THE ARCHITECTURE OF MEMORY, PAINTING & CONSTRUCTION
The act of building a painting is in itself transformational - inscription & mark making activate the surface, scraping into the work excavates the history of the painting. Using the concept of palimpsest, we will employ scripts and symbols, to create abstract paintings of place or recollection.
Integrating formal elements of painting we will use limestone clay on board with a variety of paints as stain and cold wax to seal the final layer. We may add box inserts in one or more of the student’s panels for natural bundled objects (ie: seedpods and/or samples from a particular location), challenging students to integrate three-dimensional objects with surface design.
Prerequisite: Basic design sense and a willingness to “let go” and experiment. This work is physical and messy.
COMMENTS FROM PAT’S STUDENTS...
Class: The Architecture of Memory
“Thank you for giving us permission to explore, to go into uncharted territory and become archeologists of our own stories. I will carry this experience with me always.”
“I’d love to take this class again and I think we need more sessions.”
A request for: “a summer long workshop with Pat. Thanks Pat – you rock!”
“We love Pat and appreciate her style of making everyone feel successful.”
“Pat’s the best teacher of art I’ve ever had. She is warm, deep and knowledgeable.”
“Pat developed a beautiful spirit of sharing among the class members.”
“Learning new ways to manipulate ones current style is always exciting, but this experience was outstanding.”
“Although I taught painting at the college level for over 30 years, Patricia’s techniques and artistic vision complemented my own.”
Statement of philosophy from the Sitka Center:
In an exultation of spirit, as an expression of the joy we feel toward life, we search for meaning by creating.
We are the thrill of discovery, the quickening pulse that comes from learning how to be more fully alive.
Together we can fall in love with the world of possibilities, imagination and inspiration; and, by allowing our best to ripple forth, we make the world a brighter place.
OCAC (Oregon College of Art & Craft) Rationale for painting workshop:
The following are some specific rationales unique to this workshop:
• Unique approach to creating surface that promotes the interdependence of 2D and 3D elements.
• Combines multiple aspects of actual and simulated surface/texture related to sculpture and painting.
• Creates a narrative to practice a personal voice.
• Pushes students into non-traditional thinking and development of ideas.
• Promotes unique compositional and design concepts through discovery and resolution.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
• use our stories to transform personal experience into a cohesive composition and successful painting
• integrate psychological self with an abstract vocabulary
• successfully merge the formal elements of painting with submerged content through language and symbol
• create change with intention of renewal
Students in this workshop will:
• become familiar with basic abstraction
• experiment with a range of traditional and contemporary drawing/painting approaches, including work habits and processes that result in both exploratory and resolved drawings/paintings (and objects)
• (learn) what subjects, ideas and issues engage them fully, and how to use that interest to generate visual work