Drawing and mindfulness: morning meditation
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
Choose a start date
- Course Code: VO315
- Dates: 17/06/24 - 21/06/24
- Time: 08:00 - 09:00
- Taught: Mon-Fri, Daytime
- Duration: 5 sessions
- Location: Online
- Tutor: Helen Burgess
Course Code: VO315
Choose a start date
Duration: 5 sessions
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
This course will introduce principles and practise of mindfulness in the context of drawing. Each morning there will be guided meditation to enable us to settle the mind and become quietly aware of our senses. The drawing exercises will be aimed at bringing about clarity and finding the pleasure in being present and aware. The structure of the course is 1 hour each morning over a week so that you experience the cumulative effect of a daily practice.
This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.
What will we cover?
• How to use the breath to focus the mind, how awareness of our senses can enrich our experience, and how these can be tools for everyday life.
• Different aspects of drawing, stimulated by the world around us. There will be exercises focusing on sensitivity to materials, spontaneity, light and shade, and memory and imagination.
• Simple activities combining meditation and drawing to bring about a sense of contentment, calm the mind and give rise to inspiration.
• Reflective conversations to share our own processes and responses in order to benefit from being in a group.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Employ the exercises we have done to set up your own 'mindful morning' routine
• Use mindfulness practises in daily life
• Meditate using the breath as focus
• Approach drawing from observation in a variety of ways
• Enjoy an intuitive approach to drawing.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is ideal for all levels and is not primarily aimed at those interested in drawing. This course is designed to expand your inner horizons in whatever your daily routines are. You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions to support demonstration, health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussions as part of a reflective process.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be guided through the exercises with live demonstrations showing practical application.
Group discussions will be facilitated by the tutor and will enable all attendees to participate and reflect. There will be no homework to be completed as part of the course but there will be optional practises and take away activities that you can continue to do during the day to support the week.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
All you require is basic drawing materials. This could be just pencil and paper or other materials that you like to use. You will be using things from your own home as subject matter for your drawings.
Need art supplies? Our partner London Graphic Centre has everything you need from pencil to printing services, at 15% off.
To get an LGC discount card, students will need to show proof/ confirmation of enrolment of them being a student at City Lit. You can apply for our card in-store or by simply emailing info@londongraphics.co.uk with a scan or photo of relevant confirmation. The student discount does not apply to products that are already discounted or on offer. More information can be found here- https://www.londongraphics.co.uk/student-discounts/.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
City lit offers a range of creative process and mindfulness courses ranging from 1 day workshops to 6 week courses. If you want to expand on your creative output why not enrol onto our explore your creativity course, 50 drawings in a day or art and creative thinking with Rod Judkins.
Helen is London-based artist who uses observation as her starting point. Her own paintings develop from a combination of drawings, memory and imagination. She studied Illustration at University of Arts Falmouth and completed the Drawing Year at the Royal Drawing School in 2008 where she now also teaches. One aspiration is to make a website so that her work can be easily viewed but there always seems to be something else she would rather be doing - like drawing! She loves the atmosphere of concentration in the life-room. She encourages students to find ways of mark making that are both disciplined and honest - a fine tuning of technique and a deepening of emotional engagement. Helen is a committed Buddhist and her teaching is informed by attitudes and practices from the Buddhist tradition, including meditation. This is especially emphasised in the Drawing and Mindfulness courses. Tutor's instrgram: www.instagram.com/helenkusalasara
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
