Rachel Porter – bursary winner 2016
The week was amazing in so many ways. Being based in beautiful Perthshire and drawing alongside such knowledgeable tutors, carried along by the enthusiasm of fellow students and course mates, as well as the locations we drew at (Bass Rock), made the course an incredibly inspiring experience and one I feel very grateful to have had the opportunity to go on.
I really valued the time we had to observe the different species of sea birds, learning to capture their constant movement, watching them in flight and their behaviour. The trip to Bass rock was especially remarkable, one I’ll never forget. Though a challenging environment to draw in, being
under a wheeling sky of thousands of Gannets was truly spectacular.
Working from life, being in the movement of the day, whatever the weather, gives rare insight. These encounters are a pleasure to try and capture through drawing.
The informal ‘crits’ when everyone shared their day’s drawing, meant each persons work was appreciated and learnt from. I always find it interesting to see the different ways artists depict similar things, and their varied interpretation of the same subjects.
No day stands out being a particular highlight…the whole week was awesome!! The most valuable aspect for me was the tutors. Being under the tutelage of such talented and experienced artists, not only receiving advice and ideas, but being able to work alongside them was an amazing privilege. Their enthusiasm and passion for their subjects and the natural world was inspiring to see…it enabled me to see new potential in the direction of my work, and strengthened in me the desire and importance of drawing from life.
For me as an artist, the course was influential as it gave me confidence to try new skills, particularly watercolour. Since then I have continued to experiment with this medium, introducing more colour into my work. This new way of working has brought enjoyment back into working in the field.
Overall, the course was a wonderful experience, something I would love to do again and encourage others to do as well. It has breathed life back into my drawing.
Thanks to everyone who was involved!