Last week two groups of both budding and experienced artists had the opportunity to attend an intimate sketching workshop with artist Mandy Payne. The workshop offered the chance to learn more about and sketch modernist buildings in Sheffield with the guidance of Payne who is renowned for her art work surrounding brutalist structures. The Wednesday class started out fantastically. Mandy Payne’s informal yet informative introduction put everyone at ease and there was a really nice atmosphere where people were free to share their reasons for attending, levels of experience and any worries or concerns. It was great to see people with a range of abilities giving the class their best shot. Although they were all definitely more adept than they let on as, by 1pm when the workshop finished, a multitude of fantastic sketches had been produced. The attendees made use of the wide range of amazing viewpoints available around the University of Sheffield campus. Many of the participants chose to sit just at the foot of the Arts Tower and who could blame them? Being so close to the bottom of the tower allowed the sketchers to draw the details of the structure up close and gain a truly personal perspective of the building. In contrast, others chose to view the tower from a distance in context with the scenery that surrounds it. This range of viewpoints meant that the work created was rich with variety and individuality. Not everyone decided to draw the Arts Tower with there also being some fabulous sketches of the University concourse. Nevertheless, the work was truly enriched by the expertise of Payne as she diligently advised and engaged with every member of the class.
Following the successful and pleasant workshop on Wednesday, the Saturday one had long been looked forward to. Although the weather on Saturday was not helpful for the outdoor activities, we were delighted by how many came from several different places besides Sheffield and were all well-prepared for sketching. After participants were taken on a tour around the Western Bank Library, Weston Park and the Arts Tower and a general view of the campus's surrounding environment, many expressed interest in specific buildings, including the Geography building. Before the sketching began, she delivered guidance on sketching, making good use of ratios and angles, which were found helpful by participants. The rain did not bother participants; they switched between places to find the best angle and viewpoint to observe and sketch the buildings. It was also great for everyone to communicate with each other and Mandy about their ideas. Some buildings were painted in the traditional colours of black, white and grey, while others were given an eye-catching colour palette. The workshop rounded off with a special preview of Ghosted Ground, an Exhibition by Joanna Whittle at the Western Bank Library, which runs until 10 December 2023.
Words:
Livia Gregor and Qianqian Liu
Photo:
Qianqian Liu
Image: ‘Both a Lament and a Eulogy’ by Mandy Payne