Abstract Forms - Sculpt to Canvas
A Painting Workshop with Odessa Mahony-de Vries
Saturday 20 September | 10:30am – 1:30pm | $65 per person
All materials provided | Bookings essential | Limited spaces
Discover a unique and creative way to approach painting—by starting with clay.
Sculpt to Canvas is a hands-on, process-based workshop led by Australian artist Odessa Mahony-de Vries. In this engaging three-hour session, you’ll be guided through the act of sculpting an abstract clay form and then using it as inspiration for an expressive painting on canvas.
This workshop is designed for adults of all skill levels, including complete beginners. Whether you haven’t picked up a paintbrush since school or are an experienced artist looking to explore a new process, this workshop is an invitation to experiment, play, and discover new ways of seeing and creating.
What to Expect
We begin with a simple block of clay. Using your hands—and a few basic sculpting tools—you’ll shape an abstract form that focuses on organic movement, texture, and balance. There’s no pressure to create something “perfect” or “realistic.” Instead, you’ll be encouraged to explore the clay intuitively and notice the way shapes, curves, and marks emerge as you work.
Once your sculpture is complete, we’ll shift into observation—looking closely at the form you’ve created. You’ll be guided to notice how light and shadow fall across the surface, how textures catch the eye, and where interesting lines and spaces appear. These visual elements will become the foundation for your painting.
With Odessa’s guidance, you’ll use color mixing, layering, and expressive mark-making techniques to translate your three-dimensional form onto the canvas. The goal isn’t to paint a replica of your sculpture, but to let it inspire a new artwork—one that is alive with energy, depth, and your own creative expression.
Along the way, you’ll be invited to let go of expectations, follow your instincts, and enjoy the process. You may find yourself making bold choices, discovering unexpected color combinations, or working more freely than you’re used to. That’s all part of the experience.
Who is Odessa Mahony-de Vries?
Odessa is a contemporary Australian artist whose work explores movement, color, and materiality through painting, digital media, and ceramics. Her practice is rooted in a deep curiosity about the creative process itself—a dance of intuition, muscle memory, and surrender.
She works quickly and instinctively, following where the work leads and embracing both mistakes and discoveries as essential parts of the journey. In Odessa’s view, making art is a way of staying open to possibility—a mirror for the unpredictability and beauty of life.
This is a unique opportunity to be taught directly by an exhibiting artist - This workshop accompanies Odessa Mahony-de Vries' exhibition 'A Bit Extra' at the Gympie Regional Gallery from 14 August - 2 October, 2025.
Bookings via TryBooking link or call the Gallery on 5481 0733.
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