It’s been exactly one month since I left full-time work and already I feel that I’m coming to understand how I want to develop my creativity. I spent last weekend (June 24-26) at Hawkwood College on a residential ‘Lifelines’ drawing course run by Morag Donnelly. To say the weekend had an enormous impact on me would be a understatement. In truth, it has opened my eyes to life and art in a way that either I had forgotten, or which has never really ‘clicked’ before. For the first time I felt that I could fully connect to the ‘essence’ – or spirit – not just of people, but to all things. The ‘poetry’ of life.

Morag and Paul June 2016

Morag and Paul, June 2016
Here’s an excerpt from my notes:
Using hands.
Really feeling the body with our materials: clay, ink, water.
Using all of both our hands and fingers to make different marks, lines and gestures.
Imagining being around the body, feeling the physicality of her and her place in the surroundings.
Gestures.
Spirit.
Feeling.
Paper.
What is clear to me now is that my hands are an exquisite tool for drawing. I guess that would make sense given that humans used hands for drawing before they picked up a paint brush or pencil. Something very special happens when you draw with your hands: you actually feel the drawing. In your mind you connect to the model (literally ‘seeing’ them and holding them in your mind/heart). As your eyes are drawn down, around, and through the figure you ‘feel’ that flesh on the paper with your hands.

Morag, June 2016

Morag and Paul, June 2016

(c) Jonathan Mansfield

(c) Jonathan Mansfield

(c) Jonathan Mansfield

(c) Jonathan Mansfield
I’m literally feeling my way into a new world of artistic exploration. I’ve been thrown a metaphorical life line. Thank you Morag x
JM
Very true. A deep weekend
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