LARA: Term 1 Drawings and reflections

I  finished my first term at LARA a while ago but I’ve decided to do a term by term review, of my drawings, thoughts and progress.

I found this first term to be a steep learning curve but my over-riding feeling was that I was just not ‘getting it’.  I understood (or thought I understood) what was being explained to me but I was unable to implement it in my drawings. It wasn’t until I was able to implement the ideas that I really understood; when a series of steps became an integrated action. I can’t really pin point why I was eventually able to implement some ideas and not others, the most useful aid to that so far has been visual, where someone can point and say, “there, like that” or actually take the charcoal and show me. It is an interesting thing to reflect on, especially as almost all of the learning environments I have experienced, school, university and even at work have been text based. It is amazing to me how much is communicated simply by watching someone do something at which they are very skilled. The immediacy and subtlety of their actions, every nuance of movement and posture. It’s like there is a whole system of communication, not just body language but a kind of unconscious empathetic response.

Sometimes, especially to begin with, I was led step by step through the drawing process. At other times it was as if I was allowed to try to learn to find my own place in the sequence, with varying degrees of success.

I find it a little strange to have other people so involved in the progress of my drawings, and in my learning in particular. Previously I seemed to learn most independently, following whatever direction seemed most helpful, seeking out new tools and ideas as necessary. In contrast the strongly structured atelier process has predetermined sequences, materials and schedules. It’s results are undeniable but I feel like the drawings I am producing are somehow not my own. They don’t feel like my drawings and given the amount of input we get from the tutors, I suppose they really aren’t my drawings. For now at least that is the very purpose of being here, to learn how to do these things, which I cannot yet do and to rely on those that can to show me how. Reliance does not come easily to me.

Term 1 drawings

Plans for next term

Next term I plan to be a bit closer (less crazy commuting), so hopefully I’ll be able to do more of the evening drawing classes and generally spend more of my time drawing.