The workshop that used almost nothing
The materials were cardboard, tissue paper and tape. What came out of them were paintings with a surface you could run a hand across.
That was the point of the 3D Textured Art workshop led by artist Thoraya Amin at the Art Centre, which concentrated on pulling ideas out of participants and finding inventive ways to develop them, then building raised texture into the work to enrich how the finished piece looks.
Using ordinary materials was deliberate. The session made the case that what a work needs is an idea and a way of handling it, not an expensive shopping list.
The workshop is part of an interactive art education programme run by the Art Centre of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities with the Bahrain Arts Society, alongside the first edition of the Almasyaf Summer Art Show, which continues until 5 September.
Two other sessions have already been held. Artist Sayed Hasan Alsari led a workshop on simplified approaches to abstraction, working from the basics of composition, drawing and colour to produce complete pieces.
Ahmed Anan followed with The Art of Sculptural Making, taking participants through shaping, moulding, casting and finishing in clay along with other materials, turning ideas into three dimensional works.
Two workshops are still to come. On Saturday, 29 August, artist Shaima Haji will introduce rug making using the tufting technique, from the basics through to handling the tufting gun, with each participant designing a piece of their own. It runs from 10am to 2pm.
The programme closes on Saturday, 5 September with The Art of Ebru, or water marbling, presented by Yousif Alaradi. Colours are floated and moved across the surface of water, worked into patterns, then lifted onto paper. That session runs from 10am to 1pm.
Those wanting to take part are asked to register in advance through BACA's social media accounts, @culturebah.
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