Taiwanese Artists’ Workshop at Calamvale

On Monday 16 July, Calamvale Community College welcomed three leading Taiwanese artists on campus to conduct practical workshops for our Year 9, 11, and 12 Art students.

These workshops were organised in collaboration with World Arts & Multi-Culture Inc. (WAMCI), a large and influential body that coordinates collaborative performances and activities across Brisbane. This organisation aims to stimulate, educate, and inspire through celebratory and interactive events such as the Brisbane International Arts Festival and the Taipei Puppet theatre. The College maintains a robust and productive relationship with WAMCI and as such, this workshop event was first and only one of its kind in Queensland.

Our Art students were privileged to receive instruction and critique from three renowned Taiwanese artists boasting Doctorate and Masters qualifications in Fine Arts. Students gained a wide breadth of artistic knowledge and practical skills in these workshops, as each artist mentored in a different painting form. Mr Wang Gow Chang – who maintains special interests in historiography, Chinese aesthetics, and landscape painting – focused on watercolour artworks. An ink painting workshop was led by Mr Hsiao Chu Sheng, who imparted his wisdom as a prolific artist with an idiosyncratic ink style and dry-dyeing background technique. The third workshop in oil painting was headed by Mr Liao Jih Yin – an Art Research scholar whose evocative works have featured in exhibitions worldwide.

At the end of these workshops, students entered their creations into the 218 WAMCI Arts Awards competition. Several of our young artists were recognised with awards commending their artistic achievement and workshop participation. Senior Art teacher and CAS co-ordinator at the College, Mr Peter Davis, has thanked these artists and congratulated all recognised students:

“It was a great opportunity for students to learn from international experts, broadening their perspective about cultures and artistic techniques.”

All students are encouraged to broaden their sensitivity and receptivity to international art and cultural practices by viewing works by these renowned artists, featured in the Modern Ink Painting Exhibition at the Chun Tian Gallery until 25 July.