Problem & Criticism

Join with other artists to develop your critical skills and become more confident in your ability to develop your own artistic style.

These friendly, supportive classes are devoted entirely to discussion and criticism of work done at home. Sessions are based around a focus and specific creative problems set by the tutor.

You will be required to work outside of class using your own materials, resulting in a number of pieces, using a variety of materials and approaches

Each session of the course will be devoted to discussion and constructive criticism of work done outside of class. Questions about observation, interpretation and the nature of images will be discussed, as well as why and what choices were made. A theme/ focus will be set by the tutor for the term. Since members of the course will be working on the same challenges the discussion will have some unity.

There are two groups working alternative weeks, and the final two sessions in the term will be held jointly. This gives students an opportunity to see a wide variety of creative work expressed by the term’s topic. Prior to the term starting, learners will be sent notification of the term’s focus and told the piece of work they are to complete and bring to the first session. During the first session, a handout will be given out indicating the creative work and challenges to be undertaken each week at home and confirming dates for the reminder of the term.

This will allow any student absent from a class to know the date and homework that is required for their next session. The aim of the course is for students to pursue the brief using and developing their own style. Different approaches and materials will be suggested for exploration. Work can be of an experimental nature as vitality and freshness of approach is important. The sharing of ideas, skills and means of expression with the group is an important element of the course. At the beginning of each term a list of current national and regional exhibitions will also be given out and students will be encouraged to share creative ideas about exhibitions they have seen and artists whose work has inspired them. This is to enable students to be aware of trends within the art world and learn about contemporary art and artists currently being shown and discussed.

Tutor Diane Hall has three teaching qualifications, a BA degree in Art and Education and an MA in Fine Art (with Distinction). She is a practicing artist and founder member of g8. Diane has undertaken two Art Residencies at the Universitys of Lincoln and Loughborough, and is currently President of the LSA. She has worked at the Attenborough Arts Centre since its inception and is passionate about its aims, ambitions and imaginative approaches to the Arts.

Please note: There are two groups of this course working alternate weeks for four sessions, and then all come together for the fifth and sixth sessions to give participants an opportunity to see the wide variety of creative work by both groups inspired by the term’s topic, and prepare work for the exhibition.

GROUP A SESSIONS WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAYS 10:30AM – 12PM, ON 16 JANUARY, 30 JANUARY, 13 FEBRUARY, 27 FEBRUARY AND 6 MARCH 2025.
GROUP B SESSIONS WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAYS 10:30AM – 12PM, ON 23 JANUARY, 6 FEBRUARY, 20 FEBRUARY, 27 FEBRUARY AND 6 MARCH 2025.
PLEASE NOTE: THE FINAL TWO SESSIONS ON 27 FEBRUARY AND 6 MARCH 2025 WILL BE EXTENDED JOINT SESSIONS WHERE GROUP A AND B COME TOGETHER, 10:00AM - 1PM

This is a friendly and welcoming course and all levels of experience and ability are welcome. Participants must be aged 18+. Please ensure that you agree to our updatedTerms & Conditions before booking as courses/workshops are non-refundable in some circumstances.
We aim to make all our sessions as accessible as possible and carers/PAs are very welcome - just remember to book their free place when you book your session. If you'd like to talk to us in advance of booking or attending your sessions to discuss your access needs, our Box Office team is here to help! Email, pop in or call, open 7 days a week.

We have four blue badge parking spaces outside Attenborough Arts Centre, plus double yellow line roadside parking very close to the building for blue badge holders for up to three hours if our parking spaces are occupied.
Free parking for all customers is available after 5pm on weekdays and all day at weekends in the University of Leicester car park next door to Attenborough Arts Centre on Lancaster Road. The closest public car park for parking at all other times is Victoria Park, 5-10 minutes walk from us (near De Montfort Hall).