Art in Action

Art in Action was amazing - a completely unique event.

From a demonstrating perspective it was brilliant, very well organised with every detail taken care of (usually in advance). The venue was beautiful, the support fantastic and the atmosphere so positive.

My only regret is that I didn't have time to see all of the other demonstrators!

I learnt a huge amount about how to demonstrate and present a stand from the demonstrators and assistants in our tent. I was so pleased to be there as part of a group - I was a student demonstrator for the Bristol Drawing School who were very supportive. I would like to say a huge Thank-you to them for inviting me and showing me the ropes.

One important lesson I learned: don't make the table into a barrier; I later moved mine off to one side and angled it outwards so that people could approach my work directly.

Many people enjoyed my sketchbooks and I was pleased to show something that people could interact with. Lots of people asked what the paper was, in case you didn't write it down the sketchbooks were: Earthbound from Daler Rowney's Cachet range.

We (as Bristol Drawing School) did collective demonstrations twice each day drawing from models, as well as demonstrating on our own stands. Below is one of my favourite drawings. The blue paper was kindly provided as a sample by the Two Rivers Paper Company who were also at Art in Action in the materials tent.

LARA - Summer in the City

I'm off to do a summer school in traditional drawing and painting techniques with the London Atelier of Representational Art (LARA). I've told a few people and have had some surprising reactions. It's been a good prompt to examine my thoughts, ideas and motivations prior to what will, I am sure, be an interesting and significant summer.

Those of you that know me or my work will know that I have a strong interest in draughtsmanship, which I am keen to develop. But I do confess to wondering if I really have the self-discipline required for traditional methods. I may be forced to acquire some/more, I'm pretty sure that will be a good thing.

I think that technical skill in art, like most other things, must be developed. Skill provides the tools of expression but it is not an end in itself. I believe that expression has the greatest scope when skills are sufficiently developed and assimilated to the point that they are mostly applied unconsciously, giving the freedom to focus on feeling, expression or whatever is the motivating force behind your work. (Actually doing it is harder!)

It can be argued that technique imposes constraints. I agree, but from my experience of design I know that constraints promote rather than stifle creativity, i.e. the more constraints imposed on a problem the more creative you have to be to solve it. Pretty much everything that can be repeated is a technique, after your very first attempt at something there is an element of technique, though not necessarily a good one. In the absence of zen-like 'beginner mind' it seems better to me to develop technique, to pick it up, put it down or manipulate it, in the service of expression.

I think that understanding the nature of constraint aides the search for freedom. As always I am struck by how the lessons of art apply to life: Are they different?

I plan to post my progress/photos/drawings/observations as I go, and maybe show some of the work I produce when I return. Let me know what you think, any questions or what you'd like to see.

Art in Action

Photo from Art in Action 2009

Preparations for Art in Action are now well under way. I have been submitting various bits of information to the (very well organised) organisers over the past few weeks and now I'm getting down to my own lists of what to take, how to hang it and what tools I will need.

I'm nervous, mostly in an excitable way, about the drawing demonstrations we'll be doing. It's going to be strange with lots of people watching me draw. I've had one or two people watching me draw before and it has tended to make me feel very self conscious. I think the demonstration set up will be a huge help, as a structure to work within; a way of formalising the watcher/watched relationship.

I heard somewhere that drawing and talking are controlled by different hemispheres of the brain, so a drawing demo could be quite a tricky thing! Maybe it's better to stop periodically and discuss what ever stage the drawing is at, or answer people's questions. I want to make sure that I talk with the people visiting, and not mumble into my drawings.

The current plan is that we will be drawing from a model for at least two sessions per day, and hour in the morning and another in the afternoon. Other artists will be drawing in between. I'm really looking forward to seeing other artists draw as I always find watching others hugely instructive.

Technically I think the diffuse lighting in the tent, whilst flattering to the model, could be quite a challenge for drawing, I think softly graduated tones will predominate if it is an overcast day.

I'm very glad to be demonstrating alongside much more experienced artists and instructors from the Bristol Drawing School: Carol Peace, Fran Richardson, Ros Ford and Ruth Wallace. I'm also looking forward to seeing some familiar visitors from my open studio.

We will be demonstrating in the Drawing and Printmaking tent at Art in Action at Waterperry House near Oxford from 15th-18th July. It is a fabulous event at a great location so do come down and say hello, we'd love to see you!