Latest News:winter 2006-7
Drawing Quarters 2007 : Evening Lecture : Dr. Nigel Hurlstone As part of this year’s Drawing Quarters experience the Bristol School of Art, Media and Design have pleasure to confirm that Dr. Nigel Hurlstone will be giving an evening lecture at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) on Wednesday 11 July 2007, 18.00. This special event is included in the Drawing Quarters ticket price however tickets will be sold separately to those unable to commit for the duration of Drawing Quarters. Tickets will be priced at £6.00 per person and will include Dr. Nigel Hurlstone's lecture, a glass of wine and a viewing of the exhibitions at the RWA. For further information regarding Drawing Quarters, or to book a place on this year’s event, please contact : The Research, Enterprise and Outreach Office tel : 0117 32 84810 or email : amd.shortcourses@uwe.ac.uk Dr. Nigrl Hurlstone : Biography b. 1970 Nigel Hurlstone initially studied Foundation Art and Design at North Staffordshire Polytechnic before moving to Manchester Metropolitan University where he graduated with first class honours in Embroidery in 1994. He subsequently gained an M.A. in Textiles with distinction in 1996 and was awarded his Ph.D. from M.M.U. in 2000. He was appointed as Lecturer in Embroidery at Glasgow School of Art in the same year, and then moved to the University of the West of England in 2002 to become Programme Leader for a newly established degree course within the Faculty of Art, Media and Design, B.A. (Hons) Drawing and Applied Arts. In 2005 he returned to Manchester Metropolitan University to become Head of Embroidered Textiles. Nigel has taught predominantly on design based degree programmes and has a passion for learning and teaching that is firmly embedded in drawing as a means by which students originate, develop and articulate their ideas. Evening Lecture : Synopsis: This lecture will examine the relationship between Drawing and Embroidery. The notion of ‘embroidery’ is often understood as one of embellishment; usually destined for fashion or interiors use or defined as ‘Textile Art’ as some kind of hybrid Fine Art practice. Defined by its own process, what becomes negated in both the discourse and critique of Embroidery is its fundamental associations with drawing; that of ‘hand marking’ a surface. The pedagogy of Drawing is essentially that of Embroidery. This lecture will explore this hypothesis through an examination of the practice of four practitioners and students. It will attempt to articulate the symbiotic relationship between Embroidery and Drawing and point to the need to re-invigorate this relationship in Art and Design education. It will explore teaching and learning methods that are not afraid to articulate and promote notions of ‘skill’, ‘practice’ and ‘perseverance’ as being central to a contemporary educational philosophy. Drawing Quarters 2007 10-13 July 2007 Peter Randall-Page DArt RSA RBS RWA Amanda Wood |
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| Drawing Quarters – Practise-based
Symposium Hosted by the Advanced Centre in Drawing (a.c.i.d.) at the Bristol, School of Art, Media and Design, Drawing Quarters 2007 will run from the 10 – 13 July and will offer an opportunity for potential delegates to work in the company of a selected artist for an intensive four-day period. The event will take place in dedicated studios at the Bower Ashton Campus with each artist leading a group of practitioners through a four-day project designed to explore certain aspects of drawing; as a means of recording information, exploring ideas, developing visual language and building narratives. Drawing Quarters also includes presentations from Quarter Leaders and studio seminars to introduce ideas related to drawing practice. On the final day of the symposium, the Drawing Quarters will come together in an Open Studio exhibition at Bower Ashton. The event will conclude with a symposium summary. Amanda Wood Biography Having worked for the BBC World Service as a script editor Amanda Wood went on to train in design and illustration at Camberwell College of Arts (London University of the Arts) during the 1980’s after which she worked as a designer and Art Director for Time Out Publications, London. In 1991 she became a Course Director of Graphic Design at the London Institute of the Arts and later joined Manchester Metropolitan University as Head of the School of Communication Media. In 2001, Amanda became Associate Dean (Academic) at the University of the West of England, Bristol. Having written and developed many courses at both degree and postgraduate level in subjects such as Book Arts, Design, Illustration and the Applied Arts, her more recent preoccupation has been with the development of student facilitated learning within the design and applied arts and most particularly with the teaching and learning of drawing. Her own practice has been concerned with the observational interpretation and documentation of landscape and naturalistic environments. This work has explored not only the conceptual manipulation and interpretation of forms from 3D to 2D but has also lead to a deeper consideration of the act of drawing. To what extent does drawing transcend the observation of the selected subject and how does memory and individual interpretation affect the way in which an artist presents selected subjects? How much of what we draw is based on what we see and how much on what we know or believe? More recently the monochromatic interpretations of favoured sites in the United Kingdom, the Dorset coastline and the Derbyshire Peak District, have been replaced by an exuberant foray into the world of the highly coloured and insect-infested world of the Charente Maritime - South -West France where Amanda is now resident. Amanda has exhibited in exhibitions throughout the United Kingdom and the European Union and has engaged with travelling exhibitions in the Indian and Australian sub-continents. The Workshop This workshop will focus on the relationship between, walking as a physical