Kerrie Lester’s third painting retreat at Daku was her busiest to date.  There was a difference this year in that much of the painting took place on the deck of the villa where Kerrie was staying, and it became a great meeting point for everyone and a useful storage for their work during the week. Something we’ll do our best to replicate next year.

Kerrie’s teaching style reflects her own exuberant, flamboyant embrace of painting – she has an overwhelmingly physical approach, almost wrestling the paint onto the canvas and mentally running alongside her ever-developing idea of what the picture will be. Christine Oxley, one of her students, described her as “quite out of the box in her teaching techniques. I woke up this morning already thinking about what she said -  it was a challenge for me not to use water as a medium and explore other types.”

Her main objective is to get her students to choose a subject then re interpret it with their individual slant: “Each student paints in a totally different way and I guide them individually to achieve the results that they desire and teach them ways to do that.”  To reproduce the scene to look like a photo is not encouraged! Christine Leaming talks of her constant push to excel: “Throughout the class she works with her students encouraging them to improve and push the boundaries, not paint the bathroom wall….which means don’t fill in, make every brush stroke count. She encourages us to use the paint with medium ( a liquid matt or gloss, thick or thin) which gives the paint more volume, keeps the lustre in acrylic paints whereas using water as a thinner results in a flat painting without any richness. So water is for washing brushes only!!”

The use of medium is a fundamental part of her teaching. She shows students how to use them to enhance the paint instead of using water. Mediums can help to give the painting the same effects as using oil paint: “so if you want to paint with very thick paint a la Ben Quilty, you use a medium to achieve that result;  if you want a to paint with glazing techniques another medium is used, and so on”.

Workshops took place on her deck at Daku Resort, and also out on location. She led trips into town to paint by the harbor and to capture images of the small, colorful market, a captivating sight, described by one student as “an experience in every way – there was so much happening – the people especially the children were so curious with their big brown eyes. It is an atmosphere unique to Fiji.” Choice of subject in the market varied enormously from close ups of the fruit vendors to paintings of the vegetables on display.

And then there were also portrait sessions using the Daku staff as models – something they undertook with many giggles at first, but great decorum and solemnity during the session.

Throughout the week there were a variety of trips to see the surrounding area and participate in Fijian life, from the simplicity of a rural village trip to seeing the operations of the local black pearl farm, the picture-postcard beauty of a swim in the lagoon on a beautiful Fijian beach and  a drink in the luxury Jean-Michel Cousteau resort down the road -  a complete snapshot of Fiji.

Several of the group mentioned the value they placed on having the chance to be surrounded by other creative artists and the inspiration they drew from their company. And as any good retreat should, they said “it gave me the opportunity to immerse myself  in what I really love and truly relax.”

Kerrie’s 2013 retreat takes place at the same time next year: 7- 14  September 2013

Elena’s painting retreat was a journey to new places for everyone. The journey to Fiji was just the beginning. It turned out to be a voyage of both artistic growth and self discovery.

The landscapes and seascapes that the group painted were explorations of new vistas, experiments with new techniques and exercises in viewing the world with a new perspective. Elena teaches a highly realistic style in which you see the glitter of sand beneath the waves and feel the leaves on the trees. She instructs the group both collectively and individually, showing everyone the objective for the workshop and then moving from person to person to guide a brushstroke, suggest a colour highlight, correct perspective and give constructive feedback.

On the first two days the group went to paint at Harman’s raintree near the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort 5 km down the road. It’s a well known landmark in Savusavu: a huge spreading raintree planted many years ago by Hector Harman, one of the early coconut plantation owners in Savusavu. His children are now grown up and living overseas with kids of their own, but they still have houses on the hill above. The raintree has direct access to the beach, and Elena’s class set up their easels on the sand. As the tide went out they took chairs and placed them in

the water to get a better view around the curves of the headland. This really put an end to the speed painting mindset. When painting “en plein air” (on location), the objective is to capture the essence of the landscape as quickly as possible as nature does not stand still to pose. Shadows move, the tide goes out, clouds appear and disappear, boats move in and out of view.  Painting on location is all about observing the landscape and interpreting it as quickly as possible. But the process of sitting in the water to paint changed the experience from one of simple observation to personally interacting with the environment. It brought a great sense of calm and peacefulness to the whole group so the speed of their painting slowed down. That’s when the group really acclimatized to “island time”. But that was not a problem as they had the opportunity to return to the raintree the following day to repeat the experience and complete their painting.

