Emerson College revisited

May 23 to June 21 2013

Returning to Emerson College where I completed a 3-year visual arts/sculpture course 7 years ago.

 

Picton House was not exactly the same – the big library has been partitioned in apartments, and the lounge downstairs was furnished with a ‘new’ set of furniture.  With fewer students, it was much quieter than 7 years ago.

 The gardens are still as beautiful.

Spring came late, and so the blue bells were visible in the woods around the college. 

Still rather cold in mid-May

My arrival found the visual art students making human heads - something I did not experience as a student there. Over 70 heads created by 18 students in 2 weeks!!

A  4-week  course with Martin on colours, using mainly water colour. It was a refreshing experience for me after all these years painting in oils.

created using the Impressionist style.

 

 And then some time in the third week this Turner-like painting was born.

Once again working everyday in this creative space - the Red Studio.

 

The course ended with painting using acrylic on canvas, and an exhibition of the students’ work.

Abstract painting in acrylic - trying to attain the goal of transparency.

 

While I was in the studio, David volunteered to help Anna-marie - the  80+  year old gardener was still spritely and happily working everyday.

The annual May Fair organized for the villagers, with the helpers mainly from the visual art/sculpture course. 

St John’s Festival, celebrated with less pomp, ended with a big bonfire. 

Coincidentally, this event happened on my birthday - 20th June.

Buttercups glowing in the fire

 

My ‘wings’ sculpture still survives, the plaster slowly disintegrating under the sun and snow. 

How long more will it stand, I wonder.