The Class of Paulina Olowska Exploded with Color

“How did it go?”, was the first question I asked Paulina catching her briefly between cleaning up the class and prepping for a sudden departure. “Great!”, she responded sincerely, adding that the structure of her course was more instinctive than strict. At first, the very painterly group discussed their favorite artists and explained why they loved them, while continuously reading about new and different artists from a heap of monographs laid on the common table. Next to a set of painting exercises, the group engaged in contemplation on relationships between image and painting, approaching their art through both concept and technique.

 

My interactions with the group were glimpses and a help in translation at one point, but whenever I would drop by, there were new areas with new colors that struck me. Figurative or abstract, work of the students was always chromatically rich and fresh. Amidst paint bottles, watered down pigments, brushes, and piles of paper and canvas, students swam like happy fish in an ocean, each working on their own expression.

Although no restraints in personal development were imposed at all, the crown of the class effort came in a form of a large-scale collaborative painting inspired by the Academy and the great team of technicians. “This is a gift for technicians,” said Martyna, Paulina’s co-teacher. And what a gift it is! I am only wondering where will they place this piece since their treasure-cave office is already covered with various objects and pieces top to bottom.

Looking forward to Olowska’s class final presentation, I give you some glimpses from their studio ahead of the last day of the Academy.

 

Explosion of color