Current Workshops
Channelling Margaret Preston
'Painting Still Life from Real Life' with Maryanne Wick
This enjoyable course is designed to teach you the fundamentals of painting in your choice of either oil or acrylic paint. Surface preparation, technique composition and the mixing of colour will be discussed, demonstrated and practised. Starting with a painting exercise, you will be preparing your own surfaces and painting the still life composition with the aim of completing a finished work or two!
Maryanne will discuss the lives and work of various still life artists with a focus on the work of Australia's beloved Margaret Preston and Clarice Beckett. And as was the practise of these artists, your still life compositions will be painted from real life subject matter, as you learn to paint directly onto your surface in the traditional manner. For those who are new to painting, require a fresh approach or feel stuck in their painting practice, Maryanne will help you with your ability and confidence. Enjoy being taken out of your comfort zone!
Maryanne Wick is primarily known for her tonal still life painting, portraiture and drawing. She is a graduate from the National Art School and has taught painting and drawing for their Public Programs Department for over ten years. Her paintings and drawings are held in private collections both in Australia and internationally. Maryanne has also held solo exhibitions in Australia, South Korea and most recently in Spain and has been awarded artists residencies in Australia, China, Spain and the USA. Maryanne has participated in over eighty group exhibitions, including the Gallipoli Art Prize, the Sulman Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Portia Geach and Doug Moran Portrait Prizes. In 2015 she was awarded the Korea-Australia Art Foundation prize for painting.
| Location | AWA Studio, Knockrow, Byron Hinterland |
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| Date | 22/23rd February 2020 (2days) |
| Cost | $550.00 |
| Level | All Levels |
Sunlit Flowers - the wow factor
Fiona Craig lives near Chicago where she teaches fine art. Her aim is to teach students how to paint flowers with luminosity, light and richness in oils but you may use your preferred medium. Fiona is accomplished in oils, acrylics, watercolour, pastels and mixed media.
Regular step-by-step demonstrations throughout will make the whole process easy and provide a great understanding of how to achieve vibrant floral images in your own style. The workshop will begin with drawing our flowers and exploring the basic techniques that convey a sense of light, shadow and sculptural form.
Day 2 will focus on colour mixing and brush stroke application to avoid muddiness and over-blending. Fiona is an excellent tutor and communicator.
| Location | AWA Studio, Knockrow, Byron Hinterland |
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| Date | 20/22 March 2020 (3 days) |
| Cost | $550.00 |
| Level | All Levels |
Putting the 'colour' in Watercolour
Mike Kowalski
The Magic of Watercolour
Mike Kowalski is an award winning artist from Melbourne where most of his time is taken up painting and teaching. He spent over 40 years as an illustrator undertaking book and travel assignments eventually specializing in architectural illustration. He has conducted workshops throughout the USA and Australia. Watercolor Artist Magazine says of Mike’s work: “Underpinned by sure draftsmanship, a firm grip on perspective and a fine eye for color value, Mike Kowalski’s brushwork is fast, animated and direct.”
Although Mike is an experienced watercolourist, he is equally proficient in oils, but he prefers to teach what most consider to be a difficult medium. “What I find interesting about watercolour is that though it is difficult to master, it is also a most accessible medium for beginners with good results from the start”. “By it’s own fluid nature watercolour has a unique magic”. Mike’s focus will be on building a students confidence when working in watercolour, learning good colour mixing strategies, and solid watercolor technique including brushwork, washes and edge control as well as drawing skills.
The workshop will include the most important elements in picture making, good composition, simplifying forms, mixing strong colour with a limited palette and understanding and using values to maximum effect. Mike will do a demonstration painting each day. Our subject matter will include landscape, some architecture, possibly still life and even figures.
This action packed weekend will be full of good humor in a fun and stress free enviornment!
NON-REFUNDABLE/NON-TRANSFERABLE DEPOSIT REQUIRED TO CONFIRM
Please read terms & conditions
| Location | AWA Studio, Knockrow, Byron Hinterland |
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| Date | 28/29th March 2020 |
| Cost | $550.00 |
| Level | All Levels |
The Epic Pilbara
The epic Pilbara is a must for any landscape artist. You will be awestruck by the deep red layered cliffs, massive gum trees, termite mounds and expansive plains that give way to picturesque gorges, refreshing waterfalls and the emerald waterholes of Karijini National Park.
