Sound and Vision
Sound and Vision: Calling all you Pretty Things and Diamond Dogs. Get your glad rags on and warm up your vocal chords with this unique, immersive painting experience. You will explore the Bowie cut-up lyric technique and apply this to create beautiful acrylic paintings whilst immersed in his music. You will be guided by the award-winning artist Denise Harrison. I wouldn’t consider myself an artist. I certainly wouldn’t think of myself as a painter. I lean more towards crafts such as crochet as it’s pretty hard to screw up. Yet I often find myself transfixed, watching videos of true artists taking a blank canvas and producing the most beautiful, captivating art with what seems like such easy, measured brushstrokes. I’ll admit I was a little daunted about attending this event, but after spending five hours in the company of the organiser, Denise, and many other wonderful, amateur artists, I now know that there is a painter, somewhere deep down inside of me. All I needed was some time and guidance to tease it out. And some Bowie blasting in the background! Denise Harrison, the award-winning artist leading the event, was an absolute gem. Her passion for both art and Bowie's music was evident in her every word and action, even down to her glitzy outfit – very Bowie-esque! She guided us through the process of acrylic painting with grace and expertise, ensuring that even those of us who might have been a little hesitant felt at ease. We learned some basic skills and were then left loose to play and create with Denise offering regular praise, tips and reassurance. At no point did I feel like I needed to be “good” at painting to be there. As lunchtime rolled around, we were treated to an acoustic set of some classic Bowie music, delivered by a wonderful, young duo before jumping back into the second half of the event where Denise encouraged us to cut up our paintings and create some Bowie inspired collages. Dear reader, I will admit that I was unable to cut up my painting. Having spent two hours on it, I simply couldn’t cut it up. The true magic of "Sound and Vision" lay in its ability to empower everyone in the room, regardless of their artistic background. I'm no professional artist, or even an amateur one, but under Denise's guidance and Bowie's muse, I created a painting I am genuinely proud of. It's a testament to the event’s ability to ignite creativity and foster self-expression in all of us. In the end, "Sound and Vision" was an experience that will stay with me for quite a while. It was a celebration of art and music in a warm and welcoming environment. If you have the chance to attend a similar event in the future, run by the fabulous and funny Denise, don’t miss out! A huge thank you to Denise for curating such an unforgettable journey into the heart of creativity and for unlocking the artist inside me. - Aoife Burke www.deniseharrisonart.com |