
Malvern Abstract Artists
Breaking with tradition for some 'splash & play'
What's all that about then...?
Malvern abstract artists are a loose collective of artists from around the Malvern Hills and beyond who gather regularly to share in various forms of abstract painting at 'canvas day'.
Canvas Day - What is it?
Canvas day is an opportunity to spend a day, with friends & artists, to ‘play’, explore, chat, develop new techniques and skills and swap ideas... there is no ‘right or wrong’, ‘good or bad’ and no expectations - oh, and eat yummy home made vegan lunch & cake...😄...and have some fun.
Canvas Day is all inclusive of age, gender, ability, intended as an exploration of abstract expressionism but incorporates all aspects of art that falls under the umbrella term of ‘abstract art’. It is predominantly a painting group but does not exclude any medium [except anti-social or toxic substances].
The idea for canvas day came about after researching artistic methodologies on youtube and cobbling together a set of tried and tested principals for exploring ways to:
• play
• loosen up & let go
• starting a painting
• be more self-expressive
• work intuitively
• develop further what a painting is saying to you
and trying them out for myself...
The basic principals [and program] for the day normally is:
• start & finish a canvas [or more] in a day
• come with no pre-conceived ideas of what you want to end up with
• arrive at 9:30am and set up to start by 10am
• spend a couple of hours in the morning ‘playing’ - splashing paint around, making marks with no real target outcome other than to have fun
• have lunch [and a break] at 12
• come back to the canvass[es] at 1pm and sit with it until it ‘speaks to you’, directs you toward a composition
• discuss your ideas and review others work and interpretations
• develop the canvasses to a conclusion before the end of the day [5pm]
• clean-up and leave by 5:30pm
It’s not a day to be ‘precious’, it is a day to be expressive and exploratory.
Of course the above ‘suggested’ program is merely intended as a guide, if the day takes you a different way, that’s fine. If you want to ‘splash & play more or, develop a formal composition or, explore a new technique; go for it.
For all inquiries & information - get in touch

...a typical canvass day communal lunch...

...first collectively painted work - 15mins each [no restrictions]...
Malvern Abstract Artists
Sarah Jones [Akashalila]
Mary Brittain
http://marybrittainstudio.com/
Gemma Wiseman
http://www.studiointhehills.com/
Trudi Foggo
Sue Firmin
Jen James
http://gaiacreations.co.uk/Index.html
Deborah Catesby
Sam Hemming
Other Artists / Galleries
Lewis Noble
https://lewisnoble.co.uk/content/
Kurt Jackson
David Tress
http://www.davidtress.co.uk/index.html
Elmslie House
http://www.elmsliehouse.co.uk/
RWA - Bristol
Little Buckland Gallery
http://littlebucklandgallery.co.uk/
Worcestershire Open Studios
https://www.worcestershireopenstudios.org/
Useful Links
Jacksons
Nicholas Wilton - Art2life Program
Lion Picture Framing Supplies
Miles Meagre - Picture Framer
Art Fund UK
St. Ives School of Painting
https://schoolofpainting.co.uk/
Newlyn School of Art
https://www.newlynartschool.co.uk/
Malvern School of Art
https://wcg.ac.uk/malvernschoolofart
David Kessler - Online Courses
https://www.davidmkessler.com/