The Society runs a number of one-day workshops, some of which are in so much demand that they have become one-day-a-month workshops. We have had workshops on sculpture, watercolour, pencil drawing, coloured pencils, drawing with the Japanese brush, flower painting, painting miniatures, pastels, pen & ink & wash, portraiture, linocutting and anything else members suggest if they can provide a minimum of ten participants. There is usually a maximum of fourteen in a workshop, to make sure that everybody gets a fair share of the tutor’s time. There is a modest charge of £10 for each workshop.  The usual hours for a workshop are from 10:30 to 16:30 – participants bring a packed lunch – and the tutors are all carefully selected for their expertise and their ability to put it across to others. The Society’s prices for workshops compare very favourably with others – £50 or £60 per day is not unusual – and our policy is always to keep the fees as low as possible as a service to members.

In 2005 we had an exhilarating experiment which went very successfully – a three day workshop with
Alvaro Castagnet, The internationally famous watercolourist. This cost £140, and was voted excellent value by the twenty participants. It is now our intention to repeat, and if possible expand, short workshops of this kind with artists with a national or international reputation.

WORKSHOPS 2008/09

Another diverse selection of workshops for 2008/9 is presently being organised and we hope there will be something to interest everyone, whatever your level of expertise. Fiona Haldane’s Pastel workshops and Allan Perera’s Oil workshops will again be run once a month, and there will be individual workshops or short runs on other subjects and/or media. Workshops normally run from 10.30-4.30 and cost £10. Please contact John Berridge on 01382 668572 to request more information. To book a place on any of the workshops please ring the Workshops Administrator Joy Scott on 01828 633811. If you book for a workshop and then cancel, you will be responsible for the £10 fee unless a replacement can be found.

Joy Scott, the new member of the Council, will be helping with the administration of workshops this year. Her number is 01828 633811. If you book for a workshop and then cancel, you will be responsible for the £10 fee unless a replacement can be found.

Workshop Programme, 2007/2008.

Date Tutor Subject
Sept 07 Fiona Haldane Pastels 1
Sept 29 Allan Perera Oils 1
Oct 06 Dr James Morrison Masterclass
Oct 13 Allan Perera Oils 2 Cancelled
Oct 19 Fiona Haldane Pastels 2
Oct 20th Allan Perera, rescheduled from October 13th
Nov 10 Allan Perera Oils 3
Nov16 Fiona Haldane Pastels 3
Nov 21 John Berridge Beginners Painting
Dec 14 Fiona Haldane Pastels 4
Jan 12 Allan Perera Oils 4
Jan 18 Fiona Haldane Pastels 5
Jan 26 Alfred Allan Painting Boats and Harbours
Feb 02 Liz Yule, watercolour
Feb 09 Allan Perera Oils 5
Feb15 Fiona Haldane Pastels 6
Feb 23 Elena Lopez-Nicoll Colour Theory & Practice
Mar 01 Liz Yule, watercolour
Mar 08 Allan Perera Oils 6
Mar 14 Fiona Haldane Pastels 7
Apr 11 Fiona Haldane Pastels 8
Apr 13 Spare
Apr 26 Spare
May 09 Fiona Haldane Pastels 9

