Workshop with Laura Summer: January 2014

Devotional Painting in the 21st Century Drawing from the Face of God             

to draw: to move continuously toward or after a force applied in advance; to extract the essence from...     Webster’s Dictionary

Jan 22/Jan 23

Eugene OR: Wednesday eve 7-9pm and Thursday 9-4

Eugene Waldorf School, Art Building

with Laura Summer

What is devotion? What happens when we devote ourselves to something through painting and drawing? What do we learn about the “object” and what do we learn about ourselves? Can I present an experience for my viewer without pictorial images? How can sacred art be contemporary, an expression of an experience in the present?

As we enter the 21st century, can we find ways to work devotionally in painting? Using a variety of media––watercolor, pastel, collage, ink, crayon, and poetry––we will explore this question. No previous experience is necessary. The techniques we will use are very forgiving and exercises can be worked with at many levels. Both beginners and advanced painters are welcome!

We often start with a contemplation of a cup and a related drawing exercise, then we go on to nature and then to a poem or prayer. No specific religious orientation is used, just the question of how can we devote ourselves to something greater?

Suggested Donation $60-120  All of the work at Free Columbia is based on an understanding of the importance of creating a free cultural space, therefore there are no set tuitions. Rather we offer suggested donation amounts based on what it costs to run courses. If you prefer it is possible to make a monthly pledge to support Free Columbia rather than making a one time donation.

Laura Summer is co-founder of the Free Columbia Art Course, a year-long program based on the fundamentals of painting as they come to life through spiritual science. Her approach to color is influenced by Beppe Assenza and Rudolf Steiner, also by Goethe’s color theory. She has been working with questions of contemporary religious art for 16 years. Her work, to be found in private collections in the US and Europe, has been exhibited at the National Museum of Catholic Art and History in New York City and at the Sekem Community in Egypt. She is a founding member of The Experimental Art Collective and Raising Matter-this is not a gallery.

Registration: marciaseymour@q.com  or 541 484-5234