TALK AND TASK - Artist's tasks
We were very encouraged by the multitude of creative responses from our Artists' Retreat, that we now bring you a month of TALK and TASK. This month we will look at how artists work, by giving an insight into their processes and the highlighting the importance of why process is integral in the making of a work.
Every week: there is an interview or short video of an artist speaking personally about their work. This may give some insights into both to the character of the work they are making and the interesting ideas that stimulate their work. After watching the talk and taking at least a day or two to think about it, we ask you to look at the task.
The BHA Weekly Word Facebook group and #bhaweeklyword Instagram pages are still the places to share your work with the on-line community.
All of us at Bridge House Art believe that life and art is interconnected and that learning is a gateway to exploration on many levels. Be it a Summer School or the full-time Portfolio Course, we encourage students to think and develop their work from a point of interest that is so stimulating to them that they just can’t wait to get on with it!
So over this month, we want to work with you to find what it is you love to do. We hope to help you find the processes that inform the essence of your personal creativity, that is ready and waiting to burst open - just like a garden in mid-summer.
Here is an excellent quote from a small, but very powerful, book by Kit White an artist and teacher. The book is 101 things to learn in art school-
Art is the product of Process - “whether conceptual, experimental, emotional or formal, the process you develop yields the image you produce. The materials you choose, the methods of production, the sources of the images should all reflect the interests that command your attention.
The process does not stop with each work completed. It is on-going. The cumulative result of that process is a body of work. “
Week 1: Friday 3rd July Talk with Rosanna Dyke
Talk and Task week 1
Week 1: Task from Rosanna Dyke
My process often begins with intuitive mark making and playful drawings of my subject matter. Loosening up is something we all find difficult – often we need a tool to help us create work that is less controlled and more about energy and mark.
A technique I often refer to is “stick drawing” (and no, this isn’t about drawing stick men!)
Materials:
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A stick from your garden or daily walk
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A pot of ink
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Paper – any size, the bigger the better!
If you don’t have ink, you can tape charcoal, graphite or oil pastel to the end of your stick.
You may use any subject matter for this.
Task
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Set up your subject matter. Place your paper somewhere that is easiest for you to work. If your stick is particularly long you may find it easier to work on the floor. The longer the stick, the looser your drawing will be.
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Begin drawing with your stick, making sure to pay attention to the details of your subject matter. Don’t worry about creating a ‘likeness’, just enjoy the process and the unexpected marks you create.
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You may experiment with different lengths of stick, sizes of paper and mediums. Try watering down your ink to create lighter tones or working on top using charcoal, oil pastel or graphite taped to your stick.
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You now have a bank of loose and intuitive drawings. You can leave them as they are or use them as backgrounds to work on top of.
Week 2: Talk with Peter White