Later in the week the group visited the market and took in the scene; another day they went to the harbour to capture the boats. On a rainy day everyone set up their easels on the deck of Elena’s villa at Daku and painted under cover – and enjoyed easy access to coffee and cakes!

At the end, one workshop was dedicated to completing all the paintings from the week that were slightly unfinished. It was also an opportunity to cover the topic of how to paint a figure into those scenes. The students appreciated going home with fully completed paintings rather than lots that were slightly unfinished.

As for the self discovery – that is surely half the point of a retreat – to get away and find out about your relationship with painting and in the process, your relationship with yourself. By chance, several members of this group were re-assessing large chunks of their own lives. The remoteness and tranquility of Daku and the gentle, supportive nature of the group, made this a comfortable process. This was more than just a painting holiday – it was an opportunity to make peace with life.

Elena returns to Fiji in June 2013.

In September, Kerrie Lester was at Daku for her second workshop. One of her students, Christine Leaming, writes about the week and what she learnt.

It was a week was filled with painting, new experiences, laughter and relaxation. Each day began with a relaxing stroll along the waterfront, followed by breakfast around the pool. We then went up to the yoga shala, a lovely open sided platform above the resort, to paint the view and to complete the other paintings which we had begun in the market place or on the jetty.

Everywhere we were followed by the bubbly children and the curious townsfolk and I surprised myself at my ability to sit and paint with an audience!

And then each day ended sipping a wine as the sun set and sharing a meal at the poolside table with other guests. Our free time was filled with swimming, shopping, visiting the pearl farm and sightseeing.

Christine painting in the yoga shala, with Kerrie in the background.

Kerrie is passionate about painting and passionate about Fiji. She is an enthusiastic teacher constantly encouraging and pushing each of her students to observe and interpret what they see. She showed us how to achieve this through the use of surface preparation, using mediums with the paint and how to make the desired mark using brush or spatula.

As a result my painting is vastly improved and I am now confident to plan a good composition, tackle figures in the landscape, and to use colour and texture more freely.

So if you wish to be taught how to really use your paints and mediums, and unleash your artistic talents in an authentic Fijian environment, then join Kerrie in 2012 at Daku Resort … I know I shall!

Kerrie Lester’s 2012 art retreat runs from 8 – 15 September 2012. See the Paradise Courses page for more details.

“A picture tells a thousand words”, but which words do they speak?

Elena Parashko’s haunting painting of a marooned ship in a drought-devastated landscape was recently selected as a finalist in ANL Maritime Art Prize in Melbourne and then snapped up on the opening night. Elena, who leads a week at Daku next September, describes how she arrived at the idea.

Paintings not only work on a visual level, they also target the intellect and emotion of the viewer. A painting is an artist’s voice that carries their message into the world. But it’s not just a one way form of communication. The viewer also brings their unique personality and lifetime of experience to each artwork they engage with and this strongly influences their interpretation of the inherent message in the work.

As an artist, I am passionate about the creative process and the influence my work has on others. My observations, values and ideals are infused into each piece I craft but I also allow viewers to interact with my paintings and draw their own conclusions. I may pose questions through imagery but I do not dictate what response the viewer should have to it.

My painting, “Ever Changing Times”, was a fun on a technical level as I experimented with paint and mediums to create a parched earth effect. But delving beneath the surface, I also wanted to create a powerful painting that reflected current concerns about the impact of climate change on our environment. I did this by exploring an apparent contradiction in imagery. A ship sailing through the desert makes the viewer stop and think on a number of levels. “Ever Changing Times” was entered as a seascape in the ANL Maritime Art Prize in Melbourne, Australia – a bold move to enter a painting with no sea into a maritime art competition. But it must have struck a chord with the judges as it was selected as a finalist.

Proceeds from sales of paintings go to support Mission to Seafarers Victoria.

Elena comes to Daku from 1 – 8 September 2012 to teach a week entitled: Evoking the Elements : Tropical Seascapes and Landscapes.

