Dyana Wells
I have been exploring many different styles of painting and mixed media this year, starting with a series of life portraits. These were developed from sketches I made at a life drawing class several years ago. A recurring theme of mine, ‘Mother and Child’ re-emerged.
Next came a series with amoebic forms emerging from and then floating in their ground. These arose in a very playful and spontaneous way, as a totally new way of painting for me. Two of these pictures are in a current exhibition.
Then I decided to become even more playful and experimental, and started making collages, using layers of tissue paper printed with gelli-plates. I was surprised at the mood and texture I could create in this way. At the moment I am creating detailed textured papers using loose weaved fabric and a printing press. These will be used to create abstract landscapes.
What I am noticing with all this experimenting is that I am remembering my childhood, the feeling of cutting and glueing and shaping, and the concentrated delight and absorption in my little tasks. The pleasure of competence and just being amongst the textures of my materials. Parts of me that had been forgotten are being reclaimed and re-membered.
I completed a Diploma in Art & Creativity at the learning Connection in 2020. I’m currently studying at the Waikato Society of Arts and have taken many face-to-face and online art classes. I’ve been teaching for over 35 years in many disciplines and look forward to sharing my knowledge and skills on the Laborartry courses.
Dyana Wells
BSc majoring in Botany and Zoology
MA (Hons) in Philosophy
Diploma in Yoga Therapy
MCW (Hons) in Creative Writing
Diploma in Art & Creativity
Dyana’s Courses for the Laborartry Arts School 2023
Experimental Printmaking
8 week course, Wednesdays, 6pm–8pm.
Begins March 2nd 2023
Gelli-printing is a very easy way of creating stunning mono prints which can then be displayed on their own, or used for further projects. Stencils, found objects such as leaves, leaf skeletons and fabric are used to create stunning impressions. The prints can be layered, and ghosted to create depth and interest. Really the limit to what you can do is your imagination.
$195 + $30 materials cost
Open Ground Art Studio, 24 Lily Street, Raglan. 6 students maximum.
Painting – Finding Your Voice
Adults, 3 days. 9:30am–4pm.
May 6-7-8, 2023
This course is a journey about navigating chaos and structure, intuition and thinking, bold and gentle etc – complementary orientations as applicable to your own life as to your painting life.
$195 + $30 materials cost
Open Ground Art Studio, 24 Lily Street, Raglan. 6 students maximum.
Super Sculpey Figurines Weekend Workshop
Adults, 2 days. 9:30am–4pm.
June 3rd–4th, 2023
In this workshop you will first learn how to build an armature for your figurine using wire, tin foil and masking tape. You will then develop the character of your piece by exaggerating one or more elements. We then use Super Sculpey to cover your tin foil/masking tape figure. Here the detail and character is developed and refined The figurine can be baked in an ordinary oven and painted.
$140 + $30 materials cost
Open Ground Art Studio, 24 Lily Street, Raglan. 6 students maximum.
