Back by popular demand is the RQAS Workshop Festival! This time around there will be a range of workshops covering acrylics, oils, drawing and much, much more, spread out over the entire month of March.

The Festival will also be run in conjunction with the biennial Young Artist Award, and to start things off we will be holding an Open Day on Saturday, 7th of March; all are welcome to attend! Held at both Petrie Terrace Gallery and at off-site locations, this is the time to try something new and see what Brisbane tutors have to offer.

In this immersive oil portrait painting course, participants will have the opportunity to learn directly from award-winning figurative and portrait artist Dylan Jones. Designed for artists at all levels, this course offers a fresh and expressive alternative to conventional portraiture training. Rather than focusing solely on anatomical precision and technical likeness, Dylan’s approach emphasises capturing the essence, vitality, and character of a subject.

Throughout the programme, students will explore the foundational elements of Dylan’s artistic practice: composition, colour balance and mark making. These core concepts will help participants grow not only their technical skills but also their artistic intuition.
A key feature of the oil painting course is working from a live model, giving artists the invaluable experience of observing the nuance of light, form, and subtle shifts in expression. This direct observation encourages spontaneity helping to demystify the process of portrait painting and remove the fear that often accompanies this genre.

Dylan’s supportive teaching style creates a supportive and collaborative environment where experimentation is encouraged and creative growth is the goal. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how to bring personality, mood, and life into their portraits.

When: Saturday, 14th of March, 10am to 2pm

Ticket price: $125

Location: Upstairs studio gallery, RQAS Petrie Terrace Gallery (unit 3/162 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane)

Materials list:

Oil Paint (Dylan recommends Winton 37mL tubes but students are welcome to bring paints they already have).

Reduced Palette (What is required):

• Titanium White
• Ultramarine Blue
• Cadmium Lemon Hue (Cool Yellow)
• Alizarin Crimson Hue (Cool Red)
• Burnt Sienna

Extended Palette (For those wanting to explore further colour mixing):

• Cad Red Deep Hue (Warm Red)
• Phthalo Blue
• Raw Umber

1 x canvas 30x40cm is good size. Or something around that size and ratio

Other Supplies:

• Please bring paint brushes and a palette knife
• Linseed oil will be provided if required for thinning paints
• Rags will be supplied
• Please don’t bring solvents

You can pick up all these materials at your local art shop or from Officeworks.

This workshop is suitable for attendees of all experience levels, and for both teenagers and adults. Make sure to purchase tickets soon via the link below as spaces are limited!

**Please note** this workshop will be held in the upstairs studio gallery which is only accessible via a flight of stairs.

As a part of the RQAS Workshop Festival, join Kimi Schieren in an evening of relaxed, creative fun! Participants will have the chance to put together a set of earrings and a bag charm from a wide range of handmade leather goodies Kimi has made especially for the course.

No prior skills required, simply come along to create something fun to jazz up your next outfit, pretty-up an old bag, or make something cute to add to your keys.

It’s the perfect after work activity with friends, family, your work mates, or come alone and make friends on the night!

Ages 12+ as the fiddly bits might be tricky for little fingers.

When: Friday, 20th of March, 6pm-8pm

Ticket price: 

• $95 for RQAS Brisbane Members
• $105 for non-members

Location: Upstairs Studio Gallery at RQAS Petrie Terrace Gallery (unit 3/162 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane)

This workshop is suitable for attendees who are 12 years and older. Make sure to purchase tickets via the link below soon as spaces are limited!

Tutor Bio:

Kimi Schieren is a Brisbane-based designer and illustrator, with a focus on creating pieces that make people stop and smile. Her works are adorned with signature motifs like crocs in cowboy boots, cheeky-looking prawns, eyes and tattoo-flash-inspired imagery.
Kimi takes great pride in sourcing her leather and hardware from sustainable, local suppliers as well as sourcing vintage and second-hand where possible. All the purses, handbags and earrings are made from scratch in her home studio in Brisbane from patterns developed over the last 8 years. What started out as a solution to Kimi’s struggle to find a fun leather handbag has turned into a very enjoyable and rewarding side hustle.