act of recording information and the interpretation of such information within the studio environment. The first hand experience of many artists to the landscape has been through the act of walking, a phenomenological experience which is unique to the walker. Delegates will be invited to consider the way in which the synergy between the physical experience of a series of places, initially determined and linked through walking, and the subconscious record of information and emotion subsequently experienced may be revealed through drawing. The drawing will therefore act not only as a record of the 'journey travelled' but also as a physical response to the 'memory' of a specific walk made at a specific time and the related memories engendered by the experience of that journey. Delegates will be required to do some preparatory work prior to the four-day workshop. Peter Randall-Page DArt RSA RBS RWA Biography Peter Randall-Page studied sculpture at Bath Academy of Art from 1973-77. During the past 25 years he has gained an international reputation through his sculpture drawings and prints. Peter has undertaken numerous large scale commissions and he has exhibited widely. His work is held in numerous public and private collections throughout the world including Japan, South Korea, Australia, USA, Eire, Germany and the Netherlands. Closer to home, a selection of his public sculptures can be found in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and Newbury and he is represented in the permanent collections of the Tate Gallery and the British Museum amongst others. His practice has always been informed and inspired by the study of organic form and its subjective impact on our emotions. In recent years his work has become increasingly concerned with the underlying principles determining growth and the forms it produces. In his words “geometry is the theme on which nature plays her infinite variations, fundamental mathematical principle become a kind of pattern book from which nature constructs the most complex and sophisticated structures.” The Workshop This workshop will focus on the inter-relationship of selected small scale domestic implements or natural forms with the human figure. The notion of objects as being either ‘votive’ or symbolic of the life and interests of a person dates back to pre-history. During this workshop delegates will initially work with the life model and form a series of small-scale selected objects to make two discrete sets of drawings. These drawings will be used as a starting point from which delegates will start to develop a series of larger works investigating ideas relating to scale, rotation and the inter-relationships of objects with or without a figure. The workshop will promote the consideration of sets and series of images and the organisation of information within such formats. Delegates will be required to do some work prio to the event. To view the Provisional Programme for Drawing Quarters 07 click here. The total cost of the event will be £350 (£325 if booked before the 1 May 2007). This excludes accommodation. A list of suitable hotels and guest houses can be supplied upon request. To download a booking form please click here. Bower Ashton Redevelopment Project The Master Plan Bristol School of Art, Media and Design and UWE have secured planning permission to redevelop Bower Ashton Campus. Outline planning permission has been granted for a 10-year master plan and detailed planning permission has been given for Phase 1 which includes a new building, the refurbishment of B Block and improvements to the landscaping of the campus. Project work beginning June 2007 The refurbishment of B Block (the Tower Block) will see the replacement of the windows with a mixture of double-glazed windows and cedar-clad panels. Not only will this make the building less drafty in winter and cooler in the summer, but the external appearance will be improved and enable the tower to blend into its surroundings a little more effectively than the current design. The buildings wiring and heating system will also be upgraded. Disruption: please bear with us Clearly the redevelopment is great news for students and staff but we won't hide from the fact that the building process is likely to cause some disruption. The majority of the large car park by D Block will have to become part of the building compound for Building 1 from summer 2006 until Autumn 2007. This means there will be a limited amount of car parking spaces at Bower Ashton and staff and students are encouraged to leave cars at home and to travel to Bower Ashton by alternative means where possible. Disabled access There will be no wheel chair access to the main building during this stage of the redevelopment project. We would like to take this opportunity to apologise in advance for this inconvenience but it will not be possible during the summer (end of June until end of September 2007) to gain access to stairlifts or ramps within the Bristol School of Art, Media and Design. Programme Tuesday 10 July 2007 09.30 - Registration and Coffee 10.15 - Welcome and Introduction 10.45 - Presentations by Quarter Leaders 13.00 - Lunch 14.00 - Studio 16.00 - Tea and coffee 16.30 - Studio 18:30 - Drinks Wednesday 11 July 2007 09.00 - Studio 11.00 - Tea and coffee 11.15 - Studio 13.00 - Lunch 14.00 - Studio 16.00 - Tea and coffee 16.15 - Studio 17.30 - Depart to Royal West of England Academy 18.00 - Drinks and Exhibition Viewing 19.00 - Presentation - Dr. Nigel Hurlstone Thursday 12 July 2007 09.00 - Studio 11.00 - Tea and coffee 13.00 - Lunch 14.00 - Studio 16.00 - Tea and coffee 17.30 - Drinks 18.30 - Presentation - Roger Conlon Friday 13 July 2007 09.00 - Studio 11.00 - Tea and coffee 13.00 - Lunch 14.00 - Open studio 15.30 - Plenary session 16.30 - Close |
Dartmoor Arts Project Summer School 2007: 25th June – 6th July
Sculptor Peter Randall-Page and poet Stephen Park have launched a two week summer school to offer emerging artists an opportunity to be inspired by and learn from established artists of international repute.
