Course details
Artist, Kate Southworth, will be explaining the key ideas and processes of her new online course ‘Calendrical Art’, that will be taking place over the coming year, starting on 2nd November 2023 . This is your chance to have a taster for £15 before you commit to buy the full course. (You will be purchasing the first introductory session of the nine-part series).
The full course, spanning nine sessions, explores the intuitive way of making work in tune with the dynamic patterns, energies and qualities of the calendar year.
If you watch this session and would like to go on to book the full course of nine sessions, we will refund you the £15, see booking email for discount code. See below for more details of the full course.
Join artist Kate Southworth for this new online course designed to sensitise your approach to creative work in line with the seasonal changes. During each yearly cycle we witness a pattern of fading, composting, lying fallow, germination, gestation, birthing, blossoming, fruiting and harvesting. Becoming tuned with these natural processes enables us to recognise similar patterns within our own work and with the creative process itself.
In this series, spanning the entire calendar year, we explore the symbolic significance of the four cross-quarter days celebrated by the ancient Celts, as well as the two solstices and two equinoxes. We will work with a range of creative techniques and processes that resonate with the specific qualities of each of these eight major transition points
Explore the work of artists who’s work addressed seasonal change, rituals and intuitive processes including Bracha Ettinger, Hilma af Klint, Shirazeh Houshiary, Emma Kunz, Ithell Colquhoun, Agnes Martin, Leonora Carrington, Georgiana Houghton. Look at the calendar customs and rituals pertinent to the time of the year, and to a range of creative processes and techniques that activate the imagination.
Breakdown of Sessions
Introduction to Calendrical Art – Watch Now
Kate will introduce you to the key ideas and processes you will be exploring on the course.
Session 1: Firing the Darkness (Samhain) – 2nd November 2023
We will work with: Composting, Darkness, Fire, Non-Knowing, Relinquishing
Guided visualisation: Entering the Darkness
Practical: Exploring automatic drawing
Session 2: Stillness (Winter Solstice) – 21st December 2023
We will work with: Lying Fallow, Receptive Creativity, Deepest Darkness, Returning Light
Guided visualisation: Glints in the Soil
Practical: Holding the dynamic of darkness with charcoal and rubber
Session 3: Birthing New Dreams (Imbolg) – 1st February 2024
We will work with: Listening, Fragility, Fecundity, Silver light
Guided visualisation: Candlelight
Practical: Exploring emerging form through automatic drawing and painting
Session 4: Life Surges (Spring Equinox) – 21st March 2024
We will work with: Emergence, Yellow Light, Balance, Journeying Outwards, Uniting
Guided visualisation: Sunlight and Balance
Practical: Exploring balance through collage and paint
Session 5: Meadow Dancing (Bealtaine) – 2nd May 2024
We will work with: Fertility, Freshness, Expansion, Blossoming, Heart-Easing
Guided visualisation: Entering the Brightness
Practical: Exploring vibrancy through mixed media
Session 6: Watering the Brightness (Summer Solstice) – 20th June 2024
We will work with: Active Creativity, Clearest Brightness, Returning Darkness
Guided visualisation: Holding the Light and Letting it Go
Practical: Exploring discernment through decalcomania and painting
Session 7: Growing and Slowing (Lughnasadh) – 1st August 2024
We will work with: Fullness, Abundance, Harvesting, Turning, Rose Light
Guided visualisation: Breathing the Sun and Moon
Practical: Exploring mood through parsemage and painting
Session 8: Life Surges (Autumn Equinox) – 19th September 2024
We will work with: Manifestation, Golden Light, Magenta Dark, Balance
Guided visualisation: Transformation
Practical: Exploring distillation through mixed media
Who is this course for?
This course is suitable for both absolute beginners and those with more experience looking to build confidence in new ways of working. Aimed to help you step out of your comfort zone and loosen your approach to painting.
What will I learn?
1. Learn to work more freely and intuitively.
2. See how seasonal changes, processes and rituals can inform your creative work.
3. Learn how other artists have worked with the calendar in their painting.
4. Work towards finding your own ‘voice’ or visual vocabulary over an extended period of time.
5. See how to work in tune with the dynamic patterns, energies and qualities of the calendar year.
Taught by
What to Bring
We will send you a list of materials and instructions upon booking the session.
You will need access to the internet and ideally a PC, laptop or a tablet with audio.
