Last week I went into Wells, with my friend Joanne, for a course entitled 'Holiday Journals and Sketchbooks'. It took place in the
Heritage Courtyard Studios and Gallery with tutor, Elizabeth Hand. We were a select group of five, with the course being held in the middle of an exhibition space which was very handy! We could look and get inspired by the exhibition called 'Surface'. There were some exciting works on show, including some by our tutor, as well as other well known local artists. One of Elizabeth's pieces is shown directly above. Here work has a highly textured and tactile surface that makes you want to touch it!
As well as being in the studio, learning some techniques, making our own sketchbooks and practising, we were let loose on picturesque Wells, to sketch and photograph whatever we wanted, for our journals. There is much history and interesting places in the city, including the wonderful cathedral - see above middle pic and the Vicars' Close, which is claimed to be the oldest, purely residential street, with numerous Grade 1 listed buildings, surviving in tact in Europe - top right photograph.
At the end of the day, all that we had produced was laid out on the tables for us to view and comment on - see pics above. Everybody had worked extremely hard with wonderful results. Joanne and I really enjoyed the course and found the time just whizzed by - a sign of having fun!
I found it difficult to control the acrylic paint using painting knives and the impasto technique. It was not something that I had done before. The results of our talented painting group were impressive - see pics above. The top centre and top right were paintings that Fiona had brought along and you can see her, with the painting she was demonstrating on, in the centre photograph.
