Escape Artists
Today… artists from all over the country gathered here in Cairns, Tropical North Queensland, Australia for the annual Winter in the Tropics “ArtEscape” event.
Organised “by artists for artists” the ArtEscape is a weeklong workshop conducted by invited guest tutors from all over the country. In the past I have helped with the organising… but this year I decided to join in and try my hand at flexing the creative muscle in Peter Griffen’s “A Line Takes a Walk” abstract workshop.
The Tanks Art Precinct - converted WW2 oil storage tanks
Day one was great fun. We did indeed take a line for a walk! (and then a run)
By day’s end… it was fully out of control!
That damned line was lost and then found… over and over again… as Peter led us through a myriad of ways to express ideas in the abstract form.
“Decorate… echo… and destoy” was his constant mantra… and we didn’t let him down!
Inside Tank 5
By days end… the ground was littered with mutilated examples of his process… albeit bent and twisted into shape by each artist… in their own particular way. We tried.
My early efforts - rather Zen I thought… (chuckles)
Tomorrow… we shall see if anything is retrievable from our day’s endeavours. If not… it matters not… because we have all week to get it right… if in fact there is any such thing as right! (laughs)
Artists taking a break from taking a line for a walk!
Until tomorrow!
July 15th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
this is interesting..could you say some more about this proces?
July 15th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Yes! Hello Jan… so lovely to see you here!
I will be updating each day’s progress as we go. I am exhausted after Day 2… but following is a report of today’s process.
July 16th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Hi Jean! What a wonderful “escape” indeed! It certainly looks like a lesson in fun and freedom as well…I’m keen to see more of what you do!
July 16th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Hey Jools! Great to see you’re back! Can’t wait to see your Top End pics!
Yes… it is indeed a great escape. And being more about the process than the finished product… it’s proving to be a great exercise in simply “doing” with very little vested in a predictable outcome. That’s quite liberating in a sense… and probaly explains why I don’t have all that much to show for myself so far!
It may be that I leave on Friday with nothing to show for myself at all… and I don’t really mind if I do. This week (and this workshop) seems to be about the journey itself. If perchance the journey delivers us to a serendipitously beautiful place… so be it. If not… c’est la vie. There’s always tomorrow. It’s a delightful concept. (laughs)
July 16th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Hmmm… I see what you mean (smiles!). From where I am sitting, the thing it is teaching with this particular type of art, is to learn to just “let go!” Something that perhaps we should all learn in one way or another. Letting go with this is forgetting all the rules and just letting whatever pour out!
July 16th, 2008 at 10:17 am
PS…got more pics up this morning - the “Top End” is one of my favourite places thats for sure!!
July 21st, 2008 at 7:20 am
Hi Jean!!! Just wondering how and where your “line” has ended up????
July 24th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Your guess is as good as mine Jools! (((LOL)))