Jo York

23rd March

£110

Abstracting from the Landscape

All paintings are to some degree abstractions, as the artist edits what they see, and explores their own response…this one day course is about developing a confident and individual approach to abstracting from the landscape.

During the day, we’ll explore key routes into abstraction including; expressive mark making, experimenting with a non literal approach to colour, and reducing detail, while capturing the essence of place.

A particular emphasis will be on freeing up and working instinctively and expressively in paint.

Working mainly in acrylics and with some mixed media, we’ll make a number of studies, swatches and small paintings, building a confident working process. We’ll also look at how to use painting journals to support your practice.

Lunch and refreshments included. Day runs from 10am - 4pm (ish)

About Jo

My work comes from a strong sense of place; from walking in the landscape, becoming familiar with it and absorbing it in all weathers, lights and times of day. Although my work isn’t about trying to make a literal record of the landscapes I see, it is deeply rooted in the experience of being there, with rain pelting down, or on a calm grey day when there is total stillness.

Usually I begin with small free and intuitive paintings, plus notes and colour samples which all act as jumping off points for developing groups of work. Paintings are made slowly, building multiple layers of paint, scraping back, incising detail, and then building glazes to create a complex picture surface. I’m intrigued by layers in the landscape; historic, geographic, and even industrial, like the old mine workings here in the Dales, and I like the fact that these layers are in some way mirrored by layers in paint. I love the sensation of being in open spaces, with wide open views, in wild and unpopulated landscapes, and currently I’m developing a body of work inspired by walking the old drovers’ tracks and open spaces of Nidderdale where I now live.

Teaching, and coaching at all levels has always been an intrinsic part of my creative life, and is very important to me.

Website: https://www.joyorkart.co.uk

Instagram: @joyorkart

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoYorkArt