Community Art Club with St James the Great Church
‘a lovely oasis of post-lockdown creativity and fellowship’
The Art Club was part of an outreach project, which aimed to provide creative opportunities within the local community. E5 Studios is based in the same building as St James the Great Church, which has an active church community. Lucia a weekly Art Club from October 2021 to March 2022, which was free to participants.
Workshops included:
drawing from still life
learning material techniques, such as oil pastels and painting on canvas
discussing artworks
learning about landscape composition
Through the Art Club, Lucia aimed to promote engagement with creativity in an inclusive and relaxed environment, through which anyone can enjoy the benefits of art, from using it as a meditative activity, or a means of self-expression, or as a way to connect with others.
She also wanted to encourage people to talk about art, as often people who haven’t had an arts-based education feel intimidated by art and galleries. If they do venture into a gallery they end up relying heavily on information signs rather than allowing themselves to recognise, voice and validate their own opinions. The Art Club group discussed artworks without much contextual information, instead relating to the work by finding their own narratives and interpretations.
When setting up the project Lucia worked closely with the vicar Rosemia Brown. They agreed that the Art Club would be a good way to celebrate the community coming back together after the lockdowns and so the chosen themes for the sessions are ‘joy’ and ‘reawakening’, using Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World as inspiration as well.
A Letter of Thanks
“His hand also created the ‘little ones’ who are content to be daisies or violets, nestling at His feel and delighting His eyes whenever He chooses to look at them.”
St Therese of Lisieux.
“Ordinary humdrum life; is there any such thing? Wherever you go there is interest. All it takes is the ability to stay awake and aware, to tune in, look and listen. We can all do that.”
Eddie Askew OBE 2005.
9th November 2021
Dear Reverend Brown,
What A Wonderful World!
Just a word of congratulations and thanks for the new Art Workshop; a lovely oasis of post-lockdown creativity and fellowship that is now available to us at St. James on Wednesday mornings, after Holy Communion.
I’ve found it such a gentle, relaxed supportive place to just explore, experiment and learn at my own pace; discovering a whole array of shapes, colours and images. I’ve come out of the sessions much calmer and my thoughts and feelings seem clearer. My family have told me that I am looking happier and more confident since I joined the art group.
I’ve recently read that creative people, regardless of their skill level, tend to be more productive and are said to live longer. I see, from my experience, how this may well be true.
I’ve also enjoyed the warm, supportive company of others in the group. We all see things differently, even when we look at the same subject. We vary in our approaches to things. And we’re talking, laughing and learning together; getting to know each other in a new and special ways.
I hope you’ll pass on my thanks to our Art Tutor Lucia, the leadership at St. James and the funders of this delightful project. I’m on a low income and I’m trying to limit my commuting and traveling, in view of the ongoing pandemic. Having an opportunity like this locally and free of charge has been like cool refreshing water to a thirsty soul.
Keep up the excellent work!
With kind regards and warm good wishes,
Denise Reid
(Church Member)
Still Life inspired by Cezanne, Denise Reid, 2021
