To hear what trees want to teach us we need to spend time with them and while we do that, we can draw them. Drawing requires that we focus and pay attention, it calms down our busy minds. We become aware of our own bodies and senses, and the perceptions broaden. We become more awake.

The course will be run in three sessions:

session 1: Saturday 14 August, 1:30 - 4 pm
session 2: Saturday 21 August, 1:30 - 4 pm
session 3: Saturday 28 August, 1:30 - 4 pm

How do we make ourselves available to see what is here and now, how do we meet the world, feel the
vibrant matter alive around us, how do we begin to draw or allow ourselves to be drawn to draw...

Three days and three nights in a beautifully renovated timber barn on a Hunter Valley farm located on the side of a small river valley next to the Yengo National Park 2 hrs away from Sydney. The weekend will include drawing, mindfulness and bushwalking, visit to artist's studios and Aboriginal sites.

During this weekend we will use simple movement practice to awaken the senses and tune the body to develop what philosopher Merleau-Ponty calls incarnated perception. We will explore how this changes the way we see and becomes visible in our drawings. There will be time for guided group drawing practice and time to draw/paint alone, time for deep rest and poetry, and time to feel touched and rejuvenated by the Yengo spirit.

Both beginners and experienced drawers are welcome.

4-day Residential Drawing and Movement Studio at Riversdale Arthur and Yvonne Boyd Education Centre.

To celebrate and honour Juhani Pallasmaa, the author of “The eyes of the skin” and his current 2016 Droga Residency, this 8th annual Riversdale Time for Drawing studio will focus on the sense of touch in reference to his Australian lecture series: Touching the world through Architecture.

Let’s explore together over 4 days of drawing, moving and living at ‘Riversdale’, the world renown architectural masterpiece of Glenn Murcutt and its magnificent river valley setting.

Mornings will begin with somatic focus on mindfulness and movement to tune our perceptions and deepen our connection to ourselves and the world around us. Daily guided drawing practice will introduce different drawing techniques and themes to support participant’s learning at multiple levels of experience; physical, intellectual, imaginative and intuitive. Using pen and ink we will explore how this process changes the way we see and becomes visible in our drawings.

Both beginners and experienced drawers are welcome.

Spend three days drawing moving and resting with Rena at Riversdale supported by inspiring architecture of Glenn Murcutt. We will be practicing the art of seeing through drawing. Early morning movement sessions will help us to release tension and tune our perception awakening our ability to feel and play. Using pen and ink we will explore how this changes the way we see and becomes visible in our drawings.

This drawing weekend is an opportunity to live and draw at Riversdale while immersed in Glenn Murcutt’s architecture. Living on site and early morning movement sessions will relax our bodies, engage our senses and develop what philosopher Merleau-Ponty calls incarnated perception. Using charcoal, ink and pen we will explore how it changes the way we see and becomes visible in our drawings.

This practice is useful for beginners as well as experienced artists.

We often draw with a fixed idea of what we want, we try to be accurate but we miss what is really there—the rhythms, the tones, the harmonies, the very life of a thing. In this workshop we will explore how to see past what the mind thinks it knows.

Drawing with charcoal, ink and water in a safe and relaxed atmosphere will allow us to rediscover the natural wisdom of the body, drop the thinking mind with its preconceived ideas, and reclaim and deepen our drawing skills. Daily awareness through moment exercises will help us to loosen up, and awaken our senses. We will draw inspiration from human figure and autumn Wollombi landscape.

Both beginners and experienced drawers are welcome.

Freehand drawing is an athletic activity. It involves the body and mind. It releases tension and tunes our perception. It develops our ability to see, feel and listen.

During this weekend we will use simple somatic practices to awaken the senses and tune the body to develop what philosopher Merleau-Ponty calls incarnated perception. We will explore how this changes the way we see and becomes visible in our drawings. Using charcoal, ink and oil pastels on paper we will explore our inner and outer landscape of the beautiful Soul Centre gardens.

Both beginners and experienced drawers are welcome.

Freehand drawing involves the body. It releases tension and tunes our perception. It develops our ability to see, feel and listen.

During this weekend we will use simple somatic practices to awaken the senses and tune the body to develop what philosopher Mereau-Ponty calls incarnated perception. We will explore how this changes the way we see and becomes visible in our drawings. Using charcoal, ink and oil pastels on paper we will explore our inner and outer landscape of the beautiful Hunter Valley.

Both beginners and experienced drawers are welcome.

Residential drawing workshop with Rena Czaplinska at Arthur Boyd Education Centre Riversdale Bundanon.

This drawing weekend is an opportunity to live and draw in the dramatic landscape of Riversdale while supported by Glenn Murcutt’s architecture. We will draw inspiration from what is around us. The gentle placement of the building and the way it embodies the principles of sustainable design will become our ‘life model’. Living on site and early morning movement sessions will relax our bodies, engage our senses and deepen the kinetic experience of the site.

We will be practicing the art of Seeing through Drawing.

Drawing in Hunter Valley away from noises and ties of everyday life allows time and space for reconnecting and remembering our creative selves. Drawing with charcoal, ink and water in a safe and relaxed atmosphere will allow us to rediscover the natural wisdom of the body, drop the thinking mind with its preconceived ideas, and reclaim and deepen our drawing skills.

