It is so great to see Alice Aycock's dynamic sculptures livening up the streets of New York. Something as abstract as 'weather' is not a usual theme for public art, so its quite exciting to see how Aycock has depicted various weather phenomenon, such a cyclones,and maelstroms, in three-dimensional formats. Aycock also sees her work as "the metaphorical visual residue of the energy of New York City." The image to the left is a piece Cyclone Twist. This work is part of a mutli-component sculpture called Park Avenue Paper Chase which takes up 70 feet along Park Avenue in New York. Aycock is known for her kinetic sculptures, so it is interesting to see how she has created large scale sculptures that, while they don't actually move, they all appear to be in motion. The Phaidon website offers a short explanation of this massive undertaking: Understanding Alice Aycock's Park Ave Paper Chase. Aycock gave a detailed talk about her work and process at the School of Visual Arts in New York where she is currently a faculty member: Aycock Artist Talk. Its so worth listening to this talk, if only to hear the Borges story that Aycock uses to introduce her work; and also it is exciting to learn about Aycock's unexpected sources of inspiration.

On doing some research about Aycock, I was delighted to come across her drawings (which she exhibits on a regular basis, often separately from her sculptures). A review of her current drawings appears in a recent issue of Art in America. Aycock's imaginative and futurist-looking drawings are currently on exhibit in Santa Barbara. A more extensive review of Aycock's drawings is found in a publication called Hamptons ArtHub. Aycock's website also has an overview of both her sculptures and drawings: Alice Aycock. A short video a interview with Aycock can be found here: Interview by Richard Goldstein.

I always suggest to students that if they ever want to see great drawings, look at the drawings made by sculptors (Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, Alexander Calder, Claes Oldenburg, Christo, Frank Ghery, Richard Tuttle, Jessica Stockholder and Louise Bourgeois are but a few examples); and now I can add Aycock to my personal list of sculptors who make fascinating drawings in addition to their main practice of sculpture.

The focus of this workshop will be on developing an understanding of the character of oil paint and experimenting with this versatile medium, rather than on creating a finished painting. You will learn the basics of colour mixing, medium, brushes and supports. Instructor 

Kate Scoones will bring her wealth of experience with oil paints and provide all kinds of tips including how to keep colours clean and work area organized. Suitable for complete beginners.

This weekend workshop will cover  the visual elements that make up the language of drawing: line, tone, texture, pattern, shape and form. Instructor will introduce a series of simple drawing exercises, with the focus on using black and white drawing materials. Students will leave workshop with an understanding of terms such as composition, space and shape as well as the skills to draw what they see. The instructor will supply an array of interesting source material, such as shells, flowers, assorted man-made objects, and photographs to be used as inspiration for your drawing. Suitable for complete beginners.

Instructor: Blythe Scott

Cost: $235 (all materials included)