Drawing with Scissors: A Hands-On Workshop in the Matisse Method with Pamela Morton

Never run with scissors, instead, better to ‘draw’ with them as Henri Matisse once did. Open to all levels, join a local art expert in this interactive workshop as we explore the story of Matisse’s work with paper cut-outs and create our very own Matisse-style collages. 

Toward the end of his life, Matisse pioneered a new art form where he cut shapes out of paper previously painted in a variety of colors and arranged them in lively compositions. He called this method, ‘drawing with scissors.’ Although initially dismissed as childish, these colorful, semi-abstract works including ‘Blue Nude’ (Pompidou) and ‘The Snail’ (Tate), are now considered to be some of his finest masterpieces.  

Best known for his expressive paintings of brilliant colors in bold simplified designs, Matisse stands as one of the pillars of modern, twentieth-century art. Engaged in constant exploration and experimentation, he continually sought to evolve his classic technique.  

You will need the following materials:

• Pencil 
• Eraser
• Scissors
• Glue stick (liquid glue will be okay if that’s all you have)
• Several sheets of different colored paper (construction paper or printer paper)

Led by Pamela Morton, an expert on the art and artists of the South of France, participants will learn about Matisse’s work with paper cut-outs and test out for themselves some of the artist’s ideas and techniques, in a hands-on project involving step-by-step instruction. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with new insights into the creative process of Matisse as well as a fuller appreciation of an artist whose work found its fullest expression in the context of Mediterranean light and landscapes.