The Art Whisperer
I am fascinated
by the likes of Derren Brown and The Mentalist.
I love looking at human behaviour – why do we act
in certain ways, how do we react to stimulus and why are some people better at
some things than others.
I would like to
be better at drawing. So when
professional artist, Jeanni Grant-Nelson, said that she could have me filling a
pad with images that I would be proud of within three hours I was intrigued.
During our
session I discovered that Jeanni is an art whisperer. She takes you on a journey using some
fascinating exercises - some without pencil even touching paper, pointing out
your patterns of behaviour as it unfolds.
It is an eye-opening experience, whether or not you want to develop your
artistic talents.
We started by
drawing a chair, a building and a woman.
Out came my stick chair, woman complete with triangle dress and a tin
mine. Jeanni’s first point
was quickly made – I was not drawing what I saw.
Jeanni
explained how we fall back on patterns of learnt behaviour – especially
under stress. Using some very clever exercises (which I will not give away
here!) Jeanni highlighted I was making assumptions rather than really
looking. These exercises helped me to
focus on looking at the subject and less time looking at my page.
Now breathing
properly, feeling far more relaxed, my drawing became looser and I found myself
really enjoying myself, whilst Jeanni drew attention to things that I was doing
and drawing my potential out.
Could I
actually be one of the many success stories that Jeanni rightfully talks
proudly about? You will have to judge my results for yourself, but I’m still
astounded by what I created in a three hour session, where we spent most of the
time talking and understanding conditioned behaviour.
Not just an art
lesson, Jeanni uses her sessions to open minds.
Perhaps her teachings should be called ‘the art of
wellbeing’ as you are totally focussed and external realities
slip away. However, using skills from
the old masters, Jeanni taught me more about the fundamentals of art in few
hours than during years of GCSE Art and A Level Ceramics.
Jeanni has
enabled me to draw. Which sums up what
she does – enables you, skills you, gives you an understanding
of how you have been programmed to approach things and what you can achieve if
you take a different approach. Lessons that I will apply to other areas of
life, not just art. I will also use what
I have learnt as an escape and form of relaxation, breathing deeply and calmly,
losing myself in what I am creating, no longer fearing failure.
This feeling of
health and wellbeing is often experienced during Jeanni’s sessions.
Heather Mellor suffered a stroke leaving her with Dyspraxia and without the use
of her right hand:
“I suffered
extensive brain damage following heart surgery, 18 years ago. I have recovered well but I still have
various functional difficulties, one being dyspraxia. My drawing lesson with
Jeannie gave me such a boost, not ever attempting anything like that before,
even pre heart op times. I think she is
an inspired and inspiring teacher and understood my disability giving me
confidence to try to use my left hand. It was such an enjoyable morning. My husband, who sat in on the session could
not believe what I achieved.”
Jeanni also
helped a gentleman who had broken his back.
He was sought out by a very worried wife after a couple of hours, as he
had missed his pain medication – he hadn’t even
noticed. He was fully engrossed, engaged
in creativity and having fun.
What Jeanni
offers is for anyone, at any age, at any ability, or with any medical
condition. It opens doors, minds and eyes, making you look and think again
about many aspects of life, helping you to find your true ability and
potential.
If that’s too hippy for
you then, take it from Adam -
“As a
neuroscientist that has been brought up to rely on logic and reason I was
always going to be sceptical about today.
But once you relax and immerse yourself in the thought experiments and
put aside your own prejudice it really is surprising to see what you can
do. I really enjoyed the charcoal
session and would love to be part of another workshop again.”
Jeanni is a
professional artist and a graduate teacher.
Her seascapes, landscapes, portraits and animal commissions can be found
in private collections across the world including Holland, Germany, France,
USA, Australia and in UK galleries. Her images are on sale at Truro Cathedral
and the National Trust and she is also the artist in residence at The
Nare.
She teaches art
in a range of ways and places (including on line), to diverse audiences, for
different reasons – from straight art lessons to team building and
therapy. She has worked in locations which include the Emirates Stadium with
professionals such as UK Sport, British Basketball, Olympic coaches and
returning ex-servicemen, through to leading business people; from London’s homeless, to
Neuroscientists at Oxford University.
She brings out
artistic talents in people that firmly believed that they did not have any -
who are then amazed, myself included.
She has a unique way of teaching which activates different parts of your
brain so that you observe differently and create differently – both in art
and life. Jeanni unravels what is holding you back and then gives you the
knowledge to free yourself from your habits and fears.
Jeanni teaches
the true fundamentals of sketch, paint and perspective but so much more. Her
classes are structured as a set of three 3-hour sessions: lesson one -
sketching and the structure of picture making; lesson two - perspective,
vanishing and focal points, shadows and reflections; lesson three - paint and
colour for any medium and a consolidation of information. Jeanni offers
residential or non-residential courses, lessons at a location of your choice,
or on line, and she brings all of the equipment that you need.
For more
information about Jeanni and her mind, body and soul experience, visit http://www.visual-awareness.com It’s not just for
those who want to learn to paint and draw, but those who are interested in
human behavior or want to experience a sense of wellbeing.
“The only limitation is your own imagination” Henry Ford
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Artist’s statement:
"My
passion and enthusiasm for art were ignited in early childhood by my architect
father and art teacher mother making artistic expression an essential part of
my life. A background in art and theatre mixed with a love of inspiring others
to believe in themselves has led me to create a unique method of teaching which
allows anyone to reach a clear understanding of the fundamentals of art in a
very short space of time. I love the sparkle in a person's eyes when they
realise just what talents they have and what they are really capable of. I aim
to depict messages of freedom, openness, adventure and possibility."
Pop out box
suggestion:
Jeanni grants
three wishes, or rather three 3 hour lessons:
- How to see and draw whilst
breaking down negative, fears habits and assumptions
- How to see clearly,
understand and use perspective, whilst gaining new perspective of yourself
- How to paint and pull all
the lessons and information together
You can do just
one lesson, or do all three.
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