Figurative drawing and painting courses in West Cornwall
Representing, expressing and transforming the human form and psyche
National Excellence and Radical Inclusion
Originally formed as Just Life in April 2022, incorporating as a CIC in August 2023, justlife.art is a friendly, lived experience led, not-for-profit art school that is committed to raising funds to buy, save, preserve, renovate and reinvigorate the historic Penzance School of Art.
In a phased approach we will rehouse and expand our courses and collaborative community sessions to include access level - filling the gap created by the loss of LEA funded adult education art courses that Penzance School of Art has been known for for many decades, as well as two year diploma level courses. We will also provide a significant number of affordable studios to rent to artists, a community studio for hire and accommodation for artists in residence.
How we work
We currently provide courses in figurative drawing and painting, as well as regular untutored practice sessions, all at cost price, which we hope are accessible to most. On the long run we aim to expand and run courses in ceramic sculpture and pottery as well as printmaking.
It is expected that people attending our sessions and courses get involved, help out by setting up, clearing up, taking it in turns to provide refreshments, and there are myriad of ways to help further by volunteering (the only folk currently getting paid here are the tutors and models……a paid administrator/manager will soon be necessary).
Upcoming courses with availability.
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Portraits of Zennor Thursdays and occasional weekends
Untutored portrait group painting portraits of Zennor folk. Friendly. All levels of experience welcome..
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1/2/3 Day Single Pose Life Drawing/Painting Sessions
A chance for us to engage in a more considered drawing or painting of one of our fabulous models taking on the same pose over 1, 2 or 3 days.
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Portrait Painting in Oils for Beginners and Improvers with Catherine MacDiarmid CBPP
A five day intensive covering the fundamentals of portrait painting in oils. Ideal for beginners and improvers and those wanting follow a process of drawing in paint, underpainting, and creating layers.
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Portraiture Explored with Anastasia Pollard RP
5 day intensive portrait painting course with Florence Academy trained artist educator.
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Introduction to Egg Tempera with Antony Williams VPRP, NEAC, CBPP
A 3 day introduction to the drawing up and egg tempura techniques Antony engages in his own portrait practice.
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Portrait Intensive with Andrew James RP, NEAC
Three Day Portrait Painting in Oils Intensive focusing on the fundamentals whilst allowing for expression.
INCLUSIVITY
We are keen to collaborate and work with all members of the community, and particularly encourage models, tutors, directors, volunteers, and attendees with lived experience. Whether disabled (including mental health), part of the LGBTQIA+ community, are Black, Asian, or part of another ethnic minority group.
We believe it is important to celebrate, learn from and respect the diversity of people, their skills, minds, knowledge, experience and bodies, no matter how they identify.
We are aiming to increase engagement from and collaborate with groups with lived experience and encourage contact from any interested persons and organisations.
Excellence & exploration
Over time it is anticipated that our focus will organically broaden out to incorporate seeing and representing other types of form as well as other forms of seeing/sensing/imagining/expressing - some of which may involve automatic drawing, parsonage, archetype, transpersonal and possibly art therapy. Allowing for exploration of the many facets of what it is to be a soul inhabiting the human form and psyche on this planet with all the man-made densely solidified constructs.
There will also be the need at times to contextualise practice in relation to art history, the contemporary art world and critical art theory.
