This year's Styrian Summer Art course programme was more varied than it has been for a long time. Concentrating on the first half of July, painting courses in oil and acrylic with Julia Bauernfeind, Eftichia Schlamadinger and Helga Piffl alternated with delicate strokes in calligraphy with Claudia Dzengel or sketching picturesque views of places for the artistic travel diary (urban sketching), also with Eftichia Schlamadinger. Participants with a penchant for sculpture got to grips with wood in the Pöllau Aupark under the guidance of Martin Gollowitsch, while friends of ceramic moulding were inspired by Barbara Schmid in the castle refectory and Sieglinde Hofbauer's studio, creating individual and expressive clay works for the soul, home and garden. Helga Chibidziura and Ángela Tröndle taught the technique of screen printing as well as the fascinating variety of design possibilities of blue printing in their courses, from which the course participants were able to present many beautiful works and take them home with them. Bettina Halder and Sylvia Bausch-Rassi showed less familiar techniques and materials in their course, where surprising works were created using sewing machines, needle and thread and all kinds of found images. Norbert Tóth's course, which introduced his group to secco mural painting, a technique used in antiquity, also produced panel paintings with an ancient effect and modern motifs. Language was not neglected during these weeks either, for example in the poetic writing workshop with Semier Insayif and the storytelling course, where screenwriter Enrico Jakob provided guidance on how to dramatise your own story or stories. Whenever possible, course instructors and participants took advantage of the mostly glorious weather to work outdoors in the village, in the castle courtyard, in the castle park or in the Aupark and get their inspiration. The workspaces in the castle, the vicarage, the Fandler oil mill, the JUFA, the 12er Haus and the 3er Apfelschmiede also proved to be a stimulating working environment once again or for the first time. However, the materials and motifs for the Ecoprint process came entirely from nature. Doris Reinbacher amazed with the possibilities of using blossoms, leaves and roots directly for printing images. And on a hike in the nature park with Carmen Dreier-Zwetti's donkeys, the participants were seduced by Christian Strassegger's Langsam-Schauen photo hike, which sometimes led to unusual photo motifs.
The offer to have a picnic lunch together in the castle park was also very popular this time. Participants from the various courses were able to share their experiences over a sumptuous snack from the Pöllau farmers' market, and the invitation to Summer.Fresh.Art with open-air events on three evenings was also new. A melodious reading by poet and writing workshop leader Semier Insayif in the castle park seamlessly transitioned into the broadcast of the Styriarte Klangwolke under a baroque evening sky above the castle, church and park. Two days later, Ursula Graber performed her dance and clown improvisation, which was moved from the castle courtyard to the refectory at short notice due to the onset of drizzle. And the musician and cyanotype artist Ángela Tröndle took a group of curious visitors on a silent walk, a walk of absolute silence with inspirational texts and a short concert of her own songs.
The intense experiences of these days will certainly remain vivid memories for all those involved. A consolation for all those who were unable to attend: there will be further courses from 19 August until October. Land art with Angelika Thon, children's book illustration with Stefanie Pichler or the diary from nature with the versatile Willy Puchner promise equally memorable course days, once again you can devote yourself to sketching and free painting with Helga Piffl or ceramics work with Sieglinde Hofbauer. And this year, Manfred and Martin Gollowitsch will once again conclude the course with large-format moulding with talc stone.
