FULLY BOOKED

Drawing Into Life – 6 Week Creative Course

9 September 2022 - 14 October 2022

Drawing into Life with Helen Garrett

Six week art course designed for adults interested in art and archaeology  of any level.

This new course is an exciting opportunity to get up close with some extraordinary artefacts in the collection at Dorset Museum. You will be drawing inspiration from prehistoric art including Neolithic flint tools, Anglo Saxon gold, precious burial goods, Roman mosaics, decorative textiles and archaeological maps amongst others, and have the chance to work directly from the Elisabeth Frink collection.

We will develop our foundational drawing skills together and experiment with a range of materials including earth pigments, graphite, clay, printmaking and painting. This is a unique opportunity to connect with history in a closely profound and imaginative way.

Timings: 10:00 – 13:00

Programme:

Week 1
We will explore the material qualities and surface textures of early hand axes and tools: flint, stone, chalk, and bone. To gain a closer experience of the unique beauty of these incredible objects, we will draw them using raw pigments, graphite, chalks, and pastels onto fine papers. The session will include excerpts from the film ‘Cave of Forgotten dreams’ by Werner Herzog.

Week 2
Creating an abstract work of art using mixed media and collage with decorative papers and PVA – inspired by the sculptures and work of artist Elisabeth Frink held in Dorset Museum collection.

Week 3
We will experiment with abstract images inspired by ariel photographs and maps of archaeological digs and important sites in Dorset. Using simple print-making techniques with acrylic and water-based paints, working with over laying and abstraction.

Week 4
Exploring the symbolism of animals in Roman art and culture – we will draw imagery from the Roman mosaics housed in the museum and work on board with painting and mixed media in natural earth colours.

Week 5
Dorset Museum’s beautifully embroidered fabrics and floral designs from 18th- century clothing and textiles will be the starting point for our elegant designs; traced patterns, and colour pencil work on watercolour paper. Choose an object from home to bring next week that has a special significance for you.

Week 6
After visiting some very special artefacts in the museum, we will each bring out an object from home sharing its significance for us within the group. We will make drawing studies focussing on tone and composition using graphite and pencil and discuss how and why objects become meaningful to us and
hold a symbolic quality …right from the time of our earliest human ancestors!

£175 per participant for the 6 weeks.