Adventures in Drawing with Kathy Reed

Everyone has drawn as a child. Most of us stop drawing when we reach the age where we think that our drawings need to be more than child-like. That may take instruction or commitment that we don’t have. Or we think that we just don’t have the “talent” needed to draw.

Maybe what we need to do to rekindle that confidence in drawing seen in little children is to re-define what drawing is. If you ever take a pen or pencil and write, you are “drawing” with line. The lines and marks you make are different from everyone else’s lines and marks. Do you find yourself doodling when talking on the phone or sitting in class or a meeting? You are drawing.
Perhaps you are a supporter of the arts, and collect visual art – you are attracted to art, and love to have it around. It communicates something to you and makes you happy. Haven’t you secretly wished that you could create something artistic yourself?

This workshop will give you the opportunity to re-define drawing for yourself, learning its language, without the pressure of having to come up with an idea, follow a pre-determined pattern, or meet any expectations. You will get basic information about how to think (like an artist does) about the space of the paper you will be using, about placement of the elements in your composition, and about different kinds of marks that you can make with the materials offered. After experimenting with mark-making on large drawing paper hung on the wall, and being led to create a “ground” using charcoal and erasers, you will continue to add to and subtract from your drawing in an intuitive manner, using gesso and more charcoal. At some point, we will talk about color, and you will add color to the drawing in whatever amount you wish. Anyone wanting to use imagery drawn from imagination or life will be helped to do so. You drawing can also be completely abstract. What you will be experiencing first-hand is the process of making an artwork, which at its best is a dialogue with yourself and a journey that often has surprise endings.

Kathy Reed, artist and long-time art educator, will lead the Adventures in Drawing workshop.

Date: Saturday, October 7, at Basin Arts
Time: 10:00AM- 12 noon, with lunch on your own from 12:00-1:00 PM, then continuing from 1:00-4:00 PM.
-In the last half-hour, before cleaning up, we will have a discussion/critique of our creative efforts.

The workshop will be limited to 12 participants, due to space requirements. No experience in artmaking is required.

Fee for the workshop is $110, which covers all supplies. You will leave with a 3’x4’ mixed-media drawing, and useful handouts to encourage further experimentation.

SIGN UP HERE: http://tiny.cc/adventuresindrawing

All materials are supplied, with the exception of an apron, old shirt, or something to cover your clothes. You may bring objects to look at & draw if you wish (such as plants, flowers, other natural or man-made objects). Various sources of inspiration will be provided.