Frederick has been doing art all his life – it was in kindergarten that the adults around him predicted his career path. Through his works, he has coined the phrase painting meditation, which he shares with attendees to his workshops. “I found as I was painting that I was bringing more passion and energy into my life,” he explains, “and that’s what I want to share with other people”.
Everyone is welcome to attend, no matter what their skill level or past experience in painting.
“The wine helps,” acknowledges Frederick, in regards to the nerves some first-time students might feel. “It’s designed to be a chilled setting. Some people paint for a while, drink some wine, see what the person next to them is doing.” The whole point of the session is to discover, relax and focus on what the students are feeling at the time.
And there’s no pressure to push students outside their comfort zone. There’s no fruit bowl sat in the centre which must be perfectly copied onto the canvas. “I told myself I would never do that,” says Frederick. “This isn’t about exact skill as an artist, it’s not meant to look at something and say whether it’s good or bad. This is a journey. You might start something, you might change your mind. And that’s okay.”
Frederick is on hand to offer suggestions, guidance and encouragement. His easy smile and comfortable demeanour all lend to the ambience of the class, and he makes sure students have all the supplies they need. “And I remind them to breathe!” he adds with a smile. “Important things!” If a student is struggling to decide on what to paint, Frederick can help there, as well. “Sometimes I give them options, just as ideas,” he says. “But the point is that it’s a process, and I want everyone to feel as self-empowered as possible.”
All materials are covered in the cost of the class, including a canvas 40 x 60cm, paints, water and brushes. And of course, wine. The first glass (or two) are on the house, after that, it’s bring your own bottle.
Most recently, Frederick led a class at the MagNet Community House, but the location varies. “I like to do the classes on weekdays,” he explains, “because I want to provide a weekend before the weekend. If you’re already in the weekend, you’re already calm and relaxed, whereas if you’re in the middle of everything, it’s nice to have a break.” All ages are welcome to attend: last month saw couples in their 30s and 40s, young adults and even some teenagers.
“It’s one of those events,” says Frederick, “where it can be very good for people in different situations. And it’s one of those things that you can benefit from more than once. You can go once and have a great time, and it’ll help you, but maybe you want to come more often, as a regular form of exercise.”
Frederick’s own paintings are colourful and expressive, often quite psychedelic in nature. He finds inspiration from Der Blaue Reiter, a group of German Expressionist artists, because of their use of colour and animal subjects.
The workshops cost 6,000 forints to attend, which includes all the necessary supplies and an opening glass of wine. The next workshop will be held on Sunday, 16 February, and more information can be found on the Facebook page.