The courses will be taught by experts in a variety of media, including: stone carving, cob building, digital photography, iron casting and poetry. Tutors include award-winning illustrator and film designer Alan Lee, famous photographer Chris Chapman and the Director of the Centre for CreativeWriting at Exeter University, Andy Brown.
Courses range from one day, to the full two weeks and start from £90. Students are encouraged to stay locally in order to experience evening events such as artists’ talks and live music. The local community will also be attending these events, thus offering visitors a full immersion into life in Drewsteignton. Bursaries are available.
In order to book a place, students need to go to www.dartmoorarts.com and fill in a downloadable form.
Peter Randall-Page remarks: ‘We felt there was a fantastic opportunity to tap into the expertise of many artists who have chosen to settle in this part of the world. Bringing this group together as tutors will inspire a whole new generation of successful artists.’
The Dartmoor Arts Project has been funded by an Arts Council England Grant and the Dartmoor National Park.
Alan Lee comments: ‘I’m delighted to offer my support to the Dartmoor Arts Project Summer School. I would strongly encourage anyone with an interest in the arts to get involved in this new community focussed collaboration.’
For more information contact Robin Duttson on 07941 240 800 / 01647 281 270
email : robin_duttson@yahoo.com
Background to the project
The Dartmoor Arts Project originated from an idea by the sculptor, Peter Randall-Page and the artist and poet Stephen Park. The idea was to unite the breadth of artistic talent in the North Dartmoor area, into an organisation that would enable established artists to pass on their skills and knowledge to each other, to emerging artists and to artists wishing to reassess the direction and content of their work. It would be an inspiring place accessible to emerging artists for contact with established artists of national and international repute.
All the artists involved in the Dartmoor Arts Project are highly skilled and respected within their areas of expertise and beyond. They include photographic artist Susan Derges, sculptor Peter Randall-Page and illustrator and film designer Alan Lee.
For the full list of courses please visit : www.dartmoorarts.com
The Third International Drawing Competition, Wroclaw 2006
Aim of the Competition:
The competition is a review of the drawing in the recent years, aimed at the broadest perspective of creative attitudes and tendencies, the best achievements and experiments in this field.
For everybody interested: is reanimation of the notion “academic drawing” possible? What is 'Academic Drawing?"
Usually we associate this notion with a conservative work, conventional in its form, lacking invention, whose only, sometimes doubtful, value depends on workshop correctness. These features of academic drawing are rooted in the 19th century drawings that were made at the artistic academies of the time. Their character was determined by a “decorum” category, which was actively promoted by the academies and required that the artists would present noble contents in appropriate form, following the examples of ancient and Italian Renaissance art. Its rules could be learnt only by way of arduous training of eye and hand, of painstakingly copying the works of old masters – a method which is thought to stifle spontaneity and creative originality.
Thus Academic Drawing was searching for perfection, both in the sphere of formal and compositional solutions and in the quality of expression and contents. It was therefore academic drawing, but academic in the positive meaning of the word, as it meant activities focused on looking for the truth and the ideal. It was the art of explicitly intellectual character, aimed at a well-educated and aesthetically sensitive viewer.
• Is there room for this sort of Academic Drawing in contemporary art?
• Does freedom from the compulsion to illustrate have to, paradoxically, mean domination of purely visual activities in art, characterised by aggressive vividness?
• Is it not possible to try to revive the link between workshop skilfulness and the intellectual element in the new definition of Academic Drawing?
• Is there no room for academic experiments of form now, in the times focused on functionality?
• Can we still do Academic Drawing?
• And what is it supposed to be?
We intend to find answers to these questions in the third edition of the International Competition of Drawing Wroclaw 2006.
For more information, visit the Competion website by clicking here.
Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw
Museum of Architecture in Wroclaw
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