about us

Commited to excellence and safety

Studio Collective is committed to excellence in the teaching of visual arts and professionals of the highest quality are recruited through a network of artists, art teachers, studios, galleries, art schools and university departments. We offer Adult Courses in the visual arts and in digital media. There are afternoon and holiday classes and workshops for scholars and portfolio development programmes for those taking Art as a Matric subject or who require entrance to Tertiary institutions. In addition, Art Portfolio Critique and Visual Literacy Sessions are on offer to matriculants, tertiary students and practising artists.

An art session in progress at the Clubview studio.

Studio Collective provides a safe, nurturing environment where persons, regardless of age, artistic ability or technical skills are encouraged to participate in creatively stimulating open studio courses and activities as well as attend lectures and view demonstrations. Great value is placed on the recreational and therapeutic significance of creative artistic activities.

What we offer

Studio Collective collaborates with other studios and specialists. Art events, such as our successful drawing marathons, will continue.

Courses, lessons, demonstrations and lectures in a wide range of disciplines and subjects are on offer. Wherever necessary, an expert in a specific visual arts discipline is recruited for the presentation of a course, or lecture. Professionals are recruited through our network of artists, art teachers, studios, galleries, art schools and university departments.

Students participating in a Drawing Marathon doing portraiture (2009)

Mixed and Multi-Media

The opportunity exists for participants at Studio Collective to work creatively outside the conventions and traditions of studio based art and design disciplines. These creative pursuits fall under the following headings: Conceptual, Performance, Environmental, and Installation Art.

Origins

The concept and identity of Studio Collective was developed by John Clarke, Gillian Conry-Taylor and Catherine Gaum in 2007. Originally based in Irene, Studio Collective now operates as a collection of satellite studios.

Studio Collective staff settle in for a meeting in 2009:
Catherine Gaum, Toni van Jaarsveldt,
Gillian Taylor and John Clarke

March 25, 2010  

Satellite studios

CLUBVIEW STUDIO

The Clubview studio comprises a 38 square metre space with three double doors which open onto a large garden courtyard. The studio is equipped with easels, chairs, work tables, drawing boards as well as storage and cleaning facilities. The studio is situated in a secured area with ample parking space. Currently, drawing, painting and digital courses are run from the Clubview studio.

March 25, 2010  

EDUCATORS

STUDIO OWNER & EDUCATOR
Gillian Conry-Taylor attained a BA Fine Arts (Ed) at the University of Stellenbosch in 1981 and later the post-graduate Advanced Diploma in Art Practice at Unisa (cum laude) in 2005. She is a practicing artist and a dedicated art educationalist, her special interest and focus lying in the development and enrichment of the individual through art as personal process.

Gillian's background experience includes being Head of Costume Props at the State Theatre, running The Space art studio, teaching children at junior and senior level, presenting adult art courses, and executing private & corporate art commissions.

This experience inspired an ardent promotion of inter-disciplinary collaboration and exchange amongst artists.

She has taught art at private and state schools, her more recent appointment being Head of Art at Cornwall Hill College from 1998 - 2003, where she established the Art Department. Between 2007 and 2009, Gillian, together with two partners, worked as Studio Collective at the Sport and Art Exchange (SAX) development. Here she developed the Visual Arts Academy Programme, in partnership with Academy College ™, an IEB accredited visual arts specialist programme for secondary scholars. Here she also developed and taught her own course for adults – Awareness and Enrichment through Art as Process.

In 2010 Studio Collective relocated to the Clubview satellite studio, where she continuous to run courses for all ages and levels, whilst dedicating time to her own art practice.

Gillian runs the Clubview Satellite Studio, and specialises in the expansion and the enrichment of individuals and community through art as process.

March 25, 2010  

FREELANCE EDUCATOR

Marinda Botha studied Performing Arts at the University of Pretoria in 1999 before moving to the UK where she lived and worked for 8 years. She acted in theatre mostly, furthered her training in Mime and physical theatre and worked extensively in different genres of Puppetry. She also performed a one-woman show in the UK, centred around the theme of Alzheimer’s disease.

About two years ago, she returned to SA permanently and now resides in Centurion. Marinda’s experience in the UK has led her to develop a series of workshops for adults in Puppet manipulation and the construction of Rod- and Shadow Puppets. Most of her work focuses on bringing about an inner awareness of the self as a starting point for creativity. Marinda believes that the skills learned in theatre, such as clown and mask work, should be made accessible to all “non-theatre” people as well, as it teaches great life-skills. She also sees Puppetry in all its forms as a superb vehicle for symbolism and the communication of our unspoken and sometimes forgotten dreams, desires and ideals.

March 10, 2011  

FREELANCE EDUCATOR
Danie De Wet was born in Bethal in 1944, and obtained the following qualifications at the Pretoria Technikon: National Diploma in Higher Art Education (1966) and a National Higher Diploma in Painting (1985). In 1973 he also studied at the University if Newcastle-upon-Tyne and at the Akademie der Bildende K_nste, M_nchen. In 1993 he obtained a B.A. (Fine Arts) in painting at UNISA.

Among others, Danie has taught and lectured at the following institutions: Pretoria College for Advanced Technical Education (1967 – 1969) and the Pro Arte School (1969 – 1972). He has been lecturing at the Pretoria Technikon (currently known as the Tshwane University of Technology) since 1980, having held the following positions: Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in Painting and Drawing. He is currently also the Head of Foundation Studies in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts. He frequently acted as moderator at other institutions, such as at the Vaal Triangle Technikon and the University of Pretoria. He is also frequently invited to adjudicate at various art competitions, such as the Sasol New Signatures and the Absa Atelier competitions.

Danie de Wet has held two solo exhibitions and has participated in numerous national and international group exhibitions. In addition to private collections, he also has work in the Absa and Sasol collections.

He is currently working on a Life Odyssey series, in which he highlights certain glimpses of a perceived journey through life.

March 25, 2010  

FREELANCE EDUCATOR
Trevor Lloyd Evans graduated in architecture at the University of Pretoria. He has been in private practice since 1987 and has lectured in Architecture and Interior Design at the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Pretoria and the Tswane University of Technology, The Open Window and SA Desiign School. He has often been an examiner at these and other institutions. His architectural work has involved the design of residential houses, housing developments, schools, churches and office blocks. Projects include some award winning designs. In addition Trevor has specialized in architectural artist’s impressions of designs for other architects. He paints prolifically in the preferred mediums of water colour, gouache and oil. He has a keen interest in the history and theory of art and architecture.and is currently fascinated by Sacred Geometry and Gothic Revivalism.

March 25, 2010  

www.artscollective.co.za, editor: Gillian Conry-Taylor