**Please note** this workshop will be held in the upstairs studio gallery which is only accessible via a flight of stairs.

Marvellous Mugs: Creating in Clay & Surface Decoration with Carys Martin

As part of the RQAS Workshop Festival, ceramic artist Carys Martin invites you to slow down, get hands-on, and explore the joy of decorating functional ceramics in this popular Marvellous Mugs workshop.

Held at Carys Martin Ceramics (offsite from Petrie Terrace Gallery), this relaxed and welcoming session focuses on surface decoration and personal expression. Participants will each receive a leather-hard, wheel-thrown mug form to work upon, allowing you to concentrate fully on texture, pattern, and design without the pressure of throwing the form yourself.

You’ll be guided through a range of decorative techniques including carving, mark-making, applied elements, and subtle use of colour to create a mug that feels uniquely yours. Once complete, pieces will be fired and glazed by the studio and ready for collection a few weeks later.

✨ Ideal for:

• Those curious about ceramic surface decoration

• Art lovers keen to try something new during the RQAS Workshop Festival

• Anyone who loves handmade, everyday objects

• Beginners through to experienced makers

All materials, tools, firings, and glazing are included in ticket price.

When: Saturday, 21st of March, 10am-12pm

Ticket price: $100 members $115 non-members

Location: Offsite at Carys Martin Ceramics – Unit 11, 7-9 Grant St, Cleveland

Suitable for beginners through to more experienced makers, this workshop encourages playful exploration and slow, mindful making. This workshop is also suitable for teenagers, but we do ask that younger teens should come with a parent of guardian.

Make sure to purchase tickets soon as spaces are limited!

**Please note** this workshop is held at an offsite location which attendees will need to organise their own transport to be able to attend.

In this 2 hour, classically oriented tutored life drawing session, Scott Breton will provide you the two core approaches he uses to rapidly improve your ability to see in spatial, anatomical and gestural essentials. This will give a good overview of what he teaches in longer figure drawing courses and provide you with actionable drills you can take away and practise by yourself.

The core approaches are:
1. a specific strategy for seeing the figure overall in accurate proportions and simple terms.
2. building the forms of torso (the central nexus of the figure and origin of gesture) by drilling down into key anatomical points.
Scott will introduce the activities by demonstrating them and then go around the class and demonstrate individually where helpful.

When: Wednesday, 25th of March, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Ticket price: $65 

Location: Upstairs studio gallery, RQAS Petrie Terrace Gallery (unit 3/162 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane)

For materials list visit  https://scottbreton.art/materials-list

Attendees much be 18 years or older for this course and this workshop is suitable for attendees of any experience level. Make sure to purchase tickets soon as spaces are limited!

**Please note** workshop will be held held in the upstairs studio gallery which is only accessible by a flight of stairs.

Post-pandemic I am focussed on my artwork, research and writing about aesthetic philosophy and art practise, and teaching regular workshops about drawing, anatomy and composition.

Everyday Nature Sketchbook with Deb Mostert

This workshop will involve getting into a daily habit of nature drawing in the context of a sketchbook. With a simple kit of materials, you can carry with you everywhere, you will discover that you can be opportunistic about drawing from the natural world, and this can help get us into daily creative habits of observation, discovery, and wonder.

We will run through different drawing exercises and practise our skills. We will explore the versatility of pen, ink and watercolour as a fast and fun way to record what we observe in the natural world. We will look at mark making and try different types of ink media in soluble and non-soluble with the addition of quick watercolour washes and glazes. Our subject matter will include found objects, taxidermy and field trips outside.

When: Saturday, 28th of March, 9am to 4pm (allows 30min lunch break and tea/coffee breaks as needed).

