Bring your Beginner’s mind to a Drawing class

Beginners Drawing Class Dublin

Is it time to try a Beginners Drawing class? Yesterday I was reading an interesting article that talks about reducing stress through art creation. It’s kinda funny that it starts off by saying – “whether you’re the next Van Gogh or a stick figure sketcher”  – do ya think the writer might have been talking about our lovely Act The Maggot logo designed by yours truly?! Thus, research suggests that just 45 minutes of art creation can reduce ‘cortisol’ levels – which are an indicator of stress in our systems. We, at Act The Maggot thrive on bringing people back to this place, whether it is Beginners Drawing or Beginners Acting or Beginners Creative Writing.

Benefits of Doing a Drawing Class

Remember when you were a child how much drawing you did? In school, at home, with friends. That silent engagement with the page and pencils, markers, coloured pencils or paint. As a result, we need to open that doorway to our imaginations and the endless possibilities of the unconscious realm. Our teacher Mahua can lead you right back to that peaceful, fun place.

“When I’m drawing, time stops. It’s just the lines on paper and my hand holding the tool.”

Mahua Le Meur is a visual artist, who has been living in Dublin, Ireland for the past 8 years. Indian by birth, she has always been interested in traveling and multiculturalism. She has lived in South Korea, Japan and France for more than 15 years. During her career, she has worked with oils and acrylics, inks and graphite as well as training in Japanese woodcut printing. mahuaDrawing however, has always been her primary passion. Her recent work has been in drawing with Japanese sumi ink on paper. Therefore, she uses her own hands as metaphors for the abstract field of connections. One can see some of these works at her upcoming exhibition in May, 2019 at the Icon Factory Atelier in Temple Bar.

Bring your Beginner’s Mind to a Drawing Class

Mahua teaches our Beginners Drawing at Act The Maggot – the next one starts on Tuesday night, March 5th, 2019. For some more information, see our Beginners Drawing class page on our website or get in touch for more details. actthemaggot@gmail.com

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Draw out the fun in yourself this Autumn

tootoot Act, Write or Draw! It’s playtime folks! Here’s your chance to tap into your inner maggot, er sorry your inner child. Have lots of fun trying out new hobbies or rekindling your love of old ones having let life get in the way. Our previous students from our Beginners Drawing, Beginners Creative Writing and Beginners Acting classes have lots to say about how Act The Maggot has impacted on their everyday lives, from feeling lighter, more creative, more social and even noticing these benefits while at work!

“Act the maggot took me to a place I haven’t been since I was a child. A place of pure joy. You meet great people from all walks of life and form firm friendships. I got to express myself in a way that I could never do in any conventional adult learning scenario and it made me feel like I was 10 feet tall.”
– Shane Lynam, Director, Elearn.ie
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So come try it out. It might be hard to get a place but we are worth that waiting list. What’s all the rage this Autumn is our new Drawing class and our consistently popular Creative Writing and Acting classes. All of them are geared towards the beginner.

“You spend so much time laughing that you don’t realise until the end of the course how much change has taken place and how much inhibition has been shed.”
– Grainne Daly, Enterprise ireland

If you’d like to know more about the story and genesis of Act The Maggot – read about it in the Dublin Inquirer. If you want to sign up for our next courses in Drawing, Creative Writing, Acting or Public Speaking please drop us an email to actthemaggot@gmail.com – you can see all the relevant info about each class on their links.

“For anyone giving a speech, a presentation, or talking in public, I would really recommend ‘Act The Maggot.’ Amy made it much much easier than I could ever have imagined. This course certainly made me feel a whole lot better and no longer do I have that sense of dread or fear.” Shane Donohoe – former student.
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Get out of your comfort zone! Booking now open for all three of our Spring courses.

screen-shot-2018-02-16-at-17-48-07“Act the Maggot took me to a place I haven’t been since I was a child. A place of pure joy. You meet great people from all walks of life and form firm friendships. I got to express myself in a way that I could never do in any conventional adult learning scenario and it made me feel like I was 10 feet tall.” – Shane Lynam, Director, Elearn.ie

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Try one of our signature beginner classes and you won’t regret it! Always been curious about the acting game? Try our six week Thursday night class in Beginners’ Acting for Adults starting March 22. quote4-wFond of developing story-lines and characters but don’t know how to get started with a writing project or just haven’t developed a good discipline? Try our six week class Tuesday night class in Beginners’ Creative Writing.

Or have you always liked drawing or just want to try it out? It’s a fantastic way to unwind and relax. Try our six week Tuesday night class in Beginners’ Drawing.

