TUTOR - GARY SPENCER
I teach a variety of approaches and themes mainly related to the use of acrylics, though occasionally making use of other media or more drawing-based tasks. I believe being an artist is all about exploring and taking risks with ideas and techniques in order to develop a sustainable way of working that is your own. I therefore do not have a specific notion of what painting is or should be, instead encouraging a wide range of tasks that can bring even the same subject to life in different ways.
One major theme that runs through all my teaching is how we can use photographic reference in a more personal and creative way, rather than merely judging our work by whether it 'matches' the reference or not. So we might represent things accurately or loosely, with ambiguity or clarity, with slow deliberation or spontaneous swiftness. We might include faithful observations of colour, light and space, or in contrast, add highly subjective responses and improvisations. I firmly believe there is no such thing as a neutral or 'correct' approach to making art, or to expressing oneself through art, so the challenge is, in a pragmatic way, to find the ways that suit you personally, and to ask yourself what your aims are from time to time.
Though my themes change, the emphasis is always on the same formal elements of line, shape, colour, texture, light and tone, and how we might explore these in relation to a particular composition or design.
I also like to refer to other artists, both past and present, as I feel this is where art practise originates. I am as much a fan of the great traditions as I am of exploring unknown and unfamiliar territory.
Though I know there are easy step-by-step, tried and tested ways of getting quick results in painting, I also know that it is only by taking ownership of processes and ideas that can truly gain confidence as an artist, so I mix clearly defined tasks with more ambiguous ones.
In my own work, I have always had an interest in both abstraction and representation, and have also worked as an illustrator. My current interest is in flat landscape and collaged textures in faces and portraits
One major theme that runs through all my teaching is how we can use photographic reference in a more personal and creative way, rather than merely judging our work by whether it 'matches' the reference or not. So we might represent things accurately or loosely, with ambiguity or clarity, with slow deliberation or spontaneous swiftness. We might include faithful observations of colour, light and space, or in contrast, add highly subjective responses and improvisations. I firmly believe there is no such thing as a neutral or 'correct' approach to making art, or to expressing oneself through art, so the challenge is, in a pragmatic way, to find the ways that suit you personally, and to ask yourself what your aims are from time to time.
Though my themes change, the emphasis is always on the same formal elements of line, shape, colour, texture, light and tone, and how we might explore these in relation to a particular composition or design.
I also like to refer to other artists, both past and present, as I feel this is where art practise originates. I am as much a fan of the great traditions as I am of exploring unknown and unfamiliar territory.
Though I know there are easy step-by-step, tried and tested ways of getting quick results in painting, I also know that it is only by taking ownership of processes and ideas that can truly gain confidence as an artist, so I mix clearly defined tasks with more ambiguous ones.
In my own work, I have always had an interest in both abstraction and representation, and have also worked as an illustrator. My current interest is in flat landscape and collaged textures in faces and portraits
