The weekend of 27-28 May sees Paint Out provide an excellent opportunity for aspiring and seasoned artists to acquire and refresh core skills in Tonal Oil Painting, Perspective and View, and Social Media Promotion tips at Saturday workshops. These are followed up with a Sunday public paint out to practice what is learned and enjoy the sights of Norwich from the height of a static open-top double-decker bus or nearby on foot.
All Norwich workshops begin at Anteros Arts, 11 – 15 Fye Bridge Street, Norwich NR3 1LJ and may include indoor and outdoor work.
Tonal Painting With Oils – Nial Adams
Nial Adams in the studio
Nial Adams is a landscape artist painting oils in the classical style of tonal realism. His work features well-known locations, as well as abstracted artworks. He works from his studio in Hevingham under the title of Big Norfolk Skies.
In this session, Nial will share some of his knowledge on the aspects of creating tonal value in your artwork. You’ll be working in oils on canvas, with a restricted palette. This fundamental aspect of art will help you to create greater depth and contrast, whether you’re painting or drawing, from landscapes to portraits. Suitable for aspiring and seasoned artists.
Perspective drawing for the award winning view. Norfolk artist Eloise O’Hare, famous for her lively paintings of landscapes will lead this fun and hands-on workshop. After a brief discussion and looking at some example work, you will be taken outdoors to draw by the river. Eloise will help you to find the perfect view for your drawing, plan the composition and will teach you some simple tricks to get your perspective just right.
Social Media guru with 15,000 followers, and 100,000 views a month, Web promotion specialist (“how to get to no#1 on google”) Katy Went will help you learn how to maximise your social media reach for your artworks with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc – and how to find the best platform for your style and expertise. How and when to write your posts, how and where to share them for 7,000+ reach and 20% interaction.
A fantastic turnout of well over 90 people, by some counts 100+, amassed on Mousehold Heath yesterday. Not a reenactment of the 1549 Kett’s Rebellion but a mass art event with dozens of artists painting side by side the skyline views of Norwich before a beautiful sunset descended.
Artists painting on Mousehold Heath at Paint Out Norwich 2015DSC_0076 Artist Andrew Horrod painting on Mousehold Heath at Paint Out Norwich 2015
The light changed frequently adding to the en plein air challenge of painting a changing scene with the distraction of public gaze, press filming, bemused dog-walkers, and kids either rolling on the green hillside or picking up crayons to draw their own young masterpieces. The attraction of the varied views and inspiration of so many fellow artists of all ages and abilities made the event a resounding success, and one we will no doubt repeat.
One of the judges for Paint Out‘s core and nocturne event prize awards, David Curtis, also took up his easel and palette to paint. Renowned local ‘pop artist’ Colin Self was also about the Heath planning to do a brass rubbing.
The Big Draw
Artist Jack Godfrey draws the skyline from Mousehold Heath at Paint Out Norwich 2015
The event proved to be a big draw, bringing people not just from Norfolk but several driving 3-4 hours from Kent and Yorkshire just to take part in the public spectacle. October is also the month of the world’s biggest drawing competition – The Big Draw, with events taking place all month, so it was appropriate for art in all its forms from pens to paint, brass-rubbing to mixed media collage, to be taking place on the Heath.
Art for All Ages and Abilities
Artist Susannah Sendall creating art on Mousehold Heath at Paint Out Norwich 2015
Unlike our juried entry main Plein Air competition this event was open to all-comers by prior registration and nearly 60 signed up to join around 40 Paint Out artists. Many just showed up on the day and braved the initially ominous but turning-out-to-be beautiful weather. All ages from 5 to 85 were represented including whole families treating art on the Heath as a creative day out. Picnic blankets filled with pens and paints, rather food and fizz, filled the undulating slopes as people sought the best positions to paint the landscape.
Three generations of one family took part – from grandmother to mother and daughters. The artistic East Anglian Sendall family also included a mother and daughter pairing, Jennifer and Susannah Sendall, taking part in the main competition as well.
Media Frenzy
Both uses of the word media were in evidence as most forms of media were represented. Artists using oils, paints, pastels, pens, papier mache, glue, grass, and even a beer can, meant mixed media was much in evidence in the creation of art works. Meanwhile, radio, TV, photographers and videographers grabbed footage of the rolling hills and heath filled with artists and families on a fun day out for all.
Artist Susannah Sendall’s “Heath Noir” at Paint Out Norwich and Cass Art’s Mousehold Heath plein air art event
Cass Art were our sponsors for the event, their mission being to “fill this town with artists”, the hills were indeed filled with artists of all ages and who gratefully received Cass Art discount vouchers and later next week will also be awarded Cass Art prizes to spend online or at Cass Art stores.
Several artists had clearly shopped there before as some Cass Art bags were in evidence on the heath alongside the Paint Out bags.
