'St Mary's Church' painted by a pupil at Grasslot School, Maryport
Title
How a Painting Speaks
Year
2018
Location
Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery, Carlisle
Description
I created this workshop as a tool for people to gain a deeper experience from looking at paintings in a museum.
After making a connection with two artworks within a museum collection, one they are attracted to, the other, not so much, there are then segments of experiential learning, where participants are invited to take part in practical visual arts methods. This is to gain an appreciation of the choices an artist may have made in constructing their artwork and more broadly, to understand what it is like to look deeply into a subject via an arts based activity.
I also cover the invisible material that accompanies an artwork that can be unfolded if the viewer knows which clues to look for, and where to go for further answers. For example, the decisions the artist/gallery/curator/framer made in the context of the social/political/economic/personal challenges of the time (either contemporary to when the painting was made or in the present day). Although these elements are invisible, they can still be appreciated for their possible 'beauty'.
Other segments contained discussions around what art is, and what value it contains from a philosophical, scientific and educational perspective. This is an opportunity for participant to become appraised of what evidence is available concerning art and these wider ideas of value away from monetary.
In the final segment, the participants are asked to return to their two chosen works, to reappraise their perception of them.
After making a connection with two artworks within a museum collection, one they are attracted to, the other, not so much, there are then segments of experiential learning, where participants are invited to take part in practical visual arts methods. This is to gain an appreciation of the choices an artist may have made in constructing their artwork and more broadly, to understand what it is like to look deeply into a subject via an arts based activity.
I also cover the invisible material that accompanies an artwork that can be unfolded if the viewer knows which clues to look for, and where to go for further answers. For example, the decisions the artist/gallery/curator/framer made in the context of the social/political/economic/personal challenges of the time (either contemporary to when the painting was made or in the present day). Although these elements are invisible, they can still be appreciated for their possible 'beauty'.
Other segments contained discussions around what art is, and what value it contains from a philosophical, scientific and educational perspective. This is an opportunity for participant to become appraised of what evidence is available concerning art and these wider ideas of value away from monetary.
In the final segment, the participants are asked to return to their two chosen works, to reappraise their perception of them.