Ticket price: $150

Location: Upstairs Studio Gallery, RQAS Petrie Terrace Gallery (unit 3/162 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane)

Materials list:

• Essential – A5 or A4 sketchbook with pages suitable for wet media e.g. 150gsm-200sm paper. eg Fabriano Venezia Art Book hardback, or Stillman and Birn Alpha series soft or hard cover.
• Something to draw with (both soluble and non soluble) eg Pigma Micron PN (permanent) in brown or black, Artline 200 fineliner (water-soluble) black, 2B mechanical pencil, water-soluble coloured pencils, biros, fountain pens etc.
• Other materials: Large Pental Water brush, best quality watercolour tube paints or a travel kit… eg warm and cool of each primary Blue, Yellow, Red plus Sap Green, Naples Yellow (Daniel Smith), Paynes Grey and or a violet/purple of choice
• Don’t go out buying heaps, except a sketchbook… bring what you have, and we will chat about what you might supplement your kit with.
• BYO Lunch

This workshop is suitable for attendees who are 16 years and older. Make sure to purchase tickets soon as spaces are limited!

**Please note** this workshop will be held in the upstairs studio gallery which is only accessible via a flight of stairs.

Workshops for Kids and Teens

CALLING ALL CREATIVE TEENS!! As a part of the RQAS Workshop Festival, Kathy Sullivan will running a workshop for teens where using Charcoal and acrylic paint, you will have the opportunity to learn about one-point perspective by creating your own cityscape!

Students will received a vague image mapped out onto the canvas boards and this will lead to a discussion about one point perspective.

They will then be guided through creating a sky and then filling in the shapes of the buildings, the use of tones to create background and foreground and then how to use charcoal to emphasise details on the buildings, and finalise your artwork.

Whether you have been drawing for a while and want to hone your skills, or new to learning about perspective, don’t miss this fantastic opportunity.

When: Saturday, 8th of March, 10am-1pm

Ticket price: $50

Location: RQAS Petrie Terrace Gallery (unit 3/162 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane)

As a part of your ticket, all materials is provided by the tutor. This workshop is suitable for attendees who are 12 to 17 years old. Make sure to purchase tickets soon as spaces are limited!

**Please note** this workshop will be held in the main gallery which is wheelchair accessible.

This unique art workshop invites your child to step into the world of Traditional Korean Painting (Minhwa)! We combine this classic style with exciting elements from Modern Korean Culture, centering on the beloved animal character from the hit film, K-Pop Demon Hunters.

Designed for children, the session will introduce the basics of working with Hanji (traditional Korean paper) and classic Korean art brushes in a fun, accessible way. Students will first learn about the Korean Tiger’s traditional role in folklore as a powerful protective spirit.

The most exciting part is painting Derpy the Tiger! This iconic, whimsical animal character from the recent smash-hit, K-Pop Demon Hunters, is the inspiration for our main project. Using traditional inks and pigments, kids will paint their own playful, individualized version of Durpy, embracing a style that encourages bold strokes and self-expression. They will also incorporate dynamic visual elements inspired by the movie’s colorful K-Pop aesthetic and character designs, creating a stunning piece that blends ancient Korean artistry with modern fandom.

This is a fantastic opportunity for children to boost their artistic skills and discover how fun and creative traditional Korean art can be. Let your child join us to enjoy art and create their own special masterpiece!

When: Saturday, 14th of March, 1pm-3pm

Ticket price: $50

Location: RQAS Petrie Terrace Gallery (unit 3/162 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane)

This workshop is suitable for attendees who are 6 to 12 years old, and all materials will be provided by the tutor. Make sure to purchase tickets soon via the link below as spaces are limited!

**Please note** this workshop will be held in the main gallery which is wheelchair accessible.

Tutor Bio:

Umihee Kim is an experienced artist and certified instructor specializing in Minhwa (Traditional Korean folk painting). Her artworks, inspired by the traditional Korean style, have been showcased in numerous exhibitions and competitions across both Korea and Australia. She recently held a successful solo exhibition, showcasing her unique visual language. Umikhee is a certified instructor by the Minhwa Korea Education Association and holds a Master’s degree in Graphic Design from a university in Korea. As a current member of the RQAS (Royal Queensland Art Society), she actively conducts workshops, blending modern composition with traditional Korean motifs.

More information on other workshops coming soon!