Public Mousehold Heath artworks on diplay at OPEN for Cass Art/Paint Out Norwich 2015
Café Britannia
The Paint Out artists were well fed courtesy of Café Britannia and quite a number of artists turned their backs on Norwich, which at times became contre-jour and instead chose to paint the Victorian Prison or Barracks turned café. The former home of the Royal Norfolk Regiment barracks is an imposing red brick building almost matching the Autumnal colours of the trees in seasonal change.
Paint Out and Cass Art mass painting event at Mousehold Heath outside Cafe Britannia
“Café Britannia is a shabby chic café offering freshly cooked British cuisine. Open 7 days a week, the café is staffed by category D low risk prisoners, that have volunteered to learn new skills, improve their lives and make a fresh start. All tips and profits generated from the café go to rehabilitating prisoners and charitable causes.”
Public Art Exhibition at OPEN
The Paint Out competition artworks will be displayed alongside the core and nocturne painting events of the last few days at the Cathedral Hostry gallery exhibition show of nearly 200 artworks from Saturday 24-30th October. The Mousehold public artworks will be displayed from Tuesday 27th till Saturday 31st October at the OPEN venue (20 Bank Plain, top of London Street, Norwich NR2 4SF).
Autumnal sunset over Norwich Cathedrals from Mousehold Heath as Paint Out artists departed
On Monday October 19th 2015, two open air art/painting workshops will be held in Norwich, Norfolk. Offered, as part of Paint Out Norwich 2015, by artists who are both competing this year and one of whom is a veteran of Paint Out Norwich 2014 and Paint Out Wells 2015 as well asplenty of other awards, competitions and exhibitions. Local and visiting amateur, aspiring and experienced artists, as well as members of the competition, are all welcome to take part. The two workshops will take place 10am-4pm and include lunch in the £50 package price. You will need to bring your own art materials. The workshops on offer are:
Bold and Expressive: Mixed Media From Lifewith Denis Clarke
An Introduction to Oil Painting En Plein Air with Michael Richardson
Both Michael Richardson and Denis Clarke are well known professional en plein air painters, who will guide beginner and intermediate artists through the steps needed to create a successful open air painting.
Bold and Expressive: Mixed Media From Life
An introduction to some diversions from habitual ways we look and draw from a subject. Methods might be challenging to get your thinking more attuned to a practice of learning to see form and space using drawing media as well as paint. Expressive use of mark and gesture will be encouraged. (More details to follow)
Denis Clarke is a well established artist who exhibits and teaches in Australia and the UK. He studied at the National Art School Sydney, St Martins School of Art, London and Byam Shaw School of Art, London. He also taught in Switzerland and was awarded a studio scholarship at at the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris. He has been both the recipient of major awards as well as judged several prestigious art prizes.
Denis is renowned for devising and delivering innovative master class courses linking observational drawing to creative and experimental methods with drawing and mixed media. This is a rare opportunity to learn from an international artist and art teacher.
An Introduction to Oil Painting En Plein Air Workshop
This introductory oil painting workshop will be delivered by Michael Richardson, a member of the Plein Air Painting Society, The Wapping Group of Artists, and who shows in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. He paints outside almost every day in the Impressionist style for collectors worldwide. This workshop was very well attended when delivered at Paint Out Wells so book early to avoid disappointment.
Workshop Booking details
TITLE
Date
Time
Size
Cost
Info
Bold and Expressive: Mixed Media From Life with Denis Clarke
October 19, 2015
10:00am – 4:00pm
15 spaces available
£50/person inc lunch
Bring your own materials. Meet at the Maddermarket Theatre
Introduction to En Plein Air Oil Painting with Michael Richardson
October 19, 2015
10:00am – 4:00pm
15 spaces available
£50/person inc lunch
Bring your own materials. Meet at the Maddermarket Theatre
Paint Out Norwich Mass Art Event on Mousehold Heath
Karen Adams and Will Topley at Paint Out Wells Public Sunrise Art Event
Following up on the successful mass Sunrise ‘paint out’ at Norfolk’s Wells-next-the-Sea as part of Paint Out Wells 2015,Paint Out are holding a similar event for artists of all ages and abilities at Paint Out Norwich, October 22, 1:30-4:30pm. Register to take part for free.
Over 40 Paint Out Norwich competition artists will join members of the public – amateur and keen artists alike, in a mass painting session on historic Mousehold Heath with its expansive skyline views overlooking the city of Norwich taking in the towering spire of Norwich Cathedral.
Cass Art Prize Sponsorship
Once again, as Cass Art did at the Wells sunrise event, Cass Art have announced that theywill supply substantial art voucher prizes to reward a range of public artists, young and adult alike, with art supplies to keep their talent growing. Cass Artare also sponsoring an art bursary prize for the best young artist 30 or under at the Paint Out Norwich competition.
