Starting off the autumn programme, Molly Martin took participants (along with Luci and me) to the National Gallery, a place from which Molly draws much of her inspiration. After a quick introduction and insight into how Molly gathers information from famous paintings, we scattered around the gallery to collect information of our own, using a thick pencil recommended by Molly. On the first day of this two-day workshop, we spent the entire time in the museum observing paintings and identifying compositions that resonated with us.
It became clear why Molly described the first day as a time to collect as much information as possible. On the second day, we revisited the drawings we had made in the gallery with a fresh perspective in the warmth of the studio. This day was an opportunity to refine or abstract our drawings, with a focus on shapes and composition. Since we weren’t creating accurate reproductions of the paintings (hence the term “collecting information”) reimagining them in our individual styles ultimately resulted in entirely unique drawings. As we further developed the images, we experimented with paint, collage, and oil pastel.
Molly is an incredible painter, drawer, and printmaker, and experiencing her creative process firsthand was an amazing opportunity. It was comforting to realise that the museum is always there as a source of inspiration, and I can return to collect information whenever I feel stuck in my creative process.
Molly Martin’s @molly.a.martin previous workshops – starting at the National Gallery and ending up at the studio – probably packed more into one workshop than any other. So, for this final version of the workshop we are running it over 2 days and seeing what happens when we give it the time it deserves – all-day on Thurs 26 and Fri 27 September.
The first day will be spent drawing at the National Gallery ‘transcribing’ details from paintings. We will spend the day in the gallery in a loose group and will meet up at various points to exchange notes. The idea is to gather a varied cluster of drawings because these provide the source material for the next day.
The aim for the second day is to create new compositions, built up from drawn and monoprinted fragments through arrangement and collage. This process allows us to develop new ideas out of sketchbooks drawings – it is a way of taking visual ideas further and making them your own.
Come and join our small group to draw in these different spaces as we transform sketches into compositions. Molly is a generous artist and educator and both days will be guided by her encouragement and feedback.
You can catch Molly’s latest work coming up in the MA show at City & Guilds Art School on from Tues 10 – Sat 14 September.
2x day Workshop: National Gallery to Studio
With Molly Martin
Thurs, 26 Sept, in National Gallery
Fri, 27 Sept, in the EtP studio
10-4pm each day
£95
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