Arts: Head to Art school

Since opening its doors in 2008, Art Est. Art School and Gallery has gained a reputation for quality art education with a range of visual art disciplines including painting, life drawing and printmaking, and a series of workshops that cater to all levels of experience, on offer. Here gallery curator Lisa Woolfe chats to Ciao about upcoming classes and being part of the Leichhardt Open Studio Trail.

Art Est. has been a collaborative part of Art Month Sydney for a number of years and their involvement this March will, as always, feature both the work of experienced artists and classes for the greater public.

The space will be one of the featured locations residents can visit during the LOST open weekend on March 8th and 9th, to get a first hand look into the creative realms of local artists and ‘Drawn Out’ will be the exhibition on display.

As the name suggests, the ‘Drawn Out’ exhibition will revolve completely around the artistic discipline of drawing. Gallery curator Lisa Woolfe said that the inspiration for the exhibition was based on the common misconception that drawing is “just lines on paper, or a means to another end.”

In her experience, she found that many people thought that drawing alone was not a true art form but just a first step in creating art, for example sketching out an idea for a painting or sculpture. “We wanted to feature artists who are interested in drawings as an artwork in itself,” says Lisa, “and we also want to introduce the audience to other ways of thinking about what a drawing could be, such as a performance or drawing with string.”

The talented artists Kelley Stapleton and Gabrielle Mason, Ciao’s own cover girls this issue (pictured above), will be presenting their work as part of the exhibition.

The school side of Art Est. will, of course, also be bustling throughout March and should be an interesting place for those wishing to get some hands-on experience. Led by resident Art Est. tutors David Fairbairn, Suzanne Archer and Andrew Antoniou, there will be several master classes running, all about drawing, as well as classes for those less experienced.

There will also be classes specifically designed for parents and their children, aged eight years and over. It is the belief of Lisa Woolfe and Art Est. that there is much to be gained from practical artistic education for young people. Other than just exposing them to art, these classes also help kids “develop their imagination and practice their fine motor skills.”

Art Est: Studio 4, 67-69 Lords Rd, Leichhardt. For more information visit www.artest.com.au.

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