The Drawing Workshop will focus on fine drawing skills and the methods and materials used to build up tone, form and fine detail to complete a work using graphite dust and graphite pencils.

Susannah Blaxill established her career as a painter in London in the mid 1980’s, where she had 2 sell out solo exhibitions before returning to live in Australia in 1992. She has paintings in public and private collections around the world and has been exhibited widely through England, Europe, America, Asia and Australia. Amongst many publications, her work has been featured on the front page of the Arts section of the New York Times.

How to really see where you are, and use it in your work.

Using found objects, patterns and textures we will explore how they reflect a sense of place and create a connection to our surroundings.

We will find, document, edit, print, collage and create. Using mono prints with a gelli plate, and found specimens, we will use mixed media to ‘zoom in’ on our location and work with that. By abstracting the essence of a place we’ll create something inspired by our location. So the viewer can also experience something they may have previously overlooked, with fresh eyes.

The workshop will incorporate the principles of design in artwork, fail safe tricks and techniques to explore composition.

Participants will create a ‘field notes’  for a sketchbook, artist book, and a series of prints and collage works.

What to expect: Inspired by our surroundings we will collect, edit, print & create. Discover new ways of seeing, creating pieces that resonate with a sense of place. We will discuss the process of editing our source material so as to find a starting point.This workshop will have you learning the basics of working with stencils, both natural and man-made. Students will create a variety of prints which explore layering acrylics to achieve unique works. Monoprints are perfect for producing textural, patterned prints, these are beautiful on their own or can be used to create collages, wrapping papers, gift cards, artist books. Endless options!