Idris Murphy will lead the way and help you define this breathtaking landscape into art. As one of Australia's most respected educators and artists his focus will be to expose students to a variety of ideas and approaches with a combination of art history, demonstrations and references/books to illustrate specific techniques and processes.
Our group will be based at Karijini which is one of Australia's most beautiful National Parks. Share accommodation is arranged in their Eco Retreat tents. An experienced guide will provide details of the areas we visit and picnic lunch so that you are free to experiment, paint, draw and explore.
Transport from Paraburdoo airport return is included and also transport us to our painting sites each day. Continental breakfast is included at the Eco resort but other meals are provided daily by our guide and his wife.
Most of the beautiful gorges are hidden from view and require descending via stairs with our painting gear. It is important to limit materials for this purpose as everything has to be carried in and out. Our guide will assist in this regard.
SEE ITINERARY & INFORMATION ATTACHED FOR DOWNLOAD
NON REFUNDABLE/NON TRANSFERABLE DEPOSIT REQUIRED TO CONFIRM
Please see terms & conditions
| Location | Karijini National Park, WA |
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| Date | 7/12th May 2020 (5 nights) |
| Cost | $3,450.00 |
| Level | all levels |
Translating Landscape into Art
Ross Laurie is one of Australia's most respected artists and teachers. Much of his inspiration has come from his beautiful farm views and the surrounds of Walcha where he lives, but there are also many of his powerful paintings that are inspired by the outback.
Laurie's students are accustomed to his warm generous manner who cannot get enough of his vast teaching experience and knowledge about painting and painters.
This 5 day workshop will focus on painting and sketching from the natural environment around us. Ross will demonstrate, guide us and assist each participant indivually to translate the landscape into art. The Ranges are the perfect backdrop for plein air painting where the dusty red roads are bordered by towering ancient cliffs and deep craters.
The rugged Flinders Ranges are the largest mountain range in South Australia and spread over 430 kms to the north and the south. Just 5 hours drive from Adelaide the spectacular gorges and sheltered creeks attract both local and international tourists to the region. It is for this reason we seek private property so that we will not be distracted or interrupted by tourists.
All participants have single accommodation in the shearer's quarters on the property. We have our own kitchen, communal toilets and showers. Dinner is 2 courses plus take away lunch and breakfast.
Susan who has just visited Willow Springs says: "wow what a privilege being there - it is an incredibly challenging, exciting and diverse property which was appropriately and professionally organised - it will be fabulous"
VIEW ITINERARY, INCLUSIONS & ALL OTHER INFORMATION ATTACHED FOR DOWNLOAD
NON REFUNDABLE/NON TRANSFERABLE DEPOSIT REQUIRED TO CONFIRM
Please see terms & conditions
| Location | Willow Springs Station, Flinders Ranges SA |
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| Date | 10/15th June 2020 (5 nights) |
| Cost | $3,050.00 |
| Level | all levels |
Fast & Loose Plein Air
The East MacDonnell Ranges are just over 80kms from Alice Springs. You will find the area full of history and culture from Aboriginal rock art at places like Trephina Gorge and N'Dhala Gorge to historic sites such as Arltunga - an entire ghost town with disused gold mines.
It is the type of rugged landscape that Tim Allen loves to paint and he will take his usual bold and expressive approach to the landscape tradition. His mark making is always concerned with finding form so that the viewer is able to move through the painting and respond to the energy of capturing the fleeting moment.
Students will be developing skills to respond artistically to the landscape in an immediate, powerful and spontaneous way.
Tim will conduct regular demonstrations of his own techniques and processes of how he responds to his subject matter in his fast and loose style when painting en plein air. Students will leave with a wide range of skills and an understanding of techniques with mixed media, including ink, watercolour and pastel and how these can be used to capture the essence of the landscape.
It is expected during the workshop that students will produce a range of drawings and studies to develop into larger artworks. His teaching style is enthusiastic and engaged with a focus on individual tuition and getting the best out of every student regardless of their experience.
| Location | East MacDonnell Ranges |
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| Date | 19/23rd June 2020 (4 nights) |
| Cost | $2,600.00 |
| Level | All Levels |