'Still Life' - Gallery & Report at Creek Creative, Kent

Teddy Kempster

Each of the twelve Freedom in Painting workshops in Kent have explored a different aspect of painting. We have looked at 'Red', 'The Circle, 'LIbra (Balance)', 'The Diptych', 'The Space Between'. We have worked with the model on several occasions, there was a workshop that explored composition using the two lighthouses of Dungeness and recently we looked at the work of Richard Diebenkorn. 

This time, eleven artists from all over the country gathered together at Creek Creative Studios in Faversham to explore the important genre of Still Life. In advance, the artists were asked to look at the work of Morandi and William Scott and also to bring in one or two of their own favorite objects.

A talk on the history of the genre was followed by a loosening up, compositional drawing exercise. The artists were then split into three groups and each group was asked to arrange on their own table, by consensus, a still- life of six objects which they drew for the rest of the morning, conventionally and unconventionally!

After lunch, the painting session began, and without giving too much away, the still-life changed during the afternoon. 

Day 2 began with a challenging painting exercise and throughout the day, the artists pushed their paintings forwards, in the spirit of the words of Richard Diebenkorn:

'I have found in my still-life work that I seem to be able to tell what objects are important to me by what tends to stay in the painting as it develops'   

As always, the workshop ended with an invaluable group critique. Over the 2 days the artists gave their all - intellect, painting skills and instinct, and through their intensity of working produced an incredibly strong and varied set of paintings. 

Many thanks again to Anne and Simon at Creek Creative for promoting the course and helping set up the room.  

GALLERY

Griselda Mussett

Griselda Mussett

Hazel Crawford

Hazel Crawford

Jan Bunyan

Jan Bunyan

Jane Crane

Jane Crane

Kathleen Alberter

Kathleen Alberter

Margarita Hanlon

Margarita Hanlon

Nicola Waters

Nicola Waters

Jo Dunlop

Jo Dunlop

Philippa Langton

Philippa Langton

Robin Marks

Robin Marks

Teddy Kempster

Teddy Kempster

The next 'Freedom in Painting' workshop at Creek Creative will be:

'Looking at Lanyon'       Fri 31 March - Sat April 1 2017       £90

If you would like to book a place, email  ashleyhansonart@gmail.com

Freedom in Painting in Porthleven - October Course 2016

Erica Shipley

'Art exists in time as well as space. Time implies change and movement; movement implies the passage of time'

The theme for the October course in Porthleven: movement..time...tide..

The movement you can see: waves barreling in...the subtle, creeping movement of the tide, observed over time.  Movement in painting - dynamism, expressive marks, angles, repeated motifs. Symbols of time and mortality in painting. 

Turner, Monet, de Chirico, Dali, Duchamp, Boccioni, Kandinsky,....Porthleven the perfect place to observe, to record, to provoke ideas for paintings.

The Lifeboat Studio on the left and the Ship Inn (The Office)

The course began on Monday morning with a drawing exercise around the harbour following the idea of movement.  The afternoon painting session also began with an exercise- the artists asked to draw a simple arial view of the harbour and then reproduce it several times on their canvas.  We had some remarkable results (see Erica Shipley's painting above).

On Tuesday, we visited Marazion, walking the causeway to St.Michaels Mount before visiting the Market House Gallery with its its extensive collection of 20th century and contemporary painting. We had a special treat after lunch, seeing the work of Rose Hilton at the Yew Tree Gallery. One of our artists was tempted......!

Spurred on by the art we had seen seen and the landscape, the group put in a productive painting session in the afternoon, working to 7pm. Our visit to the Ship Inn was well earned. 

The gallery day was a great success and will be a feature of all the future courses in Porthleven, visiting the best exhibitions in the area. 

Strange reflections- view from the Ship Inn

The next two and a half days were spent painting in the studio, with the soundtrack of the sea, working towards the exhibition. Inspired by the landscape of Porthleven and with their own personal interpretation of 'Movement', during the week the artists produced a strong and eclectic set of paintings. 

The studio was transformed into a gallery on Friday afternoon, before welcoming visitors to the Preview in the evening.  As per tradition we then went out for a celebratory meal, this year at Kota Kai, with its delicious fusion food.

GALLERY

Erica Shipley

Erica Shipley

Antonia Glynne-Jones

Antonia Glynne-Jones

Antonia Glynne-Jones

Jane McClement

  

Jane McClement

Jane Crane

Jane Crane

Diane Bedser

Diane Bedser 

Diane Bedser

Mitzi Delnevo

Mitzi Delnevo

Mitzi Delnevo

Mitzi Delnevo

Jo Rollnick

Jo Rollnick

Ashley Hanson

Freedom in Painting in Polruan, Sept 16 Course - Report

Gill Corden

We have just held our second Freedom in Painting course in Polruan, Cornwall - congratulations to the artists for responding to the challenges that were set and producing such a striking collection of paintings.

ON LOCATION

Polruan - Drawing the Chapel on St.Saviours Hill

The course started with drawing- in Polruan from multi viewpoints, moving through the landscape, and in Fowey, a short ferry-ride across the river. 

The artists were asked to follow a discipline in their drawings to provoke ideas about composition and design and of course possibilities for their painting. 

IN THE STUDIO

In the studio the artists explored colour-mixing, colour-theory and the process of abstraction, with reference to many of the painters of the St.Ives School, Peter Lanyon, Ben Nicholson, Terry Frost, Patrick Heron, Alfred Wallis etc. Over the next few days,the paintings emerged, the artists sourcing ideas from the analytical and the emotional response to the landscape, the drawings, the studies and the exercises transformed with imagination and invention. 

The painting-course was a great success - the landscape was inspirational, the artists worked extremely hard and bonded well, often continuing in the evening with a pint and a meal after work.  Now we have some new members in the Freedom in Painting Group

GALLERY

Gill Corden

Kathleen Alberter

Kathleen Alberter

John Robson

Cathy Hilser

Cathy Hilser

Christina Scawin

Christina Scawin

Georgie Hadley

Georgie Hadley

Julie Morrish 

Ashley Hanson

TESTIMONIALS

'Horizons in painting are getting broader'   John Robson

'Ashley gave us so much - energy, knowledge and passion for art'    Christina Scawin

'Enjoyed all - good demos - good everything!'   Julie Morrish