September 13, 2014
Vancouver Island School of Art Newsletter

Please follow the instructions

There is great pleasure in following instructions and seeing the results unfold you complete the steps. Contrast this with  the frustration you feel follow a recipe and it doesn't look like the photo, or you put together a piece of furniture, only to find several screws left over.  But imagine following instructions that don't have a specific goal and the results could be whatever you want. An art project initiated by Oliver Herring in 2002 called TASK involves just that. These events, people create sets of instructions for an art piece or activity, then give them to other people to realize. Herring most recently hosted a TASK event in Madison Square Park in New York City which was covered in an article in the New York Times called Making Art on the Spot and on the Fly.

I think the reason TASK is so successful is that people want to be creative, but often don't know where to begin or what to do, so following instructions is a safe way to become involved in art. You might remember the success of the 'paint-by-numbers' kits. They were so popular because (1) people want to make art, (2) people don't have the confidence to think they could make a painting on their own and, (3) people don't have the patience and/or time to learn through trial and error, i.e., people don't want to make mistakes right from the start. TASK parties, however, are much more open-ended than paint-by-number kits, but I think the attraction of both of these forms of art-making is in the comfort of following instructions. 

Herring offers to host TASK events upon request and he also encourages others to create their own. Find out more about individual-intiated TASK events on Craig Roland's (University of Florida), blog called Art Junction.  The idea of 'art by instruction' is not new: the Dadaists and the Surrealists played around with the idea, and it gained popularity again in the 1960s with artists such as Yoko Ono and Sol Lewitt, and more recently with Do-It, a curatorial project that has been circulating for the last 20 years. In Do-It exhibitions, all the art is made by gallery employees who follow artists' instructions. The Flavourwire blog gives an overview of this history in a 2012 post: Artists Who Make Instructions for Others to Make Their Art.

The TASK events provide a wonderful way for people to give themselves permission to make art. They leave things open so there is no right or wrong way to do it. Its not important whether great art is made in these situations, but rather that people are letting themselves be creative, which will resonate in other aspects of their life. Stay tuned for a TASK event at VISA next semester!


SAVE THE DATE: October 19, 7-10pm

Tickets: $75 (available at visaturns10.com)

We are delighted to announce that the Canoe Brewpub has turned over its entire venue to us for our anniversary celebration. The gala event will include food, complimentary drink, and entertainment by local band Sidecar, and renown edVictoria DJ Benji Duke, and magician The Great Giffoni. CTV's Adam Sawatsky will be our Master of Ceremonies for the evening. Each table will offer an assortment of drawing materials who wish to doodle, draw, or write poems or notes to be displayed on our Wall of Art for all to see. In addition, all participants will be provided with a complimentary VISA Turns 10 commemorative sketchbook.

 

The event will also feature a live art auction moderated by the dynamic Alison Ross from Kilshaw's. Five large scale pieces from selected artists will be up for auction (Sherrard Grauer, Jeremy Herndl, Laura Harris, Rick Leong and Sara Robichaud). VISA Turns 10 tote bags will be for sale (each containing a prize) and we'll be raffling off bags full of special gifts. The evening will be topped off with a special anniversary cake and dancing.

 

Ticket price includes: appetizers (valued at $35/person), cake, a complimentary beverage, and commemorative sketchbook. Tax receipts for $35 will be provided upon request.


For more information: VISATurns10
Watercolour Play Workshop
Sunday, September 21, 1-4pm

This afternoon workshop introduces you to watercolour through two fun exercises. The first is inspired by the work of Wassily Kandinsky and takes an abstract expressionist approach with the focus on brushwork and unconscious gestures. 

The second exercise, inspired by Paul Klee, is based on using a grid to create a more formal design. The work of Kandinsky and Klee, as well as contemporary artists using watercolour, will be shown. The focus is on 'play' as opposed to making finished paintings. You will learn how to hold the brush, how to mix colours and how to have fun by just making marks, shapes and simple compositions.

Suitable for beginners. 

Instructor: Wendy Welch
Tuition: $65.00 (3 hrs) 
All materials included 


PLEASE HELP US PAY FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL NEW BUILDING
Any amount will help
We need your support to finish painting of the front of the building and also so we can paint the front entrance side area.

 

SATURDAY AFTERNOON ART CLUB

Please note that the next Saturday Afternoon Art Club will be September 20. We are changing the day to the THIRD Saturday in every month 

(that way, Thanksgiving weekend won't interfere with upcoming scheduling).

For more information: Saturday Afternoon Art Club

For more information contact Melissa in the office
Links
Certificate of Visual Art = 1st year of a BFA at Emily Carr VISA's Certificate of Visual Art = 1st year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Media Arts or Bachelor of Design degree at the EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY OF ART + DESIGN
Diploma of Fine Arts at VISA transferable to University of Gloucestershire, UK Diploma of Fine Arts + 8 months at the University of Gloucestershire = BA in Fine Art.
Join Our Mailing List
Stay Connected

Facebook   Twitter     
Vancouver Island School of Art | | [email protected] | http://vancouverislandschoolart.com
Vancouver Island School of Art
2549 Quadra Street
Victoria, V8T 4E1

Copyright � 2014. All Rights Reserved.