Working with a wide and unlikely mix of materials engages the mind and becomes lived experience encouraging artists to find new and unique ways of expressing themselves.

During this 1-day workshop, students will immerse themselves in the process of making a large figure painting on panel from the life model using colour pigments, shellac, ash, sand, ink, charcoal, and graphite powder where the act of painting – gestures and moods – becomes embedded in these materials. Problems encountered will be solved on the large panel thereby leaving a trace of the whole process. The emphasis will be on students finding their own visual language with these materials while responding to their interpretation of the figure. There will be clear teaching with demonstrations where necessary and the workshop will start with a few slides to look at relevant artists as guidance such as Walter Sickert, David Bomberg, Nathan Oliveira, John Virtue, Anselm Kiefer, Anton Tapies, Ursula O’Farrell, Jennifer Pochinski and Miquel Barcelo amongst others.

ABOUT YOUR TUTOR

Our prize-winning artist, Kenneth, describes himself as a late bloomer. Having first earned himself a degree in engineering (1986), he worked in a variety of different jobs in different countries. He only started painting in earnest in his late 20’s and didn’t go to art school until he turned 30, when he attended the Foundation Course at Leith School of Art (1994). This paved his way to study at Edinburgh College of Art where he received a BA Hons. (1998) and where he won an Andrew Grant Scholarship. He was also awarded an MFA with distinction from New York Academy of Art.