Desert Calling Art Camp offers Plein-Air painting and drawing exploration in the Outback led by Rena Czaplinska-Archer.

If you feel the Desert “calling you” and you are ready for some authentic desert experience away from noisy tourist tracks - come and join our week-long Outback Art Camp located in the rugged comfort of the former Sheep Station and since 1970's a UNSW Arid Zone Research Station in Fowlers Gap on the edge of the mysterious and beautiful Simpson Desert.
Let go of stories, what you know, what to expect and allow yourself to become a beginner. Enter into a “silent conversation” with the vast horizons and intimate spaces during a week of walking along the goat tracks and painting in the dry riverbeds full of changing colors and moving shadows, where sound of birdsong and wind grow into vibrating with life symphony, healing the senses and nourishing the heart.

Painting together in a small group of six to seven artists with all levels of experience, led by the experienced artist and art teacher Rena Czaplinska-Archer, will enable each person to explore their developing skills though sharing our experiences. Beginners can easily join and be introduced to the foundational elements which make sketching and painting plein air so enjoyable.

5-6 artists and art students including beginners, intermediate and experienced painters

The itinerary can include any of the following:

Sketching trees in dry riverbed - allowing to warm up using pen and charcoal and for beginners to receive the foundation training
Draw and paint by the Dam using acrylic, ink or watercolours on paper
Quartz ridges and far views - to explore different scales of far horizons and close studies of rocks
Day of rest and painting/drawing in the dry riverbed nearby
Whole day trip across the plains to visit Billabong and paint sitting in the shade by the water
Walk to black rock and tanks hill to paint the large panorama

COST: $3,300 including

- Transport from Broken Hill to Fowlers Gap and back
- 6 night’s accommodation and all meals in Fowlers Gap
- Starting with dinner on Tuesday 22/04
- finishing with breakfast/brunch on Monday 28/04
- Single rooms with king size beds and sheets, + aircon
- Your own studio space on the enclosed veranda
- One or two students may stay longer with extra costs TBC

DAILY PROGRAM:

- Mornings will begin with a somatic focus on Qigong to open and tune our perceptions.
- Each day we will explore different landscapes with potential free time in the afternoons (for those who need to rest)
- In the evenings we will share our experiences over dinner and Rena will talk about the landscape painting techniques in history and show the work of other contemporary Australian desert painters

CONDITIONS:

general health and good fitness level is your responsibility
health and travel insurance is your responsibility
travel to Broken Hill is your responsibility
Before booking you must make contact with Rena to introduce yourself

Enquiries: renaoffice@gmail.com.au

NOTE: you need to make your own way to Broken Hill by car or plane or Outback Explorer train - travelling from Sydney Central on Mondays and returning back to Sydney on Tuesdays. If coming by train you need to book room in Palace Hotel on 21 April and 28 April