Interpreting the Forest Through Drawing and Collage

“…to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself” – William Blake

This weekend workshop presents participants with a hands-on process using drawing and collage to visually organize and interpret the beautiful chaos of the forest, creating pictures reflective of their own sensibilities. Working in the studio and on-site on the grounds of WSA (or viewing through studio windows) participants will use observational drawing as a point of departure for interpretive pictures, much as jazz musicians improvise riffs.

Day 1 will consist of drawing exercises and demonstrations, working with line, texture and collaged shape to find the organizing patterns and colors of the forest. Participants will also create a small collection of painted papers to use for collage. On Day 2 participants will have dedicated studio time to design and complete a large drawing or a series of smaller drawings, using their sketches and thumbnails from day 1 as a point of departure. This will be a more informal day of individualized studio work with 1:1 instructor feedback, culminating in a group critique and discussion.