 2025), The Land Recalls You (Scholastic, 2024) and Afloat (Hardie Grant, 2024). You can also find her episodes of ABC’s playschool on demand. Kirli’s solo theatre show, Yandha Djanbay was staged for Merrigong X and will tour in 2026.
As a singer/songwriter, she forms one half of Cooee alongside Mark Chester Harding. Their debut album Messengers will follow single releases in 2025.