Chronicle Editor
At The Gallery
The National Gallery of Zimbabwe had a Holiday Art Camp with support from art supplies company, La Rue, from the April 11-15.
The Holiday Art Camp was facilitated by the Gallery’s Education Department and was geared to advance the art and crafts skills of learners aged between 5 to 18 years.
The Holiday Art Camp was designed to adopt a formal approach with regards to the instruction of students as it takes into account the needs of the student’s full-time commitments to mainstream academic pursuits in the School Curriculum whilst offering a practical bypass to help relieve the pressures of learning.
The camp did not only serve as a retreat in scholastic terms, but it allowed children to learn a discipline through fun experiences which make their grasp on the discipline a memorable one.
Activities which took place include the drawing of portraits and 3D drawings extracted from Masimba Hwati portraits in the Pixels of Ubuntu Exhibition, painting of which was inspired by Gareth Nyandoro’s work in the Pixels of Ubuntu exhibition whereby he painted on things which are happening in the streets.
Learning about mixing media and mono print making allows considerable freedom in the approach to imagery and considered to be a very versatile method.
The children were given the opportunity to decide either to work positively or negatively, to use water based or oil based inks, to incorporate other materials or not. They learned to look at the different ways of laying out a painting as they began to recognise important elements of design.
The paintings, drawings and print makings were influenced by two running exhibitions at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe which are the connections and Pixels of Ubuntu. Making an art form using processes and techniques influenced by those of different artists can help one to better understand how to create a portrait.
These lessons encouraged students to create their own imprecise painting and many more fun activities which will be at their disposal.
The instructors helped students to take in detail, observe, learn and collect memories in their drawings and paintings. Whether a beginner or already experienced artist, the professional team of instructors and guiders encouraged all children to sit, look, sketch, observe, soak up the atmosphere and produce many sketches and paintings of the new environment.
In keeping with tradition of the Workshop approach, the students have creative freedom and working space in an open environment. Aside from this, they will be at an advantage to find inspiration around them embodied in the works of past masters.
With aid from the instructors, the students are able to understand how to use diverse tools and methods like painting or making craft objects.
The strength of the Holiday Art Camp also lies within the fact that the older students learn from their instructors who are usually individuals pursuing art as a profession.
This Camp served to create a space in which young people can gain knowledge of visual art and develop their visual creative abilities.
It allows them to express themselves in numerous ways giving them self-confidence in as much as it empowers them to attain an interest to occupy them pursue art professionally.
The Holiday Art Camp is a camping of children to be trained in different art techniques which is done twice every year during the April and August school holidays at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. Booking for the August edition of the camp is ongoing and an online facility is available on the Gallery website.
Online Reporter