Artists’ Corner!

26/03/2018

One of the workshops on the Holistic Week is generally dreaded by all.  Especially those of us who believe we cannot draw!

 

Art is something we can learn and costs very little to do.  Pablo Picasso said something along the lines of ‘Art washes away the dust of the soul..’.

 

Part one of the workshop is for the Growing Talent Associates to agree which London Art Gallery to go to – usually the National or the Tate Modern.  These are amazing free venues to while away the time and feed the mind on something different from routine activities.

 

Armed with their project sheet which asks the following questions:

 

  1.     What painting spoke to you – good or bad?
  2.      How did it make you feel?
  3.      If you could ask the Artist one thing, what would it be?

 

The Associates set off and spent longer than they thought and enjoyed the visit more than they thought too!

Not knowing part of the project would be drawing the painting they selected, some intricate ones were selected!……

Below are a selection of their findings:

 

Victoria selected “An Experiment on a bird in the Air Pump”  by Joseph Wright in 1768. Initially Victoria was attracted by the techniques used to create light and atmosphere in the painting and saw these along with the curious expressions before realising what the painting’s core subject was.

 

 

Victoria wanted to ask the Artist why he chose that subject matter.  Her sketch below shows similar atmosphere ….

 

Charizelle selected ‘Landscape with Psyche Outside the place of Cupid’ also called The Magical Castle painted in 1664 by Claude.  Princess Psyche is in love with Cupid, however, her sisters have persuaded her he is a monster who must be killed.  It’s thought this painting depicts the moment Psyche broods over what to do….

 

Charizelle felt pity for Psyche looking at the painting….

 

 

Charizelle captured her interpretation well in her sketch below….

 

Tara selected The Morning Walk – featuring Mr & Mrs Hallett around the time of their marriage in 1785.  She admired the young couple in love.  The question Tara would ask the artist – Thomas Gainsborough – is ‘Did they pose for the painting and were they truly in love’.  Tara researched the painting further and discovered it was seen in the backdrop to James Bond’s Skyfall film and Mr Hallett lost all their money gambling!

The original by Thomas Gainsborough below of The Morning Walk…

 

 

Tara’s interpretation…..

All agreed a sense of peace during the art class.  We discussed some techniques and did come cartoon examples as well.

 

How amazingly talented Growing Talent Associates are!