PAINTING TOUR with Mary-Jane Griggs
from Arabesque to Zellige…the A-Z of Moroccan pattern and colour
1 – 15 April 2019
Marrakech – Atlas Mountains – Sahara

14 days of exhilarating discovery through a beautifully wrought environment of timeless design and rich surfaces, this tour through Morocco will be a celebration of the richness and joy of an amazing country and culture full of resplendent colour and pattern.

A visual sensory feast, the colour and design of the architecture, the traditional arts, textiles and the decorative surfaces of the interiors, together with the sublime landscape will be the inspiration or our work with a focus on abstraction and painting.

“I can’t believe how beautiful it all is and everything has a significance and the colours represent so much. It’s so civilised and meaningful. How inspiring and accessible it will be for participants to work with abstraction. There is infinite variety in the patterns and the maths behind the mosaic Zellige is amazing. With arabesques, alongside geometrical patterns and the magnificence of the enclosed architectural spaces, the gardens and use of water – it really is paradisiacal.” Mary-Jane Griggs

About Mary-Jane Griggs

Mary-Jane studied art history for 4 years at the University of Sydney and later went to East Sydney Technical College for 3 years where she majored in painting and studied drawing, printmaking, sculpture, design and contemporary art. Living in Albury since 1988, she has exhibited locally, regionally and in Sydney.

Well known as a teacher of painting, drawing, mixed media, cultural history and theory, Mary-Jane is a champion of visual arts education and sees art as the portal to a fully developed life.
Primarily a painter of colour her work draws inspiration from the landscape imagery of her environment, filtered by personal experience and emotional intelligence. Pattern and colour are dominant in the work making Mary-Jane a great candidate for our program in Morocco!

Currently a Masters of Creative Practice candidate, her area of research is the infinite array of coloured patterns sourced from global textiles and ornamental cultural productions through time. Investigating why pattern, something so human and joyful has been denigrated in much of the written commentary on the history of Modernism and dismissed as decorative, feminine and therefore not serious.

Griggs states:

“The history of the non figurative in Eastern art is fascinating and the modernist rejection of pattern as decorative and therefore not serious – too feminine – means we have missed out on so much.”

Don’t miss out any longer and join Mary-Jane on this journey!

ABOUT the tour

Our journey together will traverses a large part of southern Morocco from the ancient city of Marrakech, over the spectacular landscape of the Atlas Mountains to the northern edge of the vast Sahara.

Traveling with Mary-Jane we will experience the wonderful world of the indigenous Amazigh (Berber) people, in particular the local artisans who continue to work with highly decorative forms including the superb work of women’s textiles, weaving and embroidery. Time is given to making art en route as we explore the wealth and beauty of the Moroccan landscape and culture, interspersed with lively discussion on the topics of conceptual image-making, sharing ideas and evening reviews of the work.

Accommodation is provided in the most comfortable traditional guesthouses, and we enjoy the extraordinary delights of the local cuisine and hospitality including traditional music performance. The warmth and good humour of the people is immense and the insights into the Islamic world and Amazigh spirituality and contemporary life fascinating.

Traveling with a small group of like-minded people and an experienced team of co-hosts including artist /curator Rita Lazauskas and professional Amazigh Guide Abdenabi Imelouane, the program offers an innovative and creative way to explore a new place that is stimulating, supportive and safe.

Follow the links below for more information and contact us to make a booking!

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