Drawing Retreat

New Mexico ~ Summer School ~ 23-25th June '23

Geometry & Arabesque

Dar Al Islam ~ 342 Co Rd 155, Abiquiu, NM 87510, United States

Special weekend program at the stunning Dar Al Islam in the wilds of New Mexico, it will include 7 distinct but complementary sessions. Participants are welcome to take one or all the sessions.

With Adam Williamson and special local guest artists Aloria Weaver, David Heskin, Ricardo Hinojosa and Christopher Riederer plus catering by Rehana Archuletta and local Sufi musicial performance.

Option 1: Signup for Individual classes ~ $60 per session (see options below)

Option 2: Register for the full workshop programme only ~ $350

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DAY 1 ~ Friday 23rd June '23

*Opening session*

Geometric Patterns 
6 – 8pm  
Adam Williamson

Using the traditional tools of compass and straight edge we will a create a traditional geometric star pattern and explore principles of tessellation.

Morocco is famous for its otherworldly radiant zelij patterned fountains and facades. In this session we will draw a radiant rosette.

The patterns are our teachers, the way suggests itself in the vibrations of the shapes as we form them.

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DAY 2 ~ Saturday 24th June '23

Arabesque Pattern
Designing Biomorphic Patterns
9.30am – 12pm 
Christopher Riederer

In this session students will be introduced to the core principles of biomorphic design. Using geometric and freehand techniques, we will explore (and draw!) the subtle curves, spirals, and motifs that are the foundation of Biomorphism. Together we will investigate the systems of thought that define specific historical design languages, and create our own original designs directly inspired by nature.

All materials will be provided, but bring along your sketchbook and favorite drawing tools if you have them. 

What is Biomorphism?

Known by many different names around the world (i.e. Arabesque, Islimi, Nabati, Mehindi, Scrollwork, filigree etc.), biomorphic design is a shared global design heritage that draws inspiration directly from the natural world. Utilizing curves, spirals, and motifs, within a geometric structure, biomorphism expresses the human wonder at the genius of natural systems. With its roots in the most ancient human creative endeavors, biomorphic design can be found in cave paintings and petroglyphs, as well as textiles, pottery, carved stone artifacts, and other craft traditions from nearly every culture on earth.

While it is an ancient practice, biomorphic design has also been developed and refined within certain cultural contexts throughout history, leading to distinct regional, cultural, and religious expressions. From the elaborate spiral constructions of Celtic medallions to the heights of Islamic refinement in architectural and material craft, biomorphism is a design language that speaks to the broad human engagement with the beauty of the natural world.

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Paper folding Patterns
1 – 3.30pm 
Ricardo Hinojosa

Paper folding brings out qualities of spatial texture to the forefront via the magic of interchanging states; valley and mountain, yin and yang, off and on. The characters of interaction dancing in an endless, yet comprehensive variety of ways exhibit how nature converges.

Space is inherent with rich meaning and mathematical significance. To fold is to play a game with space, a game where space resolves itself invariably. Therein lay aspects relating the phenomena of space which can be used to favor our creative ambitions. If the material folds, it can follow the same principles as other folded materials. This is the bane and boon of the folding artist; figuring out how to project an idea on paper to ceramics, wood or metal, to name some common materials.

Folding is a consultation of God´s solutions. Laws, axioms and theorems exist to describe the differences between what is possible and what can be thought up. Take Islamic Patterns for example; we can use folds on the page as a tool, a way to mechanize space and turn it into an augmented compass, straightedge, protractor and T-ruler all in one. Through this lens we can virtually construct most any pattern in the Islamic Geometric Pattern canon. This is the task I will take on in the workshop: to empower you with this vision so that you too can fold patterns of many kinds and realize how much these are effectively Sacred Geometry.

Geometric Persian Patterns

5 - 7.30pm 
Adam Williamson

In this class we will draw this geometric pattern for the famous Lotfollah Dome in Isfahan built during the Safavid Empire, 1619

Radiant Shamsah pattern that adorns the Lotfallah dome. The belly shaped cupola has 288 shamsahs plus the central rosette = 289 which is the Abjad value of Al Rahim (the Merciful) which also has root connections to the word ‘womb’, the mosque was used exclusively by females. ‘Lotf’ relates to ‘gentleness’.

When you enter the Lotfallah you first journey down a dark corridor then you turn right on a corner to be greeted by this stunning almost spherical sacred cocoon space, there are no geometric star patterns or rosettes only flowing curves and biomorphs.

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Arabesque Patterns
9.30am – 12pm 
Adam Williamson

Learn beautiful free hand biomorphic motifs and create a radial pattern.

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