Cairns Art Society, ArtEscape Queensland Australia Artist in the North 2007 Workshops held in Cairns Queensland Australia

CAS Cairns Art Society in tropical North Queensland Australia. ARTescape Expo 2007

After the resounding success of ARTescape 2006, the Cairns Art Society is continuing with a bigger and better ARTescape2007, 23 - 27 July at the Tanks Art Precinct in Cairns. The Tanks were originally wartime storage facilities and have since been converted into open studio and gallery spaces ideal for tutorial workshops and set in a Botanical Garden.

Interstate and overseas Artists escaped the winter and spend 5 days getting to know their tutor's best kept secrets and tips in our perfectly mild climate of the tropics. ARTescape 07 brought together a considerable volume of talent and experience at this unique venue in the tropics. Being set in the Botanical Gardens lended itself to the influences of the natural realm, ideal to inspire you. Accordingly, birds, plants, flowers and landscapes were high profile themes in the workshops.

Once again, top line tutors in oils, pastel, watercolour and acrylic were present: Colley Whisson, Lyn Diefenbach, Malcolm Beattie, Ev Hales, Peter Griffen, Garry Duncan, Paul Margoscy, Claire Souter and Michael Ferris.

This year had and addition of something new and different. Local art tutor and psychologist Robyn Ressom hosted a workshop titled ART as THERAPY.

The Tanks Art Centre was the perfect venue for this event, providing a unique setting for the hosted 10 workshops and participants.

Colley Whisson impressionist oils painter is a regular contributor in Australian Artist magazine and popular accomplished tutor. Colley taught beginner to advanced and his course was a wonderful journey into impressionistic painting, delving into tight contrasting with loose brushwork

Lyn Diefenbach is a talented and enthusiastic artist in oils and pastel. Her work covers a myriad of themes- portraiture, florals, landscapes, seascapes and still life. Each is imbued with her fascination for the interplay of light with her subject. Her recognition of tonal values, colour and edges combine with her drawing skill to create works that demand - and repay in full - attention.

Malcolm Beattie conducted a watercolour class for intermediate to advanced students and will demonstrate his unique process. Malcolm has released a book and holds regular workshops around the country including from his studio in Melbourne. This was Malcolm’s second visit to Cairns following a very popular class at ARTescape 06.

Ev Hales (watercolour) has over 30 years experience as a teacher and artist, with an excellent of a range of media, but her love is watercolour. Ev is very popular with the students and part of her course will involve at least one outdoor session and focus on landscapes, buildings, painted in traditional watercolour. Students were pushed from their comfort zone and learned to deal with those all important “darks”. See Australian Artist issue 220 for Ev’s 8 page article.

Peter Griffen is well known for his abstract expressionism and has a large following in the southern states. His works are vibrant and full of movement. Peter unlocked the creative side and stimulated the imagination. Participants experienced the freedom of making a mark and using colour. Beginners to advanced students thoroughly enjoyed Peter’s class, as in 2006.

Gary Duncan Creating order from chaos, using symmetry of shapes in nature, and mastering the application of colour expanded the student's range of techniques and skills in this contemporary landscape workshop. Strong colours, textures and designs, rich in detail, make powerful statements.

is recognised as one of Australia’s best wildlife artists. With a love of drawing from an early age, by 1978 he had made wildlife art his specialty. An internationally acclaimed ornithological artist, Paul is the only Australian chosen to exhibit in the prestigious “Leigh Yawkey Woodson Birds in Art Show” in the US for 2 consecutive years. Commissions include a stamp issue of waterbirds for Australia Post in 1991 and in 1994 a series of endangered species for the United Nations.

Claire Souter is a celebrated local artist and popular tutor, since moving to Cairns in 2002. She has developed her own unique style, resulting in a solo exhibition every year since 1989. A fascination with tropical flora, she transports the perfect botanical specimen to another level. She has won numerous awards for her work and in 2006, Claire won First Prize in the Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize. The Claire Souter Gallery is located in the beautiful rainforest village

Michael Ferris Flowers offer an endless array of colours and shapes to inspire the artist. Facilitating the special qualities of watercolour – light, shade and shadow – students learned to skilfully add depth to give a glowing impression. Explored the simple relationship between shadows and reflected light on surfaces. Including crystal in the composition that added that extra sparkle.

Robyn Ressom is a local award winning artist. Her professional life has been a continuation through different mediums of the creative process. Since beginning a career as a photographer, she has worked as a fashion designer, sculptor, ceramicist, silk and oil painter, and writer, managing her own retail outlets and galleries. Understanding the influence of creativity as a healing medium, her expertise as a trained counsellor is enhanced with the principles of art therapy.

Interested in ARTescape 2008
please contact us here

Use the links here if you wish to view
all the photographs taken from the
2006 and 2007
ARTescape - Winter School in the Tropics.