Tasmanian portrait artist Ben Winwood to hold QVMAG workshops

An element of the exhibition has been live portrait art popping up across Launceston.

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One artist, Ben Winwood, will be holding six workshops over January.

"It's aimed at primary school aged children and they'll be learning how to draw characters and well-known designs," he said.

"I love seeing young people's confidence and creativity boost."

Mr Winwood's portrait sessions have been popular around town, he said it's been " such a joy".

"It's always a highlight when I'm doing a portrait and they can't see it but everyone else is crowding around," he said. "Then I show them and they react. That's the best part."

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Mr Winwood has been drawing since he could pick up a pencil and now has decades of experience as as artist.

City of Launceston mayor Danny Gibson spent a short 10-minutes with Mr Winwood to get a portrait done.

"You have to put all your trust in the artist and Ben was so warm and encouraging," he said. "While you're sitting there, you are working with the artists to a little insight into the way they work and themselves as a practicing artists."

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Senior curator Ashley Bird said the pop-up portrait sessions allowed people to see art come together from a blank canvas.

"The talent of the artists actually getting that likeness is something that you just don't get to see," he said.

Mr Gibson said the exhibition and the workshops showed the capability of art for everyone.

"We're trying to evoke passion and love in the next kind of group of artists who might strike one day to have their work in an exhibition such as this," he said.

Archie 100 at QVMAG closes on January 8.

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