art camp

Yesterday I was invited to conduct a workshop with senior art students from BHS - I've attended the 'art camp' at tathra quite a few times over the years - but this year was by far the best. What a lovely bunch of youngsters - enthusiastic, talented, good-natured, open-minded... a total delight


I was there to present a workshop on integrating text in artworks - I chose to also show students how to create layers of text in works using gouache, ink and acrylic glazes - (its not the usual sort of thing these guys may be exposed to - so I thought they might find it interesting) I wasn't sure how much we could achieve in our very tight 3 hour timeframe - but just look at all these guys managed!

what a display!





I was astonished at the results - some just really got the hang of layered gouache and acrylic - and whilst these were just exercises and done at break-neck speed - it was incredible how terrific and how finished so many pieces were...








and how students took all the exercises on board in order to create outstanding integrated works - look at how one took a print from an earlier workshop - and thought about how text may add quite different things to the work....





I have a soft spot for anyone who manages to pull something off that you don't think is going to work... not until the very last moment - this piece (well it was originally 2 pieces...) was bitsy and fragmented - and I wasn't confident that it would come together... then with the addition of large '505' lettering, and another layer of glaze- and the fortuitous addition of the second artwork under the (already cut!) heart shape.... and just look at the rather great artwork that resulted....





it is soooo very gratifying to have a class of eager students who all create little marvels. I hope they enjoyed the afternoon as much as I did!

layer it! workshop report

WOW!

What a weekend!

I've just spent 2 of the most fantastic days any teacher/tutor can spend - nestled amongst enthusiastic, engaging, talented, generous students - this time in the spacious (ok - cavernous..) space of Primrose Park - headquarters of the ASC...

Primrose Park Paperworks

I felt very honoured - and not a little daunted - to be leading such a marvelous group - I've admired the work of many of those lining up to hear my 'words of wisdom'... it made me wonder what on earth I could add to their already extensive knowledge-bank...

'Layer It!' did have an ambitious program - I was hoping to get through 4 distinct areas or 'layers' during the 2 days: layers in lettering, layers in paint, layers in collage and (my particular pet) layers of meaning...

Look at them all - waiting for me to stop taking piccies and get on with the show!

No matter how long a workshop is - it never feels quite long enough... here are some of the workshop participants works in progress at the start of day 2 - backgrounds have been created and a first layer of lettering has been applied - waiting for the magic of glaze applications....




by the end of day 2 the works are only just beginning really - oh how I wish we had another day (or two)... I can only imagine how some works may turn out... here's Bob's piece after it's initial layers of lettering and glaze... I do hope he works on this at home and sends me a finished pic - this is such a promising start...




and I only had just enough time to start to talk about layers of meaning... maybe I'll just have to talk about that on another visit... ('Layer it some more'?)

Thanks to everyone who came - hope you keep on 'layering it!'

Layer It!

Next weekend I’m off to Primrose Park, headquarters and home-base for the Australian Society of Calligraphers (ASC), in Sydney.

I’m taking participants (victims?) through my 2 workshop - ‘Layer It!’ – I’m thrilled that the 2 day workshop has been booked out (!) months in advance.

I’ve been a Guild Member for the ASC since 1995 – but this is the first time I’m off to teach a workshop in Sydney.

I don’t go away to teach workshops very often – I do have 2 rather young kiddies after all (Sass is 6, EJ is 3) and I’m never all that keen to leave either them or my beloved Sams Creek...
Last year I presented the same workshop for the Coffs Calligraphers as an extension of my stint as their guest artist (for the exhibition ‘Botanical Rhythms’)

'Weight of Words'
Rhonda Ayliffe
from 'Botanical Rhythms' exhibition - Coffs Harbour - 2007

I had such a wonderful time that when I was approached by the ASC to teach, I was keen to repeat the good times… and just like then, I’ll try to keep my homesickness to a minimum…


I’ll hopefully have some nice pics and stories about my time away - and I'll share them when I return (I bet all sorts of things will be going on here in my absence.... I wonder if anyone will be game to record the mischief?)