HOW TO LOOK SLOWLY: IMPRESSIONISM AND POST-IMPRESSIONISM

ArtsNational Coffs Coast (ANCC) and Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM) offer an in-depth workshop in the art of looking slowly at key artworks from the past and present to improve visual analysis skills.

Looking slowly at an Impressionist painting may seem counterintuitive, since Impressionism and Post Impressionism are associated with capturing fleeting, transient moments. Yet, although their works often appear to have been painted rapidly, these artworks frequently result from careful observation and planning. Close attention allows us to savour a moment that might otherwise pass unnoticed, appreciating the nuanced interplay of paint, colour, and texture. This presentation examines a small selection of works to explore these effects, highlighting the innovations of Impressionist style while developing visual analysis skills, encouraging viewers to engage deeply with both the technique and the ephemeral beauty of the scenes depicted.

The workshop will be conducted by Joanne Rhymer from the UK.

Since completing an MA at University College London (UCL) in the History of Art: Modernism and the Politics of Representation (1997), Joanne Rhymer has been employed in various roles at the National Gallery, including Adult Learning Officer and the Head of Adult Learning Programmes. In a freelance capacity, she has worked for prestigious learning departments in London galleries and institutions, including the Tate, the Hayward Gallery, Sotheby's Institute of Art and the National Portrait Gallery, as well as leading group excursions in the UK and abroad. She is currently a Panel Tutor for the Institute of Continuing Education at the University of Cambridge and teaches for the Wallace Collection and the Victoria&Albert as well as a range of private institutions. Her areas of specialism include 19th-century and early 20th-century French art, and her interests include the visual skills involved in sustained viewing of paintings.