Thursday, July 14, 2011

'Colours of Nature' workshops at Percolator Gallery

I'm still getting used to this new blogger post set up...I must have been pretty preoccupied of late... it crept up on me .... didn't see it coming at all!
Busy time... I even forgot an appointment this morning with a lovely person who forgave me ...thats the down side of getting too busy... mistakes like that. On the other hand I'm finding great people to connect with at the moment ...I guess this is the time of year here when a lot of things happen... winter is not tough on us here ... summer can be... so everyone really gets busy in the cooler months!

The recent workshops are a perfect example... there's been great interest ... and two sessions down have been very stimulating and a lot of fun! They're providing a great opportunity to reflect on the ideas I wish to share and place value on ... then afterwards to take in all that has occurred in the space of a day with a new group of people.  Its interesting to have the opportunity to engage in a way that allows one to offer and receive in return ideas and enthusiasm.


I have posted on my studio blog more at length about the grid works
and the value of doing these kinds of exercises to get started.


plenty of material that was collected and brought into use as subjects.


this magnifying light works really well ... even more so if your eyesight is challenged at all...
those of us getting on know all about this. I found it recently at the Australian Geographic
Store and have been delighted with how useful it is.



a lot of the work was experimental... pushing the boundaries... trying new ideas. 



loved this combination of a mono-printed ground with an ink drawing over it.
Can you see the pomegranate form? And the red juice like inky lines!

These images above were from the June 25th session ...read much more at this post.

The images below are from the July 9th workshop last weekend which you can read more on here at this post.




We started with music in this session and drawing with the non-dominant hand...  you can see those pics at the blog post here. Its a great strategy for getting people relaxed and there's ben plenty of times when it some in useful in my studio if I wanted to stop thinking and just  chill out a bit. 

I could write pages about how I've seen it work for many people actually. I used to use this process when teaching music and I wanted to get students really listening... thats a whole other story!

In the afternoon session we got onto painting... first the grounds and then the natural objects... paying particular attention to the subtleties of colour.  These are a few of those works.



This one has the most fascinating ground ... the white ink drawing just started
works into this ground beautifully and then the black seaweed skeleton
lying on the left is perfectly placed



these leaves have a really interesting ground of paint and oil pastel



something quite magical in this one... the layers... the colours and that loosely worked drawing

Workshops have a way of ending just when you're really getting started. Still... as long as participants experience some new possibilities for their work ... see how they feel about trying different things... and have the pleasure of working alongside others... then I guess its been a productive time.

I can certainly say that it worked brilliantly for me to be discussing ideas with others ... experiencing that pleasure of shared time creating... a few laughs ... stories being exchanged. And of course that wonderful surprise from seeing the magic that others make with often the simplest of tools and media!!
Fertile ground!



10 comments:

Janis said...

I would LOVE to attend a workshop like this. Do you have to be so far away? I need to come back and follow your links to see more... inspiring. xo, j.

Sophie Munns said...

I'd LOVE you to attend... so far away...oh drat it Janis!
One day I'll come there and do your workshop or have dinner by the sea...at your fav place...or if you should ever manage to come this way... you know where i am... more or less!
S xo

Anonymous said...

Great Stuff Sophie!

I use music a ton in my work and have been using it with my students too! It really does help people relax and get connected with the materials.

Gorgeous class examples. I can't decide which one I like the most. Lots to think about!
Thanks for the inspiration.

india flint said...

that second-last par resonates here too! off to draw with a friend today...

sandy said...

Well done. It must be so rewarding to see some gorgeous results in your workshops.

ronnie said...

fun fun fun

and I hope you don't take it the wrong way that the thing that I got most excited by was that magnifying light! (I MUST track one down!)

xx

Sophie Munns said...

thanks my lovelies!
Good to read your comments this morning... tired little bunny here... stayed up too late.. relaxing after big day!

Gracias Mary! First week I left out the music bit ...thinking...i've always done that ...maybe its something I should move on from!.
Funny that... second workshop it was a great connecting experience... everyone stood and really got their whole selves into it! So that for the next rather left brain task I could see the contentment.
I obviously needed to see that again for myself!!


Enjoy your drawing day out with a companion India... thats sounds wonderful actually! Sun's shining here... not a bad thought instead of the task on my desk for the day! Still there's the weekend!


Sandy... thanks for visiting...nice to have you leave a message! Its great to have people visibly relaxing and finding their way into some stuff that really excites them and then arrives at something that delights!


Ah Ronnie... I was completely dotty about this light when I found it at Aust Geographic last month... It works! Beautifully! All the better for anyone in class who wanted to try it... and great for the eyes when working on certain things.

Mlle Paradis said...

looks like a great time sophie! i could use a workshop like that too! loved the stuff in the last post too.

Sophie Munns said...

I could see a workshop in your downtown funky neighbourhood... well get some people mp ...I'll pop over ..that would be fun!

ArtPropelled said...

You must be delighted with the art made at your workshop. Well done you! I love the last 2 in particular. Wish I could hop on over for the next one!