Draw from what you see!

'Table Top' by Ellen Benson - mixed media life study in tapestry frame

OBSERVATIONAL DRAWING CLASSES
At Travellers Café

Level 2, 169 Swanston Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia

(TUES AFTERNOONS 1:OO – 4:OO PM)

Bring along a sketch book, notify the front desk that you are here for the class and enjoy a coffee and learn to draw from what you see!

Each week our Artist-in-Community Residence ‘Ellen Benson’ will set up an installation of Organic and Synthetic objects for you to draw inspiration from.

Each week our artist, Ellen, will introduce you to a different range of materials – you are free to use any medium you like though. There is no tutoring cost involved, you have to provide your own materials – artist will have some on hand for you to try and you may have the opportunity to purchase materials from the artist. If you wish to leave a donation to Travellers Aid in exchange for our artist’s services, please contact our front desk.

Each Tues Afternoon Ellen will show you observational drawing examples from a range of artists from different movements/time periods and in different mediums.

Ellen’s teaching approach is to introduce you to exercises that encourage you to look and put - Ellen will not govern your creative choices or touch your page (unless asked)!

Donations to Our Travellers Aid Contemporary Art Folio

Thank you to Contemporary Melbourne Artist Paul Compton for the donation of two exquisite Ink Life Studies - your Artist Profile will be posted as soon as you designate two jpeg images to display.

To donate work in exhange for an artist profile contact me, Ellen Benson at ellen_b80@yahoo.com.au

Residency Update

Cough...cough...I am being altruistic this week - I have a nasty virus I wish not to spread so am working from my personal residence today.

Last Tuesday was very productive - Sian Whalley (Project Co-Ordinator) and I enthusiastically discussed our upcoming 'Traverse Skill-exchange' idea. The concept is sound (not to mention innovative) so I have been spending time researching potential grants that could fund the exciting project. Not wishing to jeopardise our chances of obtaining funding I am keeping relatively quiet on this one until we have worked out all the nuts and bolts. Grant writing is a fine-art, it requires you to understand why the organising body is offering the grant (their agenda) and understading whether you and your idea fit the necessary criteria. There is much paperwork and you have to learn an entirely new language for each grant application as there is much variation and many guidelines for each type of grant.

Notice our new snazzy header (which is excerpted from a related former body of work of mine titled 'Mapsway'). I have been further consulting with Artist Rebecca Delange - she is very excited about our visual and verbal dialogue - the good news is we are on the same page!

On the publicity front, I have contacted google to notify them of our Traverse Blog URL. and am in the process of making a site-map using Free-Find that will make our blog more readily accessible to the public. I also intend using google analytics, a software program that helps one to see who is accessing the page and why.

Selected four of my own quick ink sketches to donate to the Travellers Aid Contemporary Art Folio, so you will see my artist profile shortly. I've been networking to obtain donations of contemporary emerging and mid-career artists and am awaiting response. I am also currently pricing presentation folios for our submissions.

I have constructed a vague project plan for potential ideas - including a time-line and list of resources that may be required.

I will be visiting Travellers Aid this week to photograph some of the beautiful craftwork our Trading Table features and intend showcasing a range of works using this blog.

Residency Progress

A Call for Artists for the 'Traverse' Skill Exchange workshops has been scripted. I am trusting Project Co-ordinator Sian Whalley to find a good location to house the following notice as well as a contacts book in the Travellers Aid Cafe (which is aimed at Trading Table Volunteers and Travellers aid senior clientele wishing to become involved in the project).

The notice reads -

Attention:
Senior Artisans!

We are seeking interest from participants willing to be involved in a series of Skill Exchange Workshops. So if you can knit, sew, scrapbook etc. and would like an opportunity to share your knowledge and hands-on-skills with like-minded others over a cuppa coffee n' cake in the Travellers Aid Cafe, become involved!!!

To express an interest and receive more information about the project, please log your name, creative skills and contact details in the pretty pink book below.

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I am hesitant to go into much detail about the Skill Exchange Workshops at this stage - I will mention that it will provide an opportunity for emerging disadvantaged artists to collaborate with senior artisans in the familiar and supportive environment of the Travellers Aid Cafe - stay privy to any updates by clicking the label: Skill Exchange Workshops - all related posts will be shown on the page.

Thank you to Melbourne Artist Sylvia Karral for responding to our Call for Artists by donating two magnificent dreamscape photographs for the Travellers Aid Art Folio - Your Artist Profile is currently under development.

Making Headway,

Ellen Benson
(Travellers Aid Artist-in-Community Residence)

Call For Artisans: Travellers Aid Wants You!

Attention all artists, designers and crafts folk!

'Cuthbert' Ink Drawing on Fabriano Rosipina by Melbourne Artist Paul Compton

Travellers Aid as a not-for-profit organisation is dependent on your busy hands, creativity and generosity to make and donate artworks for fundraising via our Trader's Table. In exchange for your wonderful services we will promote your individual arts practice via an Artist Profile web posting.

Artist Profile (What you get):

1 x donated artwork = one image displayed online + your contact details posted

2 x donated artworks = two images displayed online + your contact details posted

3 or more donated artworks = amount of donated works images displayed + an artist blurb + photograph of the artist + contact details and/or web link

(This is a general system that may be negotiable for mid-career artist donations or exceptional works)

For more information or to donate work please contact Artist-in-Residence, Ellen Benson

email: ellen_b80@yahoo.com.au
ph: 0416859943