About Brisbane Artists Academe Brisbane Art Workshops

Vision Statement

Brisbane Art Workshops was founded in 2007 by Krisstie Byrnne, who after having studied the education system decided the time was ripe to offer to students a more effective learning environment. After embarking on a partnership that brought Brisbane Artists Academe (B.A.A.) into fruition, Krisstie realized that in order to bring to the students of Brisbane her vision for the future, a new and more progressive approach was needed. You will see some changes implemented in the not too distant future, that will be of great benefit to the students. Keep an eye on the newsletter, where B.A.A. will be announcing new and exciting changes over the coming months.

As well as offering technically based training in the painterly alla prima / tonal impressionism style, B.A.A. also offer training in the techniques of the Old Masters. These methods focus on the traditional genres of the fine arts such as portraiture, figurative studies, still life and the landscape/cityscape. We also offer studies in Contemporary painting, however believe that a strong foundation in drawing, tonal and colour studies is necessary to be become an accomplished artist.

Recently there was a television show shown titled “The Curse of the Mona Lisa” featuring Robert Hughes, my favourite art presenter who has a vitriolic aesthetic sensibility. He bemoaned the fact that good art is no longer cultivated and decided by the Museums, but is now decided by the Auction Houses, and that bad art is supported by people with money and no taste. The rhetorical academia that has developed since Duchamps “Urinal”, has now spawned Art Colleges that have earmarked entry by folio to the dustbins of history, that together with the Auction Houses, have signaled the death of Art. Similar to the old wooden barrel maker, traditional techniques are in danger of being lost in obscurity, if not for the determination of art schools such as the B.A.A.

Developing the Artist within has more to do with your mind-set and thinking than you might at first believe. Not being able to let go of fear; the fear of making a mistake, the fear of being judged, the fear of your own current limitations; can only serve to help you strangle your own true creative self. There is more to painting than being technically proficient. It is the ability to express yourself in a happy and joyful way, whether or not you are painting as a serious hobby, or because you want to develop into a serious artist. After-all, if you’re not getting any joy out of painting, maybe you should take up golf ?