22. The Scream, August 2013

In August 2013 we looked at Edvard Munchs famous painting 'The Scream'. Continuing our enquiries into post-impressionist use of paint, members set about creating a response to the painting, a kind of self-portrait version. Their challenge was to inhabit the feeling, and try to use the materials in such a way as to carry some the emotional content of the work.

21. Fauvism and Post-Impressionism

After developing some impressionist paintings based on stories and images in the daily newspapers, the art group tackled a 'post-impressionist' painting. We focused on the use of enhanced colours and looser more expressive rendering of form. We discussed 'colour bombs', and how post-impressionst artists tried to recreate sensation and feeling rather than capturing outer appearances. 

20. Impressionism / Flowers. July 2013

Our introduction to artistic movements in the 20th century began with a look at the ideas and methods in Impressionism. We started with some loose, expressive charcoal drawings from observation, and then continued into a series of paintings, where each member tried working with different aspects of impressionistic techniques. The works look into the informality of impressionistic composition, the loose expressive brushwork, and the use of layered painting to create vivid imagery.

19. Cezannes Apples / Understanding Painting and the Art of the 20th Century, June 2013

After several months of very technical methods, including different types of printmaking, we made a return to painting. The members had expressed an interest in learning a little about art history, specifically movements in the 20th century. We devised an approach for the coming sessions that would enable them to continue to develop their technical understanding of how to use materials and understand the formal consideration of making an artwork, and at the same time try approaches that related to the major art movements in the 20th century. We began by 'drawing with paint', and 'understanding colour', with several life model sessions, and some painterly sketches of still life subject matter. How to understand composition, how to mix paint and colour, and how to work in layers where some of the themes discussed.