Weaving voivoi mats is a traditional craft in Fiji and should you ever buy one, consider the many, many hours spent in their making. The actual weaving is the shortest part of the process.

Catriona learns voivoi weaving watched by Ella's family

Cutting the voivoi into strips

First the women gather the pandanus leaves, going out into the countryside to gather these long, sharp blade-like leaves. Then they boil them. Then they lay them out to dry in the sun (and quickly take them back inside if there’s a rain storm). Then they smooth out the long wrinkled leaves by pulling them back and forth over a metal rod or file. Now they are ready to cut them into thin strips and finally they can begin weaving.

Catriona and I worked out that it must take approximately 30 – 40 hours to make a 3m x 2m mat. She and I spent a fascinating 2 hours with 3 local women – Killara, Ella and Kata – watching and learning how to weave the mats.

Straightening the voivoi

Catriona had a particular interest in the voivoi mats as she is herself a fibre sculptor. Used to the art and craft of weaving, she was able to pick up the technique quickly – the rigorous sequence of bending one back, folding one forward, slipping one through….over and over. The intricacies of starting and finishing were something we never quite mastered, but Catriona managed to just about complete a small mat during our time with Ella finishing it off for her. I say ‘we’ but in actual fact I never tried: I just took the photos and chatted!

It’s very much women’s business, sitting around sociably and weaving together. Ella recounted tales of her mother teaching her the craft when she was about 16 – and unpicking an afternoon’s efforts because they weren’t good enough.

Starting the mat

Voivoi mats are used extensively in Fiji – enter just about any Fijian village house and you’ll find the floor covered with three or four mats. They sell in the market in Savusavu for anything from F$80 to F$200 depending on size – and when you appreciate the time and skill involved you realise that they are very good value.

The mat progresses

Catriona was at Daku for Lotus Sanderson’s yoga retreat; her work can be viewed at fibresculptures.posterous.comHer day job is running her own PR consultancy: www.cpcommunications.com.au

As cameras get better and better, lots of people now come armed with digital cameras that can be used underwater; others have small waterproof casings that they can load their camera into. As a result, we all have much better photos. But when you go out with a pro with all the gear – well!! It’s a quantum leap in quality. Normally they concentrate on the dive sites, but this time we went snorkelling to Charlie’s Point with Daniel Schwartz and he came back with some stunning shots.

Charlie’s Point is one of the shallower sites along Lesciaceva Reef just past the point where the Jean-Michel Cousteau resort is situated. We had great visibility that day and there was lots of both coral and fish life to be seen. And a special bonus was a huge spiral triton shell sitting on one of the coral pinnacles. Have a look at these great shots.

Daniel will be back to run a marine photography course in June 2012.

The delicacy and detail of botanical paintings is astonishing. With six days at their disposal, the artists still claimed they were pressed to finish by the end of the week – but their artwork was of a very high standard. Delicate heliconia, robust ginger, and the intricate lacy petals of a hibiscus were all on display as the painters bent over their boards in the classroom set up for them in the yoga shala. It is a beautiful spot to spend your time: a lovely view, a tranquil space and the companionship of all the others, chatting quietly, offering tips and giving support. Plus tea and coffee and cakes brought up during the morning! And of course the excellent teaching of Leonie Norton, who manages to squeeze unsuspected genius out of everyone.

The artists move into the yoga shala

It is unfair to single anyone out but……a special mention of Jeannette who has never done any painting before but produced a really stunning picture of a flowering ginger (Alpinia purpurata). She was there with her daughter Helen who had come to us as prizewinners of a competition run with Eckersley’s art shops: Helen painted a hibiscus (Hibiscus schizopetalus), with immensely delicate petals. Leonie taught her the value of painting in the petals in the foreground, but leaving those in the background half- coloured so as not to overwhelm the eye with detail.

