Art

Why would a group of people wish to meet once a week (on a wet wintry morning) to talk art and paint? It would be simple to buy an easy-steps tutor, a DVD, or even to use the internet for tuition. What then, is the motivation?

The characteristics appear to relate to:
Exploration of the different techniques of painting – watercolour, pastel, oils, pen and ink, acrylic, abstract, landscape, figures, etc, etc, even to the use of a finger dipped in colour.Doing something new is a satisfying experience and doing it in the company of others seems to contribute to a social process that is an essential part of the origins of the U3A.The role of the tutor – this is the major component in the process. It is not enough to be an artist or even a teacher of art. The tutor is responding to a different mix of demands – the participants are not studying for qualifications or commercial achievement. The tutor is now in the more unusual role of encouraging an amateur group in a recreational setting. The results can be seen in the number of friends and relatives who receive pictures for birthdays and anniversaries.