Art in the Time of Coronavirus
Peninsula Arts Closed for Term 2
Due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements Peninsula Arts Society will remain closed to all members and visitors throughout Term 2 . All classes, workshops, demos and other activities will cease during this period.
We thank you for your understanding. Stay safe and keep creating!
President and Committee of the Peninsula Arts Society
Isolate and Create
In these strange times, where social connection is not something we can take for granted, many of us are turning to the arts – visual arts, culinary arts, music, novels, theatre, movies and television – to fill in empty hours, keep our spirits up and find things to share online with others. What better proof of the vital role art plays in our lives and societies.
Still Life with Apples – Oil painting by Denise Bond
Creating art yourself is an even better way to promote feelings of excitement, productivity, satisfaction and well being. It is a well proven path to positive mental health. We urge all our members to keep creating. Whether masterpieces or work for the rubbish bin, it’s the process that counts. In fact you may well have more fun, and learn a lot more, creating for the rubbish bin!
Check out our suggestions for inspiring yourself to turn up and do your art.
Sofie Dieu
Ink Painting
Absolute Magnitude detail – ink painting by Sofie Dieu
Sofie is offering a series of ink painting classes using the online learning platform Learn Paint Grow. Each week she adds a new exercise to keep it fresh and engaging. Sofie can also provide one-on-one support and answer your questions via the LPG forum. Access to the full series for 6 months costs $66.
Short classes costing $15 are also on offer. These can last from 1 hour to a whole afternoon, mainly focusing on ink painting but with some mixed media and colour work too.
For detailed information visit Learn Paint Grow. See more examples of Sofie’s distinctive artwork.
DIY Plein Air Painting
The best advice during this time is … STAY HOME.
This does not mean no plein air. Set up in your outdoor space or garden … see the play of light on the trees, the intricacies of the bark, the shadows on the ground. Have you ever studied closely the dappled light on the path, and seen the myriad of elliptical patterns emerging?
Tranquil – watercolour by Elena Ferrarin
So much to observe right on your doorstep. Among many others, look at the magical studies of light by Collie Whisson or see the everyday subject matter of Dan Scott … blood oranges, plastic bottles or lamb chops!
Margot O’Neil, Plein Air Group Coordinator
Simply Citrus – Oil painting by Christine Davies
Fiona Valentine
“Conquer the Basics”
Fiona is offering a series of live one hour online workshops:
Cost: $25 per workshop
Time: Tuesdays 1pm AEST.
If you can’t attend live, your payment will give you access to the live replays.
April 21 Creative Space Workshop
April 28 Drawing Workshop
May 5 Colour Workshop
May 12 Design Workshop
May 19 Creative Process
May 26 Share Your Art
See Fiona’s website for more information.
Vivi Palegeorge
“Tuesdays with Vivi”
Weekly online watercolour classes commencing April 14th
These new times bring new challenges but also new ways of learning. I am very excited to be able to offer a creative mentoring program that you can participate in from the comfort and safety of your own home.
Cost: $100 for a 5 week block of classes
For more information or to enrol email Vivi at vivipalegeorge@gmail.com
Coffee Time – watercolour by Vivi Palegeorge
How Vivi’s classes work
- Every Tuesday I will email some images of a painting I have done with reference photos.
- I will also include tips on how to approach the painting, such as colours, composition, ways to achieve mood and other technical advice which might be relevant.
- Tone, edges and brushwork will also be examined.
- If relevant, I may give you ideas about how other master artists have tackled such a subject.
- You then have one week to complete the painting and email it back to me for an appraisal. I will go through the strengths and weaknesses in your painting and offer advice on how to rectify any problem areas.
- At the end of the week I may also email a summary of pointers relating to that particular subject.
See more of Vivi’s watercolour work.
Tile Project
Anyone up for a challenge?
During this time of hibernation I am suggesting a collaborative challenge: “A New Day Dawns”.
Paint on any sized matte ceramic tile, with either alcohol inks, acrylic or oils, and, when all is back to business as usual, they will be used as a mosaic on one of the exterior walls of the Peninsula Arts Society Studios.
Be part of a project to keep us all connected, a vivid shared reminder of these historic times.
If you’d like to rise to the challenge, I can provide further details on a recommended process to ensure longevity of the artworks. In the meantime check out YouTube for ideas. I would love to hear if you are interested. Use our contact form to get in touch.
Margot O’Neil, Peninsula Arts Vice President
Ben Winspear
Seascapes in oils
Ben will continue his Term 2 classes via Zoom, an online video conferencing app, which he will help you set up. Ben aims to teach you some fundamental and advanced techniques for painting seascapes. Tuition will combine demonstrations, practical tips and mentoring. Visit Ben’s website to see examples of his work.
Cost: $275
Time: Tuesday 1pm – 3pm
Dates: 14th April – 23rd June (11 weeks)
For more information contact Ben on 0427505793. Please note places are limited to 10 participants.
Ruth’s Home Remedies
For all of you frustrated artists who still want to be creative, and may even have a bit of spare time, I have a few ideas to offer you.
- Try to use this time in a positive way. Don’t sit around doing nothing. Wonderful art can come out of adversity.
- Search YouTube and other websites for demos and artworks by artists you have heard about – or not.
- Dust down those art materials that are cluttering up your house. See what new ideas you can come up with. Try mixing media.
- Curl up with a painting book you haven’t looked at for ages. Use it as a basis for new explorations of subject, media and technique.
- Paint, draw, write or stitch about how you feel.
- Create a daily “sketch and write” book. You might be amazed at your progress when you look back on it in a year’s time.
- Check into the Peninsula Arts Facebook page for creative ideas and updates. A great way to keep in touch with other members.
- Maybe form your own online art group and share ideas, techniques, works in progress and completed masterpieces.
Brooches by Ruth Quinn
Peninsula Arts Society would love to see your work. Maybe we can stage an “after the plague” art display when all gets back to normal.
Ruth Quinn, Peninsula Arts President
Artist Trading Cards
Jillian Schneider from The Peninsula Arts Friday textile group has got us busy making Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) in recent weeks.
ATCs are small works of art that you can trade with another artist. You add your own details to the back of the ATCs, along with a brief description of the technique and media used, thereby learning through sharing.
Tina Whiteley – Artist Trading Card, marbled and foiled
ATCs took off in the late 1990s, and have developed into a popular but serious art form, even featuring in art exhibitions. There are avid ATC collectors out there too.
These cards may be only small in size (2.5 × 3.5 inches or 64 × 89 mm) but the potential for creating all sorts of art projects with them is huge.
Any medium can be used, including drawing painting, printing, collage, stitching, decoupage appliqué and more. Work to a theme or be spontaneous – it’s up to you! You can use anything as a mounting or background substrate.
Tina Whiteley – Artist Trading Card, eco-dyed
For textile artists ATCs are a great way to use up scraps of fabrics and threads and try out new techniques or sample ideas before starting a larger project.
ACTs offer a very personal way to interact and keep in touch during these times of social distancing, to let us all know that we are thinking of each other. What better way for artists to celebrate their friendship than to send and receive artworks in the post that have been hand-made by well washed hands!
Tina Whiteley, Textile Group Coordinator
Tina’s website features a wealth of ideas for creating textile artworks.