Irish artist Elizabeth Cope (b.1952) will teach a masterclass in painting the human figure in this unique event taking place in the main gallery at VISUAL in her exhibition The Palpable Bump at the Bridge of the Nose. This is a major solo exhibition of paintings, sculpture and other objects and ephemera by and relating to Cope’s life.

Cope has been working as a painter for the last 50 years, taking the same representational approach when painting her wide range of subject matter; whether friends, family, animals, landscapes, or pieces of farm machinery. Some are straightforward depictions, but in the majority of her work these subjects and elements combine in a rich, often surrealistic fashion. Various motifs crop up repeatedly in her work; self-portraits, her husband and children, a dancing lobster, a plastic crab, sweeping brushes, tape measures, frank depictions of the body at various stages of life. These are mixed with surrealist elements and vivid colour schemes.

Working with a model in the centre of the exhibition, the public are invited to join Elizabeth working at easels in their chosen media around the gallery.

Elizabeth will be working with oil paint, though participants are encouraged to work in their preferred medium.

Participants should bring their own paper or canvas, paint, brushes and drawing materials. Easels, boards and clips will be provided.

*Note: this event will not be working with nude models, though there are depictions of frank nudity in the exhibition.