14 – 21 August, 2010

In this art holiday course you will learn how to paint the basic elements of any seascape and landscape in a realistic style. You will learn how to paint sky and clouds, beach scenes with sand, rocks and a foam wash, how to capture the movement of waves with ripple effects as well as mountains landscapes with coconut trees and other vegetation. We will be using acrylic paint in Fiji but the techniques learned can be successfully applied to oil paints when you return home. Each workshop is structured around a group demonstration of a particular subject followed by individual tuition. We will be covering aspects of art theory such as designing balanced compositions, blending techniques, aerial perspective and linear perspective, colour mixing, creating the illusion of texture, tone as well as the use of light and shadow. All skill levels are welcome from beginners through to experienced painters. We will be creating a new painting each day.

Elena Parashko is an artist, teacher and writer from Sydney, Australia. She exhibits her paintings in galleries in Sydney, London and Malaysia and has been a finalist in the ANL Maritime Art Prize in Melbourne from 2006 – 2009. Elena has received a number of corporate and government commissions with her artwork held in private and corporate collections throughout the world. In 2006 she was a finalist in Sydney Business Review’s “Business Woman of the Year”.

Elena’s artwork has been featured in Australian Artist magazine, Artist’s Palette, Australian Decorative Painting, Ocean, Fine Art and Decorative Painting, Honestly Woman, Modern Home and My Home magazines. Elena regularly contributes step by step painting demonstrations to the English magazine Leisure Painter. She is also the writer of a monthly series on learning to draw for Fine Art and Decorative Painting magazine in Australia. Elena is a contributing writer for the American magazine, Art Calendar, with a monthly motivational article for artists.

Elena is a trained teacher with a certificate in Visual Arts, Bachelor of Education and Masters in Adult Education who enjoys teaching art to children and adults. She has over 20 years teaching experience. She also acts as an art therapist to intellectually and physically disabled adults. She sees her challenge as to inspire others, no matter their circumstances, through sharing her passion for artistic creation – the process as well as the product.

Elena’s artwork can be viewed on her online gallery at: www.elenaparashko.com

Programme

The programme is structured around morning workshops, with afternoons for activities and free time to enjoy a spa massage, snorkelling on the reef, relaxing by the pool or carrying on painting.

Saturday 14 August
Travel to Nadi and on to Savusavu.
6.00pm:  Welcome ceremony.
7.00pm:  Dinner

Sunday 15 August
9.30 – 12.30am Workshop 1
- How to use a viewfinder to select a composition
- Painting sky and clouds
- Blending techniques
1.00pm: Lunch
2.00pm: Coconut demonstration
Afternoon: Free time.
7.00pm: Dinner

Monday 16 August
9.30 – 12.30 am Workshop 2
- Painting the view down a beach
- Perspective lines of waves
- Colour mixing
1.00pm: Lunch
Afternoon: trip to Savusavu Town to see local market and shops
4.00pm: Tapa making demonstration
7.00pm: Dinner

Tuesday 17 August
9.30 – 12.30 am Workshop 3
- Painting the view out to sea
- Ocean ripples and waves washing onto sand and rocks
- Creating the illusion of texture
1.00pm: Lunch
2.00pm: Beach / boat outing
7.00pm: Dinner

Wednesday 18 August
9.30 – 12.30 am Workshop 4
- Painting a landscape with mountains, vegetation and huts
- Tone
- Aerial perspective
1.00pm: Lunch
4.00pm: Walk up hill behind Daku (optional – pretty steep!)
7.00pm: Dinner

Thursday 19 August
9.30 – 12.30 am Workshop 5
- Painting coconut trees, tropical vegetation and/or flowers
- Light and shadow
1.00pm: Lunch
6.00pm: Drinks at savusavu Yacht Club and dinner in town

Friday 20 August
9.30 – 12.30 am Workshop 6
- Use a viewfinder to choose and paint your own subject using elements learned in previous workshops
1.00pm: Lunch
4.00pm: Visit to village for meke (traditional dance)
7.00pm: Final lovo dinner

Note: the order of workshops may vary depending upon weather conditions.