Life drawing #pencil

Life drawing #pencil

At Act The Maggot – everyone is a beginner!! Some of our maggots have tried all three at different times of the year. Take a look around and make up your mind. We answer queries at acttthemaggot@gmail.com

Read fresh testimonials! Join us in 2018

IMG_2801“Act the Maggot was a wonderful addition to my week. I enjoyed every class and learned a lot as I let my creative side free. Thank you.”

“I was very satisfied with the level 1 acting course. It had what I was hoping for – taking me outside of my comfort zone, meeting fun people and having the craic.”

“Enlightening”

“It was fantastic, really well spread out and the increase in difficulty each week was great as it really took me out of my comfort zone.”

“It was brilliant. Fun and learned lots.”

“Enjoyed the experience, meeting lovely people in a playful environment.”

For more information on new beginners acting, drawing or creative writing classes in 2018, click on each hyperlink and drop us an email actthemaggot@gmail.com – Yes! There are places available. We will put on extra courses to satisfy demand. Happy Christmas one and all!

 

Draw your way into the New Year!

Would you like to begin your new year in a fun, creative way? Have you ever wanted to get into drawing? Maybe you used to draw a lot and now everything is all done on computers and you feel removed? Want to get back to basics with pencil and paper? Do you want to develop a relaxing hobby? Do you need to develop storyboarding skills? Join our artist teacher and learn the rudiments of drawing in a chilled out group on Tuesday nights in Dublin city centre. This group will focus on line drawing, perspective, shading, still life and in true act the maggot vein will also have lots of fun drawing from the imagination. Click here if you want to read about our next beginners drawing course.
Five Good Reasons to take a drawing class.
1. Making art may reduce stress and anxiety.
2. Creating visual art improves connections in the brain.
3. Art making can help us get over sadness.
4. Mindless sketching can help focus.
5. Turning our problems into narratives can help us work through them.

If you want to read the full article on this subject click here

Five reasons to take an art class

screen-shot-2017-05-31-at-09-45-241. Making art may reduce stress and anxiety.
2. Creating visual art improves connections in the brain.
3. Art making can help us get over sadness.
4. Mindless sketching can help focus.
5. Turning our problems into narratives can help us work through them.
Read the full article here
Read more about our next beginners drawing class

Sold Out!

tootootBoth Sept 14 Level 1 beginners acting class and Sept 7 Level 2 acting class are now completely full. The next Level 1 beginners acting class will run from Nov 2 to Dec 7. Contact us at actthemaggot@gmail.com to book your spot. Our Level 3 acting class will kick off Oct 19 and will finish on Nov 30. There will be another Level 2 class in March 2018. Booking is now open also for Tuesday night classes: Beginners Creative Writing (Sept 26), Beginners Drawing (Sept 26) and Beginners Screenwriting (Oct 3). Get looking and get booking maggots. Places fill fast.

Learning to Draw is so much fun and more relaxing than we realised

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screen-shot-2017-05-31-at-09-46-44We had such a great time in the Beginners Drawing class. So sad it is over. What a lovely relaxing time of a Tuesday. This is one hobby worth keeping. Next course will be in September. For more information about this contact us at actthemaggot@gmail.com #drawing #art #mindfulness #relaxation #perspective #humans

Take a look at our Testimonials

img_4446.jpgBeginners Acting for Adults, Beginners’ Creative Writing and Beginners’ Drawing. Why do people Act The Maggot? What do they think about their experience? Take a look at some more testimonials.

“It was a brilliant experience for me. Somedays I felt very tired going to class and came skipping out. It felt a very safe platform to try out acting as a beginner while also encourging you to go outside your comfort zone. It was a great way to meet new people with plenty of opportunities to get to know people outside of the class also. People were from different walks of life which was lovely and added to the whole experience.”

I loved the course. I revived my thirst for writing. I went into the course with an idea I had started writing about. It was due to our “non-compulsory” homework for the course that a TV show proposal I wrote ended up getting commissioned by a TV station. Everyone had different interests which is what make it so much fun and it was really laid back. Couldn’t recommend it more to get you creative juices flowing. I did it for the crack and it delivered big time.”

“I really enjoyed the different backgrounds and different ages of participants and that it was focused on people with no acting experience. It took a lot of pressure off doing the course. Some of the exercises were very interesting like the mindfulness have encouraged me to research more into that area as well. It’s very good. A friend of mine has signed up to it recently as well.”

“It is fun, creative, easy going but with just the right amount of challenge to keep it interesting and really worth going going back to each week. I found it great for my self confidence and well being to speak in front of others and to be creative, play and use imagination in the company of like minded people while being facilitated by someone who ensured it was safe and fun.”

This Scottish three-year-old rocks

screen-shot-2017-04-20-at-10-01-18If you haven’t met Isla Nelson yet you are in for a treat. Her comedian Dad gives us her take on everything from Celebrity Culture to Easter to Valentines Day. Enjoy!