Jeanette and Helen hard at work

Alva back for her third retreat at Daku

And another special mention: this one of Alva, who was back for her second week at Daku. She commanded a table to herself as she painted her heliconia and the tiny lines on the curled leaf beside it. On the next table Helen and Jean (yes, another Helen, with a Jean not Jeannette) concentrated on another variety of heliconia (Jean) and a red hybrid hibiscus Hibiscusrosa-sinensis (Helen) which she examined minutely through a large magnifying glass so as to capture every fold of its petals.
At the front table sat Mary and Kathryn, both of them tackling large plants – Mary a Heliconia rostrata, commonly known as the Lobster Claw, which you grows prolifically at Daku, and Kathryn a Heliconia caribaeaux x bihai. This was Kathryn’s first attempt and despite being anxious, she was thrilled with her beautiful final painting, which will be the first of many, I am sure. They patiently laid down their washes, sat back to let the paint dry, then bent over again to apply the next layer.

Behind them Dawn plugged herself into her iPod and was in another world of her own as she built up her picture. She completed a strong confident painting of a Heliconia psittacorum ‘Andromeda’, the Parrot Heliconia. Robyn was one of the only ones not using the colour red as she painted the delicate contrasting violet flowers and long dark green leaves of a plant growing profusely on the resort.

Marlene and another Dawn sat at the table at the back; more large, sturdy heliconia – one in dramatic reds and the other in pinks and greens. Marlene’s pendant Heliconia collinsiana ranged in colour from vivid orange-reds to deep maroons, with a light blush covering the bracts and huge leaves, which she also painted. Dawn’s painting was of the quite rare Heliconia wagneriana. The bracts are a delicate salmon-pink with soft lemon edges lined with vibrant green.

Marlene and her pendant Heliconia collinsiana

And so there’s everyone accounted for and special mentions all round. At the end of the week we pinned all the pictures up in the big bure and enjoyed the beauty and professionalism of all the work on display before our final dinner and reluctant goodbyes to a week of flowering talent.

Leonie Norton returns to Daku for her next course in March 2012.

It was a definite irony that the watercolour painting group (24 June – 1 July) spent their first two days surrounded by more rain than we had seen for a month. However, they hardly seemed to notice; instead, they applied themselves vigorously to their palettes and spent long laughter-filled days sketching, sloshing water onto paper, flicking around colours, experimenting with shapes and filling their minds and their sketch pads with all sorts of new things.

Of course the rain didn’t last forever; the wind blew the clouds away and so we all went to the beach…..and nearly got blown away ourselves. But most people pulled out a pad and started to capture the sight of the palm trees tossing around …here’s a photo of Jenny sketching, and here’s her palm tree too.

Malcolm Carver is a teacher with boundless energy. He taught long workshops that started after breakfast and spilled over into the early afternoon – and then still had enthusiasm to go out to the beach or take the boat snorkelling or dash off a picture for each and every one of his students before the week’s end.

It was a permanently and wonderfully happy group who turned out some equally wonderful work. Some of the artists were experienced watercolour painters; others had never done it; one was only focussing on charcoal sketching – but they all learned a great deal. And then in the evenings they sat around the long dinner tables of Daku learning each others’ stories, sharing jokes, meeting the other guests at the resort and celebrating the achievements of each day, come wind, rain or shine. And we had them all.

Malcolm’s 2012 Watercolours Painting Holiday will be 14 – 21 June, 2011. Read all about it here »

The June beading workshop had an extra community dimension to it. Teacher, Annlee Butler is a well established Australian beader who is the technical advisor for Creative Beading, one of Australia’s main magazines in this area. She set one afternoon aside to invite 9 local women – and one man – up to Daku to learn some new approaches.

Rosa Sui and others beading around the big table at Daku

All the women sell handicrafts for a living, with stalls at Savusavu market, the Copra Shed and the airport. They were delighted to learn a new skill relevant to their business – and they were fast learners.

“I was stunned at how fast they learnt everything,” said Annlee. “I didn’t know what to expect, how quick or slow they’d be – and they got it immediately – the right tension in the stitch so the beads snug up together, and the stitch itself.”

Lauren Byvank and Mira Wati

The stitch she taught them was the Dutch spiral, a fairly simple stitch based on two movements: pick up / go though / pick up / go through. She showed them how to use it with a bigger bead and a seed bead, creating a lovely tube-like effect of beads wound together in a soft rope. She wanted to show them something they could use with their local resources – and this stitch is ideal for using with pearls.

