Workshop
Hardy’s Wessex: Drawing on the ancient past
17 June - 11 July 2022, 10:00am - 1:00pm
A six-week creative course with Helen Garrett
This six-week course led by artist Helen Garrett will take you on a creative journey through Thomas Hardy’s work, inspirations and Dorset Museum’s collections.
Tickets: £140 for 6 weeks, includes tea and coffee and an opportunity to look around the Museum before or after the course sessions. Places are limited.
Programme
- Week 1: 17 June – Material Earth – Geology
Exploring the unique qualities of rocks and fossils from both the artists and the museum’s collection using raw pigments, chalk and pastel techniques with handmade and cotton papers – with a reference to Hardy’s A Pair of Blue Eyes description of a character meeting face to face a fossilized creature. - Week 2: 24 June – The Nature of Trees – with excerpts from The Woodlanders and other writings
A dynamic session with observational studies from branches, bark and leaves, experimental drawing techniques, working with texture, surface pattern, frottage, subtractive techniques, Graphite blocks and pencil. - Week 3: 1 July – The Poetic Imagination – A Journey Through Natural Form
Using the natural form as our starting place and inspiration we will work in an intuitive way allowing our writing to emerge naturally from our sense of connection with the material and the power of the imagination. Materials will include goose feather quills, Chinese ink for writing and illustrations. - Week 4: 8 July – Romantic Landscapes in Art
Hardy’s descriptions have inspired artists to convey scenes from his stories. We will look at those displayed in the Hardy’s Dorset Gallery and touch on the Romantic Art movement creating atmospheric landscapes. We will draw and paint onto colour grounds using sepia inks, red Conte crayons and pencil. - Week 5: 15 July – Drama and The Elements in Hardy’s Writing
Using a wonderfully exciting ink and bleach technique and inspired by the drama of Hardy’s writing, we will play with scale, contrast, tempest and power in our ink paintings. We will draw imagery from Tess of the d’Urbervilles, The Return of the Native and some of Hardy’s best-loved poetry. - Week 6: 22 July – Exploring the Hardy Exhibition
Our last week will offer the opportunity to spend some quality reflective time in the Hardy’s Wessex exhibition; sketching from his personal possessions and other artefacts in the Dorset Museum collection. Using sepia/coloured pencils and our sketchbooks, developing a further study – group reflection time/feedback.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
The Victorian Hall will be hosting a private event on Friday 10th June 2022, all day and Saturday 11th June 2022, 12 noon to 5:00 pm, and therefore will be closed to visitors.
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Opening hours:
Daily: 9.00am - 4.30pm
Sunday: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Bank Holidays: 10.00am - 4.00pm -
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What's On
14 March to 12 June 2022
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Take a fresh look at the Victorian novelist and poet, Thomas Hardy, in the stunning Wessex landscapes that shaped his view of the world. His story will be retold in exciting new ways by our museum collections, from period costumes to personal letters, art to archaeology.
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Half Term ArtyFacts
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Half Term ArtyFacts
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Roman Town House Tours
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Find out more17 June - 11 July 2022, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Hardy’s Wessex: Drawing on the ancient past
This six-week course led by artist Helen Garrett will take you on a creative journey through Thomas Hardy’s work, inspirations and Dorset Museum’s collections.
Find out more18 June 2022, 11:30am - 4:00pm
Dorset Button making day
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Find out more19 June 2022, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Sunday ArtyFacts
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Find out more22 June 2022, 7:30pm
Connaught Brass
Connaught Brass are quickly making a name for themselves as a fresh talent in the chamber music world
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