Symbol + Color: Creating an Abstract Vocabulary

As we move through our day, each of us records impressions in a unique way. There is an inner vocabulary that we have created through the associations we create with color, scent and objects, but few of us have ever explored what that might look like on the page.

In this playful, mixed-media workshop, we will use the artwork of Hilma Af Klint (who created her own compelling visual language in the late 1800s) as a jumping off place to create a personal vocabulary of symbol and color. Through a series of exercises, we will both discover and create symbols that resonate deeply with the journey of our life. And then, using what we have found, we will create compositions that tell a story.

The results will be a highly personalized mixed-media artwork that speaks truth with a bit of mystery at its core.

This workshop is a wonderful companion to our upcoming exhibition, Visionary New England at deCordova, as it will nurture a greater appreciation for the many faceted intersection between belief, symbol and contemporary art.

Materials List: Students are welcome to have some or none of the below.• a composition notebook or a journal book that you can paint and collage in

• or, some loose sheets of paper to work on

• magazines, catalogs, old books you are happy to tear pages out of

• glue stick(s)

• acrylic and/or water color

• crayons, markers, pencils

• ephemera that has personal meaning (bus or concert tickets, grocery lists, etc)

• stickers, stamps, ink, washi tape, oil pastels

• basically, any mixed media supplies you have around the house that feel fun to play with

About Elizabeth Duvivier:Elizabeth founded Squam Art Workshops in 2008. She lives in Providence, RI with her dog Remy and spends most days taking long walks, reading, writing, practicing yoga and, on a really good day– painting. Her novel Stories for my Sister was published in September 2019 (elizabethduvivier.com). She is a big believer in the importance of small things.