SCOTTISH MARITIME MUSEUM LAUNCHES ‘SUNDAY SKETCHING’ SESSIONS IN COLLABORATION WITH IMPACT ARTS

SCOTTISH MARITIME MUSEUM LAUNCHES ‘SUNDAY SKETCHING’ SESSIONS IN COLLABORATION WITH IMPACT ARTS

Budding artists are in for a treat at the Scottish Maritime Museum’s new Solitude at Sea: Sunday Sketching Sessions led in collaboration with Impact Arts.

The artist-led Sunday Sketching sessions will run at the Scottish Maritime Museum on Irvine Harbourside between 11am – 1.30pm over four Sundays – 10 and 24 April, 22 May and 5 June.

The Sunday Sketching sessions are part of the events programme for the Museum’s Spring exhibition, Solitude at Sea.

Joining artist Rene Johansen, beginners through to more experienced sketchers and painters will take in the new exhibition and enjoy relaxing sketching across the Museum.

After exploring the exhibition themes of solitude and mindfulness in the creative process, Rene, who was born in South Africa and now lives in West Kilbride, will share helpful drawing techniques.

Everyone will then get a rare chance to explore and capture the Museum’s national heritage and arts collections up close including collection objects not currently on public display.

Participants can join one or more of the four sessions which will cover different techniques and areas of the striking collections each week.

On 10 April and 5 June, participants will sketch objects from the Museum Store and on 24 April and 22 May, they will capture some of Scotland’s most historic vessels.

Participants can also add their sketches to a new Solitude at Sea Mural Wall which will be on display until the exhibition closes on 5 June.

Announcing the new Solitude at Sea: Sunday Sketching Sessions, Nicola Scott, Exhibitions and Events Officer at the Scottish Maritime Museum, says:

We’re thrilled to collaborate with Impact Arts on our Solitude at Sea: Sunday Sketching Sessions.

“Sunday is a day to relax and take care of your wellbeing. What better way to do that than some gentle sketching with an artist in the light-filled and uplifting environment of our ‘Cathedral of Engineering’, the glass-roofed Victorian Linthouse?

“Rene’s interests lie in landscape, sense of place, space and belonging making her the perfect artist to help us all reflect on the links between wellbeing and creativity which are explored in Solitude at Sea.

“Our previous sketching workshops have sold out so we’re urging everyone to pop onto our website and book early to ensure their place.”

The Solitude at Sea: Sunday Sketching Sessions are priced £4 each with all materials included and suit participants of 16 years and up.

The Scottish Maritime Museum’s Solitude at Sea: Sunday Sketching sessions are run in collaboration with Impact Arts Artists’ Mentoring Programme. The programme, which is funded by the UK Community Renewal Fund, offers career development, training and mentoring opportunities to ten local artists across North Ayrshire. As part of the programme, each artist will also deliver community arts projects with local schools and community groups across the area.

The Scottish Maritime Museum’s Spring exhibition, Solitude at Sea, brings maritime artworks, diaries, literature and personal objects together to explore the themes of isolation and connection, from the past up to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Drawing on the Scottish Maritime Museum’s national art and maritime heritage collections, the exhibition reflects on life at sea, on oil platforms, lighthouses and islands and how creativity has been so significant through periods of separation.