Free Observational Drawing Classes

Need to scratch up on your observational skills?
Lost for inspiration and need to fill-out your folio?

Honors student Ellen Benson is conducting observational drawing sessions at Travellers Aid (for free) you only pay for the materials you bring - here is the ad below:

OBSERVATIONAL DRAWING CLASSES
At Travellers Café

Level 2, 169 Swanston Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia

(TUES AFTERNOONS 1:OO – 4:OO PM)

Bring along a sketch book, notify the front desk that you are here for the class and enjoy a coffee and learn to draw from what you see!

Each week our Artist-in-Community Residence ‘Ellen Benson’ will set up an installation of Organic and Synthetic objects for you to draw inspiration from.

Each week our artist, Ellen, will introduce you to a different range of materials – you are free to use any medium you like though. There is no tutoring cost involved, you have to provide your own materials – artist will have some on hand for you to try and you may have the opportunity to purchase materials from the artist. If you wish to leave a donation to Travellers Aid in exchange for our artist’s services, please contact our front desk.

Each Tues Afternoon Ellen will show you observational drawing examples from a range of artists from different movements/time periods and in different mediums.

Ellen’s teaching approach is to introduce you to exercises that encourage you to look and put - Ellen will not govern your creative choices or touch your page (unless asked)!

2007 Graduate Show

If you would like me to post any notices about the upcoming graduate show - please contact me, Ellen Benson, as requested - email: s3078638@student.rmit.edu.au

Call For Artists

Students may find this link of interest to promote their professional practice:

http://trav-erse.blogspot.com/2007/05/call-for-artisans-travellers-aid-wants.html

Current Show: Andrew Atchison's Art for Midsumma

(Image from Andrew Atchison's Space Cowboy's from 2006 - image courtesy of Seventh Gallery)

Former RMIT Drawing talent Andrew Atchison's Exhibition Plug:

Urban lifestyles, violence and romance are central to both Andrew Atchison and Daniel Dorall's practises. The interaction of these works carry a sense of humour and sensitivity in the way they convey their subtexts.

-------------midsumma festival blurb for current show at State Library


Tue 23 Jan - Sun 11 Feb
City Library 253 Flinders Lane, Melb
hours: 8-8 Mon - Thurs, 8-6 Fri, 10-1 Sat

Ellen Benson: Ink Life-Drawing Samples


Godwin, I mentioned I would send you images of the ink work you requested for open learning program guide - having probs with attaching files to email because the files are large so am posting on the blog instead. These are all ink on rag, from 2005 as haven't had time to photograph recent drawings. Apologies for the delay.

Titles: (top to bottom) 'Rachael loves L7', 'Adam's Room', 'Bridge St Phoebe', 'Lisa lays by Phoebe'

cheers,

Ellen Benson

Verismilitude Exhibition Photos






----------------------------------------------------------------James McDonald




---------------------------------------------------------------Antonia Sellbach



----------------------------------------------------------------------Grace Wong





------------------------------------------------------------------Josh Teperman





--------------------------------------------------------------------Sophie Sherriff





-------------------------------------------------------------------------Sally Zurbo




--------------------------------------------------------------------------Yen Phan




---------------------------------------------------------------------Ellen Benson






---------------------------------------------------------------------Phoebe Ross



(Neon Video - Eddy Carroll, Phoebe Ross)



-----------------------------------------------------------------------Eddy Carroll





----------------------------------------------------------------------Sophie Dimov





-----------------------------------------------------------------Sylvia Karall





-------------------------------------------------------------Elizabeth Kennedy






-------------------------------------------------------------------Paul Compton





---------------------------------------------------------------------Brendan Rowe





--------------------------------------------------------------------------Liz Walker




---------------------------------------------------------------------Madeline Farrugia




-------------------------------------------------------------------Bowen Sun

Special thanks to Tracey McIrvine and the staff of Jackman Gallery for all of their assistance and for accepting our proposed show idea for her wonderful gallery space.

here is a link to the Jackman Gallery homepage:
http://www.jackmangallery.com.au/home.html

Thank you also to Sophie Sherrif for the amazing catalogue - we couldn't have done this without you. Thanks also to Elizabeth Kennedy who we neglected to thank on the night for her treasury/diplomat/admin role.

RMIT Drawing: Latest News...

Congratulations to Sally Zurbo (hons) and Lisa Frankland (former drawing student) for winning siemens travel scholarships worth $2000.

Lucy (2nd yr drawing) has an installation piece in a group show at Brunswick Arts. The opening is this Friday 8 December, from 6-9pm, Little Brease St off Hope St in Brunswick.

Thank you to Staff and Students for all your efforts in bringing 'Verisimilitude' the RMIT Drawing Graduate/Honours show to fruition. Special thanks must go to Dr. Irene Barberis, Godwin Bradbeer, Jim Taylor, Steve Hope, Luciano Giardina and seasonal staff for your generosity, sound understanding of the artists and work, experience, humour, integrity and sincerity - we are eternally grateful for your support and encouragement.

Photos of the 'Verisimilitude' show will be posted soon. There are catalogues leftover, if you would like to purchase a copy please contact the RMIT Drawing Department - the catalogues are $10 ea.

