Sketch Club 10 – Dougie Chowns
ABOVE: ‘For Christ’s Sake’ - charcoal. By Harvey Cox, January 1970. Thousands of clergymen have asked for reprints. AN ARTIST’S PASSION…
Sketch Club 9 – Dougie Chowns
ABOVE: Gottfried Bohumir Lindauer self portrait. Painted in oil in 1916 DOUGIE’S 80th BIRTHDAY RAVE! The Lindauer Art Heist after a…
Sketch Club 8 – Dougie Chowns
Cereal grain and juniper berries versus pine sap VODKA AND GIN VERSUS REFINED TURPS I was more than a little shocked…
Sketch Club 7 – Dougie Chowns
PRINTING PROCESSES - Is it Silk Screen or Serigraphy? Limited edition art prints on paper are potboiler income for artists. They…
Sketch Club 6 – Dougie Chowns
ABOVE: A 12 minute conté drawing of Sue at Kauri Mountain, Northland. NOTHING TO DO WITH SEX - EVERYTHING TO DO…
Sketch Club 5 – Dougie Chowns
LEARNING IS EASIER WITH A VISUAL DEMONSTRATION By Dougie Chowns Pictures speak louder than words and a demonstration teaches students much…
Sketch Club 4 – Dougie Chowns
MORE ABOUT SKETCHBOOKS, BUT THIS TIME, SAME SIZE By Dougie Chowns So that you may better appreciate sketchbook sketches I am…
Iris Wood
SATISFYING THE SOUL-ITCH
Iris Wood found she was drawn to each, and every art medium introduced to her at school, and she never stopped exploring. Her mixed-media body of work is both chaotic and calming, with a distinctly playful tone.
Never having been afraid of trying a new tool or method, and with a curious, explorative mindset, the biggest motivating factor to pursue a career as an artist for Iris was the profound satisfaction she gets out of pulling a real, tangible piece of art out of ephemeral experiences. "Sometimes I will experience something, and it’ll instantly get transformed into a painting in my head, and I’m compelled to execute that vision. It’s like a soul-itch that needs to be scratched; what will it feel like? what will you find under there? could it make someone else feel the same way?"
Jana Branca
AN EXCITING VOCATION
Jana Branca hails from South Africa, where she obtained a BA in Fine Arts from the University of Pretoria. “I remember a very pivotal moment at high school where my art teacher made a comment that she thought I could go on to be an artist. It was just a little thing she said in conversation, but it had a massively encouraging and life altering effect on me.”
Making, creating and re-creating has always been a very big part of her life and she says she couldn’t imagine a more exciting vocation. Having always been a ‘deep’ child, Jana loves having a vehicle for investigating and engaging with meaningful and weighty concepts. “Most of the things I like thinking about seem just out of my reach, and further wrestling with them through my art practice seems to make them just a little bit more graspable.”
Jocelyn Friis
SELF-TAUGHT SUSTAINABILITY
Jocelyn Friis went to a Steiner school in South Africa, where creativity is a part of everyday school life. This set the foundation for her creative life. “I have always loved to create. I believe strongly in pursuing what you love but it was only during my ‘mid-life’ years that I truly found my way in art. I realised I was not living true to myself. I am now free to express what I cannot with words. I love the freedom of intuitively laying down paint on the canvas. I see so much intertwining between painting and life – so many lessons to learn.”
Her biggest obstacle has been her mindset. “I have really had to work on believing that my work is worthwhile and contributing to the good in this world. Professionally, it is always a challenge to stay on top of things, stay visible and market myself. Perseverance is key and being able to take the losses with the gains.”