Slow Looking – Drawing from Place
A two-day ‘en-plein air’ workshop
WITH NICOLE BOWLLER
Saturday 18th & 19th October 2025 | 10am - 4pm
Max. 8 participants
$650 inclusive of GST
(inclusive of all materials)
After pay available at checkout
Immerse yourself in a weekend of slow looking and making as you record your impressions of the late Lloyd Godman’s ethereal greenhouse with artist Nicole Bowller.
In this workshop we will explore the practice of working en-plein air, closely observing nature through a series of drawing and painting exercises and experiments recording our impressions of light, colour, form and place. Over the weekend we will build a rich set of personal recordings and observations and discuss the ways in which these can be used to create a body of work after the weekend.
Working in both the greenhouse and studio, we will explore ideas of slow looking, the art of the thinking hand, recording one’s experiences filtered through all of the senses, curiosity and the ways in which we each ‘see’ and record differently reflecting what interests each of us.
This workshop is suitable for beginners, as well as experienced artists, who wish to expand their drawing and observational practice.
Over two days, this workshop will cover:
a suite of drawing exercises designed to encourage ‘slow looking’ in the greenhouse, engaging with the delicate and varied Bromeliads atmospheric light and greenhouse architecture
experimentation with various drawing mediums – including, but not limited to, pencil, ink, charcoal and watercolour
exercises to explore and record compositional ideas and colour notes for future reference
discussion of the ways in which working plein air can inform a body of work outside of the workshop
case studies of contemporary artists working en-plein air
What will be provided:
pencils, inks, brushes, charcoal & watercolour materials
drawing papers
easels & drawing boards
What to bring:
sketch pad
apron
your lunch (tea & coffee will be provided)
your favourite drawing materials, watercolour and/or gouache
ABOUT NICOLE BOWLLER
Nicole is an artist, curator and designer who has been exhibiting since 2009. Her latest body of work, ‘Avant Gardener’, was created within Lloyd’s greenhouse over the course of many months. Nicole has travelled widely completing residencies and self directed artistic travel where she developed a passion for working en-plein air capturing the essence of a place. Her first two solo exhibitions were drawn directly from her travels - ‘Abundantia’, inspired by a nine month odyssey across Europe and ‘Meta Incognita - Unknown Edge / Mysterious Land’ which featured the vast landscape of the Arctic Circle, part of a 10,000km road trip across Canada. Her work has been included in prizes and group exhibitions in Sydney, Melbourne and Mparntwe (Alice Springs) where she completed a painting residency in 2014.
Alongside her artistic practice Nicole has worked as an independent curator and in the museum sector in institutions such as Arts Centre Melbourne and Heide Museum of Modern Art.
www.nicolebowller.com
@nicole_bowller
Workshop Cancellations & Refunds
We understand that circumstances can change. A refund will be offered in the following situations:
· if a workshop, in which you are enrolled, is cancelled or deferred to a date unsuitable for your attendance. This may happen in event of a Catastrophic Fire Danger day, or in the event a tutor is unwell.
· upon receipt of an email indicating your intention to withdraw your enrolment when notice is provided to us at least three weeks in advance of the workshop start date.
From the 1st of January 2025, due to merchant processing fees, all refunds will be incur a $35 administration fee.
Workshop Credit - Transfers
In the event you cannot attend a booked workshop, and with at least three weeks notice being given to us, we are happy to transfer your enrolment to a future workshop, dependant on studio availability and within 12 months of the booked workshops date.