Description of the Workshops
Most members of the Society will be aware of the structure and operation of the workshops. Nevertheless, new members will need to known how they operate, and because we have some new workshops this year I have included notes on those and on the tutors.
All workshops are from 10.30 until 4.30, in the Gallery and cost £10, so you will need to bring a packed lunch. All except Fiona Haldane’s pastel workshops are on a Saturday; whose workshops are on Fridays because she works on Saturdays. If you book a place in a workshop you are expected to turn up, and will be charged if you do not unless we can get somebody to fill your place.
Normally the tutor will give some instruction on the medium, and perhaps do a short demonstration, before setting you to work and coming round from one to another to give help and advice. All workshops have participants of mixed ability, unless otherwise specified – my beginners workshop, for example, which may be one other exception to the “all workshops are on Saturdays” rule. We have run out of Saturdays this year, so I have to try the experiment of putting my Beginners’ Workshop on a weekday.
At all workshops, bring something to paint, preferably something for which you have the copyright. If you are completely stumped here, the tutors will give you something to start you off. Photographs are allowed except for Dr.Morrison’s Masterclass.
The Tutors
Fiona Haldane, the Programme Convener of the Society, is a distinguished local pastellist whose work may be seen in the Eduardo Alessandro studios in Broughty Ferry or on her website www.fionahaldane.co.uk. Many competent pastellists in the Society – and outside, for that matter, began their careers in her classes or workshops - so although her workshops for the Society have a good regular following you need not hesitate to join if you are a beginner. Fiona will spend extra time with you to introduce you to the medium. The number of pastellists exhibiting in Society exhibitions has increased dramatically since our workshops started, and no doubt will continue to do so.
Allan Perera’s Oil Workshops are also developing a regular and enthusiastic following, but every year members who are new to oil painting join the workshops and are delighted with their results. Most people are using traditional oils, some use water-soluble oils and one or two paint in acrylics. If you are new to oils, get a minimum of materials to start with (ring Allan on 01764 6632175 or me on 668572 if you need advice), and Allan will give you more guidance at the first workshop. He is an established artist who works in oil and watercolour and his work can be seen on his website www.pereraliyanage.co.uk
John Berridge – that’s me! – takes the Beginners’ Workshop, which was started around three years ago for non-painters, despairing painters, befuddled painters or those who have been to painting classes where everybody else seems to know the terminology etc and now wish that they could do a basic course on materials and techniques. I explain the types and properties of the different papers, brushes and paints, then deal with colour theory and colour mixing, and the various watercolour techniques. That’s most of the morning; the afternoon is where all the participants get to have a go! Some of my work can be seen on the Society’s website www.dundeeartsociety.co.uk/memberswork
Elena Nicoll, is our Mexican member who was a University lecture in Fine Art before she came to Britain. This workshop is a little different from the others, since it concentrates on one important area of painting – Colour Theory. Elena was Head of Design & Lecturer at UNIMEX University, Mexico City. There is an outline of Elena’s workshop on the DAS website under “Breaking ∂News”

Alfred Allen is a well-known artists from Fife. His workshop is also a little different – it’s a themed workshop, on Painting Boats and Harbours. This is frequently a subject for painters in the Society, it should be very useful. Painters in all media are welcome.His work may be seen on his website at www.alfredallan.co.uk
Bookings & Enquiries
Joy Scott is helping with the administration of the workshops this year, and it is hoped she will gradually take over. Her telephone number is 01828 633811, and all bookings and enquiries can be directed to her, even if another number is given for particular workshops.
For Fiona’s pastel workshops – John Berridge 668572 or Fiona herself on 778577
For all other workshops and the Masterclass - Joy Scott 01828 633811 or John Berridge 668572.
All workshops run from 10.30 to 16.30 and cost £10, except for Dr Morrison’s Masterclass, which costs £20. There will only be ten places for the Masterclass, first come first served. Students in the Masterclass should bring a sketch or coloured study done in situ to work from, and their painting materials. Dr. Morrison works in oils, but he will not insist that students who normally paint in watercolours or acrylics must use oils. Use of a sketch or coloured study done outside as a basis for work in the Masterclass, however, is de rigeur.

Coffee/tea available, bring packed lunch. Ring me to book a place.

Further workshops will be announced when the details are finalized. As usual any requests for new or repeated workshops should be made to the President, John Berridge on 01382 668572, or by Email . Not all workshops have been repeated this year, largely because people failed to turn up when they had booked a place. Nevertheless, we can run workshops, new or repeats, provided that there is a minimum of ten members paying the fee – Members may have noticed that where attendance at the workshop has remained stable, we have continued to run them – Fiona Haldane’s Pastel Workshops now run throughout the year.