Timings and Breaks
Introduction to Calendrical Art – Watch Now – This is a recording of a webinar
If you decide to sign up to the rest of the course, these sessions will be delivered as live webinars, see the dates above. During these live sessions you will be able to pose questions to the artist using the chat function. For the ‘Introduction to Calendrical Art’ recording that you are purchasing, there will be no live chat as this is a recording.
FAQs
Online Art Courses – All
How can I get help in choosing a course?
Our friendly expert staff are always happy to discuss your needs and our courses in more detail to help you with your decision. Please call us on 01736 797180
Do I need a webcam/any equipment?
For our webinar sessions which are broadcast on the internet and no webcam or microphone is needed as you just need to be able to see/hear hosts and you can communicate using the chat function. You can watch using a PC, Smart TV or tablet. A phone isn’t ideal as you will struggle to see enough unless you can miracast to a screen or smart TV.
For the longer online courses on Zoom you will need a laptop or tablet with audio and camera enabled so you can have a screen near where you are working. If you have a PC without camera or speakers, you can purchase a plug and play webcam for approx £25 which connects to a usb port. You will also need reasonable broadband connection and speed.
All the art materials and equipment needed to participate in the course will be listed in full on the online learning platform, for live webinars this will be a minimum of two weeks before the session starts.
I have registered for the webinar but I can't find my joining link
You can access all the resources and joining link for your webinar via our online learning platform. You will need to have set up an account on our online learning platform in advance. You can do this during the checkout process when purchasing your webinar. If you are having trouble accessing your online account, please contact [email protected]. You can use a PC or tablet or even cast from your phone to watch on your Smart TV.
I paid for the session but missed it, how can I watch?
Currently all our online sessions are recorded and you can access the recording on our online learning platform until it expires. Usually 60 days for a webinar, 90 – 180 days for multipart webinars or online courses.
Studio Courses
How can I get help in choosing a course?
Our friendly expert staff are always happy to discuss your needs and our courses in more detail to help you with your decision. Please call us on 01736 797180
How do I get my work home?
Tutors have special techniques for transporting oil paintings and the school has plastic folders available in our shop for £3.50 or do bring a portfolio.
For international students we are happy to arrange transportation of your work back home.
What do I need to bring?
Absolutely nothing! All materials and aprons are provided although some people do like to bring their own set of brushes.
What do I do for lunch?
Courses allow an hour’s break for lunch and there are numerous places nearby or you are welcome to bring a packed lunch into the studio.
What times do courses run?
Most of our courses start at 10am and end at 4.30pm on the first day. Subsequent days we start at 9.30am ending at 4pm.
Weekend Courses run 10am – 4pm on the first day but the final day starts at 9.30 and ends at 3.30 with a short lunch break to enable people to get home that evening.
Do you have to be experienced to come to the School?
The School is a very friendly and welcoming place for all ages and experience. Our drop-in life classes and August half-day workshops are ideal for those wanting to have a go for the first time. Most of our longer courses are also fine for novices.
If any of the courses do need a bit of experience we flag this up in the brochure and on the website.
Booking a Course
How can I reserve a place?
We will hold a provisional reservation for 24 hours if you give us a call whilst you find accommodation. Otherwise please book online or by telephone 01736 797180.
You can reserve a place with a £100 deposit; balance is due 12 weeks before course start date.
About St Ives
Where do I park?
The nearest long stay public car parks are the Island and Barnoon Long Stay Car Park, both a 5 minute walk away. In the peak summer months it may be easier to park at Trenwith Car Park by the leisure centre and walk down into town. If you don’t fancy the walk up the hill at the end of the day there is a shuttle bus which runs from outside the cinema.
How do I get there?
Public Transport: If you are coming from further afield the main train line runs into St Erth which is a 15 min taxi ride away or you can take the St Ives Bay Line which runs approx. every 30 minutes. The School is a 10 minute walk from St Ives station.
Driving: M5 will take you to Exeter where we recommend that you take the A30 across Bodmin Moor and into Cornwall. After passing Hayle, leave the A30 at St Erth roundabout for St Ives. Turn right at the second roundabout. This road will take you through Lelant and Carbis Bay into St Ives.
Where can I stay?
St Ives has a huge selection of hotels, guest houses and self catering accommodation to choose from. Please browse the art holidays St Ives section on our website and give us a call if you would like any help.
