Freshers’ Speed-friending and Portrait-drawing Workshop

Wednesday 22 September 2021, 2 – 3.30pm

Free, online; booking essential

University of Birmingham student event

Join artist Kirsty Clarke for a Freshers’ speed-friending and portrait-drawing workshop!

Meet other like-minded students in this relaxed session as we allow our creativity to be guided by conversation. We will explore how the drawn line can capture personal stories, creating our own experimental portraits.

We’ll examine personal connections and friendships between artist and subject, using the Barber’s painting ‘A Portrait of Bartolomeo’ (1906) by André Derain, of a Sicilian student who was staying in the guest house Derain used. Derain painted this portrait in three 20-minute sittings as a gift, using raw and clashing colours and exuberant brushwork to create a lively and sympathetic image.

This free workshop is for all levels and abilities, with no prior art or drawing experience needed – just pick up a pencil or pen and make a mark. We look forward to bringing our collection to your place.

This event is tailored for student participants (18+) and hosted over Zoom.

Kirsty Clarke is an artist and artistic programme coordinator based in Birmingham, UK. Recent projects include The Growing Project, Grand Union, Birmingham (2019-2021) Ways of Learning, Baltic 39, Newcastle (2019); Fermentations: Remembering Cucumbers, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham (2019); Ways of Learning, Grand Union, Birmingham (2018).