Deconstructing the Reference: 3-week Abstract Painting Club inspired by Cecily Brown

​Explore the tension between representation and abstraction in this three-week (6 hours) online summer course, inspired by the contemporary painter Cecily Brown. Together, we will explore how to draw from references that inspire us and deconstruct through paint.

​Designed to help you loosen your brushwork and lean into the energy of gesture, this course guides you through a step-by-step evolution from figuration to abstraction.

​Week 1: Drawing (6th August 10-12pm)

• ​Focus: Personal reference and ink work.

• ​Activity: Share artistic interests with the group.

• ​Practice: Sketch from personally meaningful references using fluid inks on paper.

• ​Goal: Capture the structural skeleton of your subject.

​Week 2: The Painterly Sketch (13th August 10-12pm)

• ​Focus: Colour theory and palette exploration.

• ​Activity: Translate ink sketches into vibrant "painting sketches."

• ​Practice: Experiment with Cecily Brown's signature earthy and flesh-toned palettes.

• ​Goal: Build block shapes and tonal depth through colour.

​Week 3: Painterly Gesture (20th August 10-12pm)

• ​Focus: Movement, mood, and deconstruction.

• ​Activity: Work directly from your week two colour studies.

• ​Practice: Loosen brushwork to let go of rigid figurative elements.

• ​Goal: Prioritise energy, motion, and emotional atmosphere.