Noreen Melvin is a Visual Art and Art History teacher, teacher educator, facilitator, curriculum writer and assessor across early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. Working  in school leadership, the Ministry of Education, the Professional body for teachers and now a part time visiting lecturer for Te Rito Maioha a bicultural teacher education provider, has not meant a loss of emphasis on art teaching but ignited a continuing passion for art curriculum and the importance of Visual art for learning for everyone, the development of culture, identity and the health and well- being of communities. She is passionate about making drawing and painting approachable and enjoyable for everyone interested and has taught adult classes at the Wanaka Autumn art school and elsewhere for many years. The past four years she has organised with others an Art and You series of week-long workshops in Nelson with a focus on well- being and enjoyment through art making.

Course outline

In this workshop we will use drawing to record, observe, express ideas and thinking to build into painting. The workshop will introduce you to ways of working and thinking that will contribute to your own individual art practice and be the motivation to explore, play and generate art works.

The focus will be on a series of exercises to build exploration, thinking and composition through drawing and a focus on painting techniques, colour, layering, composition and application. It is very much a workshop about learning, seeing, exploring and applying. The class is suitable for any level of art making.

We will be working with acrylic paint as it gives us the opportunity for layering paint and working quickly.