Ann-Marie Kelly - Artist of the Month
“In December 2019 I went on a two-week art travel cruise to New Zealand with Greg Allen
and David Taylor. It was a great learning experience"
and David Taylor. It was a great learning experience"
I joined the Society of Artists in 2015. I was cutting back on work to semi-retire and finally had the time to pursue painting after a ten-year break. In 2005 I did watercolour lessons for a year while on leave. I thought that watercolour would provide skills to expand on my textile arts. I’ve been a practicing fibre artist all my adult life and it has morphed and changed over time as the techniques and materials have developed. But that is another story.
At first, I attended some weekend workshops at the society, but living down the south of the lake and working most days, it was difficult to get to the rooms for activities. Then in 2016 we moved to Mayfield. As I now lived closer, I felt that I could contribute to the society. I watched from the sidelines for a while, and then dived in, proposing to take on the Art Director role, even though I felt that my skills and experience were inadequate for the job.
I soon found my feet and discovered that the job was not about knowing my way around the art community, but about using the skills in organisation and communication that I used when I was employed. Things were going well, until 2020 when COVID threw the world into disarray. Workshops had to be cancelled and rescheduled, the rooms were closed for months and there was uncertainty around when normal operations could continue. 2021 was no better and there was another hectic year of trying to keep all the balls in the air, communicate with members to maintain connections and keep tutors dangling until we could once again have everyone together. Things began to get back to the new normal in 2022.
In December 2019 I went on a two-week art travel cruise to New Zealand with Greg Allen and David Taylor. It was a great learning experience working with such significant Australian watercolour icons. I learned a lot. Especially that I need to trust myself, practice what I know and according to Greg, stop doing workshops! That’s not going to happen! There is always something to learn and I am a serial student.
I’ve dabbled with other mediums, but watercolour remains my favourite. It will take a lifetime to master, if at all. There is always something new to learn and the effects that can be achieved, when it all goes to plan, are worth the effort and pile of discards.
At first, I attended some weekend workshops at the society, but living down the south of the lake and working most days, it was difficult to get to the rooms for activities. Then in 2016 we moved to Mayfield. As I now lived closer, I felt that I could contribute to the society. I watched from the sidelines for a while, and then dived in, proposing to take on the Art Director role, even though I felt that my skills and experience were inadequate for the job.
I soon found my feet and discovered that the job was not about knowing my way around the art community, but about using the skills in organisation and communication that I used when I was employed. Things were going well, until 2020 when COVID threw the world into disarray. Workshops had to be cancelled and rescheduled, the rooms were closed for months and there was uncertainty around when normal operations could continue. 2021 was no better and there was another hectic year of trying to keep all the balls in the air, communicate with members to maintain connections and keep tutors dangling until we could once again have everyone together. Things began to get back to the new normal in 2022.
In December 2019 I went on a two-week art travel cruise to New Zealand with Greg Allen and David Taylor. It was a great learning experience working with such significant Australian watercolour icons. I learned a lot. Especially that I need to trust myself, practice what I know and according to Greg, stop doing workshops! That’s not going to happen! There is always something to learn and I am a serial student.
I’ve dabbled with other mediums, but watercolour remains my favourite. It will take a lifetime to master, if at all. There is always something new to learn and the effects that can be achieved, when it all goes to plan, are worth the effort and pile of discards.
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