Adding a splash of colour to an already event packed Fourth Week, the Trinity Arts Workshop hosted a vibrant Paint Splatter Session in their studio on Pearse St yesterday afternoon. The event promised a catharsis through colour and an opportunity to “express your inner angst or joy”. This rhetoric proved effective as many budding artists and chaos seekers attended, eager to try out this accessible form of art.
The studio itself is a blank canvas, with high airy ceilings and bright walls. This quickly changed, as the space was transformed into a battlefield of paint, colourful brushes flicking through the air. Before people branched off to create their own personal pieces, everyone in unison attacked the large sheet, creating quite a marvellous and eye catching spectacle of art.
As one would expect, the aesthetic of many finished products reflected the abstract expressionism seen in the likes of Mark Rothko or Jackson Pollock’s work. However, thanks to the laidback atmosphere and ambient music, the artwork had a nuanced, but genuine ease. Just looking at the paintings one could see that they had been fun to create. Even considering the simplicity of splatter art, the variety of colours and patterns produced was remarkable. One piece was a riot of colour, the other a sophisticated collection of blues.
The therapeutic nature of the work was mentioned, with participants saying that the session was “simple, relaxing fun”, just what you would need coming to the end of a busy Fourth Week. The physical nature of striking a paintbrush whilst creating something beautiful is purgative and something we should all try. Also, it is hard to get wrong, as the end result is almost always uniquely sublime.
Trinity Arts Workshop’s mission is to “promote the practice of arts and craft in Trinity”, something they undoubtedly achieved this afternoon. For those who are intrigued by this anarchical showcase, Trinity Arts Workshops offer a varied range of classes and workshops, from watercolours to ceramics. More than enough, surely, to quench everyone’s artistic thirst.