Seimen Recognised

Would like to congratulate Phoebe Ross (3rd yr), Sally Zurbo (Hons) and LisaFrankland(3rd yr painting - former drawing student) for being accepted for the Siemens Prize!

SIEMENS RMIT Fine Art Scholarships/Arts Partnership 2006 prize

Exhibition dates: Monday 27 November to Saturday 9 December
Opening hours:
Monday - Friday 11.00 AM - 5.00 PM
Saturday 2.00 - 5.00 PM
Closed public holidays and Sundays
Venue: RMIT Gallery, 344 Swanston Street, Melbourne 3000

Official announcement of winners Thursday November 30

RMIT Graduate Show Opening Dates

here is a link to an RMIT Calender of Grad Show Dates/Locations:
http://mams.rmit.edu.au/349xuwclwebwz.pdf

Printmaking has their Grad show tomorrow night at First Site Gallery (see calender link for more info).

Graduates from 3rd year Drawing please contact me a.s.a.p for more information about the floorplan for our show. Will contact Irene soon to discuss - note am doing my best to meet everyones specifications - but the overall aesthetic of the show is most important so some spaces may need to be shifted.

"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone!"
~G.B. Stern









Images from Paul Compton's 'Dead Dog Project'


Many thanks to Paul Compton of third year drawing who sacrificed celebratory drinks last Friday eve to assist first and second year students with the setting up of their work. Paul didn't leave uni till about 10:30pm and by then was too plum tuckered to celebrate the end of the university semester. I know many students were grateful for his support and would like him to be acknowledged for his generosity and wisdom.

Thankyou again Paul!

Listen to or read Paul Compton's Triple J interview:

http://www.theprogram.net.au/featuresSub.asp?id=3563&state=3

Thanks must also go out to the RMIT Drawing staff especially Steve Hope for his technical assistance and to Jess Allen for coming out for celebratory drinks with us at the Stork and the Lincoln! Hope your foot is feeling better Jess!

Upcoming Show : Andre Liew

Former RMIT Drawing Talent Andre Liew opens his exhibit, 6-8pm, Thursday, 27 October at West Space, Located 1st Floor 15-19 Anthony Street, Melbourne.



Artist Statement

A story of giving form to cultural workings by adopting models from the neurosciences and phenomenology writings of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, on how the individual constructs image or perception of body. A dialogue between drawings and installation.

Andre Liew is a Melbourne based artist, he completed his Fine-Arts Ba at RMIT in 2005. Andre has showed at Esa Jaske Gallery (Sydney), Span and Area Contemporary Art Space and at First Site Gallery.

Upcoming Show former RMIT Drawing talent Lewis Gallagher opens his exhibit titled 'Schematics For Living' at 6pm, Tuesday the 17th of October at Bus Gallery, located at 117 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.


Artist Statement
This exhibition comprises of a series of diagrams relating to a compendium of obsessions, mannerisms and habits. They are based on the desire to understand the causal workings of the world not through logic or empirical investigation, but instead through imagination and intuition. They all contain the same basic system (a categorical break-down of possible ways to move/act/see in the world) but act as guidelines for different states of play, schematics for living, with differing emphasis and interpretations.


'Schematics For Living' running dates: 17/10/06 - 04/11/06
Opening Hours: Wed - Fri 12-6pm, Sat 12-5pm

Why an RMIT Drawing Blog? Often, happening, innovative work at RMIT Drawing occurs in-house in our frenzied, raw studio spaces; in class discussion and also outside of RMIT in collaborative works - all of this tends to be overlooked - our establishment-based idea of art school leads us students to think our ideas can only happen in a refined gallery context. RMIT Drawing Blog can house both developing and resolved bodies of work!

Blog Content This is a call to all RMIT Drawing Staff and Students to start a theoretical and visual online discourse. Suggestions include: posting a refined copy of your proposal with developing images; essays; exhibit/performance reviews; press releases of upcoming shows; links to innovative sites and exhibition spaces; collaborative project requests; dialogue about student and staff concepts etc.

Students and staff wishing to post on this weblog can contact the Blog Administrator/Editor: Ellen Benson (3rd year Drawing) via email: s3078638@student.rmit.edu.au with a copy of your suggested post. If post is of a sensitive nature, I will run the suggested post by either Irene Barberis or Godwin Bradbeer for approval. Please attach articles/proposals in word or works document format and all images are to be sent as individual JPEG attachments. Please note photographers permission is a must, I will also need to credit the name of the photographer. Images taken by yourself are also suitable - please note I may send you edited versions of the photograph for your aesthetic approval to be posted on the site. This RMIT Drawing Blog cannot exist without your input, this is a fantastic platform for current and past students/staff/prospective students and public engagement.

Enjoy,



Ellen Benson (RMIT Drawing Blog Administrator/Editor)

p.s. many thanks to RMIT Drawing Lecturer Dr. Irene Barberis for suggesting I host and edit the RMIT Drawing blog. Any Questions or Queries please contact me via email only: s3078638@rmit.edu.au I will do my best to contact you at my earliest convienience. Please be patient in waiting for a response, remembering that as a 3rd year student I am preparing for assessment and the RMIT Verisimilitude Graduate Show (Opening 5 Dec, Jackman Galleries) I am rather busy!