Annlee shows Lauren and Angela a stitch

Getting new ideas is an important business asset for the women, who are always eager to add to their wares and have different items to sell. It was also very rewarding for the other beaders who were in Annlee’s workshops. Annlee had taught them the stitch in the morning so they could help help with demonstrating the stitches. They really enjoyed the afternoon, sitting chatting with the women as they worked. Later that week they went to the market to see the women and were delighted to find that they were already selling necklaces using the new stitch!

Annlee and Koletta Tukana

Elena Parashko, who comes to Daku to teach a week of Seascape painting in August, is a regular contributor to a number of art magazines. In this article she reflects on the need to sometimes step back and give yourself a break.

Being Kind to Yourself

In every artist’s life there are times when it is difficult to focus and actually create art. When this happens, take time out to reflect on your experiences, thoughts and feelings. Be honest with yourself. Recognize if you are just procrastinating, whether life’s everyday problems are getting in the way of creating or if you have a real crisis to deal with. Then you will know if you need to hold yourself accountable to your goals and just get on with the work or if you need to be kind to yourself and resolve major issues first.

There are 3 main reasons why you may find it difficult to concentrate on being creative:

1. Procrastination
Even if we have very clear goals and know what must be done to achieve them, sometimes we will do almost anything else to avoid starting. This self defeating behaviour may be caused by a fear of the blank canvas – for 10 strategies to deal with this see my online article “Overcoming the Fear of the Blank Canvas.” Maybe you are procrastinating because you have not yet established a disciplined work ethic. Then devise a routine that fits the demands of your life. Perhaps you are not inspired by the work. Then look at the piece in a new way and find a challenge in it that will motivate you. If you have a fear of rejection, then accept that “No” is not personal and comes with the territory in the arts. If you are being distracted by other people or obligations, then give your artwork the priority it deserves by placing it above other demands and not just fitting it in if there is time left over. If you are not sure how to proceed with a project; then ask questions, do some research and find out where to begin. If you realize you cannot meet a goal, don’t beat yourself up about it and not even start. Just change the parameters of the goal to make it achievable. The best cure for procrastination is to get started in whatever way you can. Once immersed in the creative process, the rest will take care of itself.

2. Life’s problems
Everyone has problems to deal with. These may range from annoying distractions to more complicated issues that require your time and attention. While resolving problems, keep them in perspective and don’t use them as an excuse not to work. Art doesn’t just have a therapeutic effect on the viewer; it can be the best medicine for the artist as well. Creating can act as a release valve to externalise internal conflict and stress. Initially you may have to go with the creative flow and let what ever is inside express itself rather than trying to create what was planned. Experiencing and dealing with problems is a normal part of life. As such they can actually inspire artwork with universal themes.

3. Crisis
When a real crisis hits you, then be kind to yourself and give yourself permission to temporarily put your artwork on hold if you need to. You may feel physically exhausted, emotionally drained or so depleted of resources that you have nothing left to give to an artwork. Forcing yourself to paint under these circumstances can be counter productive. You will not produce your best work and may even be using it as an escape to avoid dealing with serious issues in your life that need to be addressed. Self imposed work pressures may be enough to push you over the edge from a state of coping to feeling completely overwhelmed. If you have a physical or mental health crisis, your first priority is to get yourself well and give your body and mind time to rest and recover. If you have an emotional crisis, then allow yourself time to go through the grieving process. If you are facing a social crisis, then deal with that personal relationship or be there to support a loved one. If you are struggling through a financial crisis, then make it a priority to do what is required to support yourself.

When you have a passion for art, it can never be lost. The creative spirit will find a way to express itself in one form or another as you are able. All these challenges will require you to draw upon strength and resources you never imagined you had. And when the crisis is over, returning to your art may be a very important part of the healing process.

“Being Kind to Yourself” by Elena Parashko as published in Professional Artist Magazine
www.ProfessionalArtistMag.com

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View details of Elena’s upcoming Seascapes and Landscapes Painting Retreat at Daku Resort in August this year.
Elena Parashko is an artist, teacher and writer based in Sydney, Australia. Her artwork can be viewed at www.elenaparashko.com and she can be reached at info@elenaparashko.com