Mass ‘Paint Out’ Sparks Media Interest
Painters of all ages invited to take part in open-air art event in Norwich, EDP, 13 October 2015
Already the mass ‘paint out’ is attracting press attention having been discussed on BBC Radio Norfolk and made the front and inside pages of the Norwich Evening News & Eastern Daily Pressthis week.
Over 55 public artists have already registered and people can still register until the day itself. One entire family from age 5 upwards have registered to truly make this an all-age event with others as old as 85 taking part. Another family is represented by three generations of grandmother, mother and daughters, of whom, two are also entering the core competition!
The Heath will therefore could be filled with over 90 combined artistspainting the landscape in pastels, oils, watercolour, acrylic, pen and ink, mixed media, drawing or anything else that can be applied to canvas/board/paper. October is also the month of the world’s biggest drawing festival the Big Draw art event whose theme this year is “every drawing tells a story”. Last year’s Norwich competition even saw plein air screen-printing! You can bring canvas, board, paper, sketchpad, or anything else on which to make art, that can be hung on a wall at the OPEN venue in Norwich, Tuesday 27 – Saturday 31 October.
Mousehold Heath has featured in significant Norwich history in several centuries stretching back nearly 900 years. From William of Norwich in 1144 to thePeasant’s Revolt of 1381 and in 1549 it served as a launchpad for the Kett’s Rebellion. If this Paint Out event continues to gather pace it will be a significant mass gathering and historic open air art event itself.
Norwich School of Artists
Mousehold Heath from Silver Road, painted by John Sell Cotman, 1810
Both Mousehold Heath itself and the view of Norwich from it have featured in 19th century paintings by several members of the Norwich School of Artists including John Crome and John Sell Cotman. Paint Out‘s mission is to reinvigorate and redefine en plein air art for the 21st century and its growing Plein Air competitions and public art event inclusivity mean that it is well on its way to bringing art to the masses, just as the Norwich School of Artists in 1803 was Britain’s first provincial art movement founded by and for working-class artists. They even held their first art meeting in the The Hole in the Wall tavern.
John Crome began life as the son of a weaver and went from being an apprentice sign-painter to being collected and exhibited in The Tate Gallery, Royal Academy and by the philanthropist and politician Jeremiah James Colman, a scion of the famous Colman’s Mustard family. The works he amassed were eventually donated to the Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery.
Congratulations to Chris Riddell, the UK’s new Children’s Laureate! Chris is the author of the prizewinning Goth Girl series, and a collaborator with Quentin Blake, Michael Rosen, Neil Gaiman and Russell Brand on works such as Barnaby Grimes, Gulliver, Muddle Earth, Ottoline and the Yellow Cat, Pirate Diary, The Edge Chronicles, and The Sleeper and the Spindle.
Chris Riddell 2015 Children’s Laureate
He is devoting the 2-year post to promoting creativity and visual literacy, the joy of artistic drawing and doodling. He spoke to the Guardian, saying:
“I want to show how much fun you can have drawing … I want to bring drawing back to the basics, make it about the pleasure that it can afford and remove the notion that it’s some kind of precious or difficult activity. It’s another way of telling a story.”
He plans to post a daily drawing and encourage others to do the same. His YouTube channel offers insights into how his illustrations come together.
“Do you have hands? Excellent. That’s a good start. Can you hold a pencil? Great. If you have a sketchbook, open it and start by making a line, a mark, wherever. Doodle. Take a line for a walk, as Paul Klee said. Lose your inhibitions about drawing and just do it.”
Inspiration in a Norfolk Studio
Chris Riddell at work in his studio
The Observer‘s political cartoonist, adult and children’s book illustrator and author Chris Riddell writes from studios in Brighton and Norfolk. He has described the pleasure of writing in his converted outbuildingNorfolk studio, where he can take himself off to –
“sit in quiet contemplation in my flower meadow. It is one of my favourite places in the world. White and blue campion, ox-eye daisies, and skylarks flying overhead. It also has the most spectacular sunsets.”
“I am currently in my studio in Norfolk, looking out onto the woods as I sit at my desk. I’ve just spotted a Muntjac deer and its impossibly tiny fawn!”
Norfolk Artist – Jo Riddell
Chris is married to Norfolk raised and educated, artist in-her-own-right, Jo Riddell. As well as studying at Great Yarmouth Art School, Jo has a Brighton University B.A. in Illustration. She also worked in children’s books, publishing some twelve books over the course of a decade. She has since returned to printmaking and painting where she has found:
“a welcome freedom to express herself, inspiration coming from family, found objects, and the landscapes of Sussex and Norfolk.”
Social Media guru with 15,000 followers, and 100,000 views a month, Web promotion specialist (“how to get to no#1 on google”) Katy Went will help you learn how to maximise your social media reach for your artworks with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc – and how to find the best platform for your style and expertise. How and when to write your posts, how and where to share them for 7,000+ reach and 20% interaction.