There will be simple movement sessions to loosen up and awaken our senses. We will focus on what is around us and draw inspiration from the human figure and from the Wollombi landscape. We can all draw if we can only learn to open our eyes, relax and actually see, hear and feel what is around us.

This workshop is for architects, architecture students and anybody else who feels moved to draw.

This drawing weekend is an opportunity to live and draw in the dramatic landscape of Riversdale while supported by Glenn Murcutt’s architecture. We will draw inspiration on what is around us. The gentle placement of the building and the way it embodies the principles of sustainable design will become our ‘life model’. Living on site and early morning movement sessions will relax our bodies, engage our senses and deepen the kinetic experience of the site.

We will be practicing the art of Seeing through Drawing. This practice is useful for beginners as well as experienced artists. Drawing and sketching allow us to spend time, to get in touch with what we are looking at. Through drawing, we can start to see and understand what we are seeing. The building reveals itself in the process.

Two-day residential drawing workshop with Rena Czaplinska in Wollombi Hunter Valley.

We often draw with a fixed idea of what we want, we try to be accurate but we miss what is really there—the rhythms, the tones, the harmonies, the very life of a thing. In this workshop, for architects, students and artists at any level of experience, we will explore how to see past what the mind thinks it knows.

Drawing with charcoal, ink and water in a safe and relaxed atmosphere will allow us to rediscover the natural wisdom of the body, drop the thinking mind with its preconceived ideas, and reclaim and deepen our drawing skills. Daily awareness through movement exercises will help us to loosen up, and awaken our senses. We will focus on what is around us and draw inspiration from the human figure and from Wollombi landscape.

These drawing classes will take the participants on a journey of discovery which will focus on awakening the creative spirit, opening your eyes and refreshing and recharging your drawing talents.

Whether you drew before or not these classes are open to all and the results will pleasantly surprise you. Sensory awareness and dynamic drawing exercises are guaranteed to awaken our ability to see and draw and to develop your talent further. Quick sketches, big format slow drawings, gesture studies in charcoal and ink. We will focus on what is around us and draw the inspiration from human figure and from Sydney landscape.

This drawing weekend is an opportunity to live and draw in the dramatic landscape of Riversdale while supported by the calmness of Glenn Murcutt’s architecture. The building and the way it embodies the principles of sustainable design will become our focus and our ‘life model’.

We will be practicing the art of Seeing through Drawing.

This practice is useful for beginners as well as experienced artists. It is a fundamental skill for architects. Drawing and sketching allow us to spend time, to get in touch with what we are looking at. Through drawing we can start to see, feel and understand what we are seeing. The building reveals itself in the process.

Open Class: Saturday 21 November 2009, 10 am -1pm. Woollombi Community Hall.

We will work from life models who move to the music. Drawing with charcoal, ink and water in a safe and relaxed atmosphere will allow us to drop the thinking mind with its preconceived ideas, and reclaim and deepen our drawing skills. We can all draw if we can only learn to open our eyes, relax and actually see, hear and feel what is in front of us. Open class is for everybody who feels moved to draw.

Exhibition: Sunday 22 November 2009. Woollombi Community Hall.

Two-day residential drawing workshop with Rena Czaplinska in Wollombi, Hunter Valley.

Drawing in Hunter Valley away from noises and ties of everyday life will be relaxing and allow time and space for reconnecting and remembering our creative selves. We will work from life models who move to music exploring the nature of seeing through drawing and movement. Simple movement sessions will follow Anna Halprin’s deep understanding of awakening creativity through movement, while drawing with charcoal ink and water in a safe and relaxed atmosphere will allow us to rediscover the natural wisdom of the body, drop the thinking mind with its preconceived ideas and reclaim and deepen our drawing skills. We can all draw if we can only learn to open our eyes, relax and actually see, hear and feel what is in front of us.

This workshop is for architects, architecture students and anybody else who feels moved to draw.

Learning to draw – learning to feel – learning to see.

Drawing in the beautiful setting of the Arthur Boyd Center will allow for full immersion in the environment and intimate contact with Glen Murcutt’s architecture. The building itself and the surrounding landscape will become our “life model”. We will include movement sessions that follow Anna Halprin’s deep understanding of awakening creativity through movement, while the drawing sessions will guide you through reclaiming and deepening your drawing skills.

We can all draw if we can only learn to open our eyes, relax and actually see, hear and feel what is in front of us.

Drawing in Hunter Valley away from noises and ties of everyday life will be relaxing and allow time and space for reconnecting and remembering our creative selves. We will work from life models who move to music exploring the nature of seeing through drawing and movement. Simple movement sessions will follow Anna Halprin’s deep understanding of awakening creativity through movement, while drawing with charcoal ink and water in a safe and relaxed atmosphere will allow us to rediscover the natural wisdom of the body, drop the thinking mind with its preconceived ideas and reclaim and deepen our drawing skills. We can all draw if we can only learn to open our eyes, relax and actually see, hear and feel what is in front of us.

This workshop is for architects, architecture students and anybody else who feels moved to draw.

Learning to draw. Learning to feel. Learning to see.