Learn to draw, and have your work pieced together with others to create large artwork - Macon Telegraph

Maybe you were the kid who could draw. Maybe not.

Maybe you consider yourself artistic — or not at all.

Regardless, and whether you’re a kid or an adult, Mill Hill Community Art Center is offering a free workshop Saturday to let you put your talent — or lack of it — to work while teaching a thing or two about drawing, community and collaborating to create a better big picture.

“This won’t be the sort of thing where you come, do a little art, create a little project, then take it home,” said Jeni Hansen Gard, who is an artist in residence at Mill Hill along with her husband, Forrest Sincoff Gard. Together they work to engage others in the arts and offerings at Mill Hill.

“The workshop is by Franklin Delgado, who is amazing and whose exhibition, “Inner Immensity,” is on display Feb. 16 through March 9. It opens right after the workshop so those there will be the first to see it. Franklin is going to lead everyone into creating something beautiful together and, yeah, I think the person who never thought they could draw should definitely come and not worry, this is a no judgment zone.”

From Ecuador, Delgado now lives in Augusta and creates large-scale, realistic works using pencil and charcoal and graphite dust. At the workshop, he’ll demonstrate his technique and teach essential principles regarding light, shadow and shape.

In practice, each person will replicate a small portion of a work Delgado created at the Ocmulgee National Monument just blocks away from Mill Hill.

The small, individual pieces will join to create a beautiful, large whole.

“It doesn’t require artistic education or ability whatsoever,” Delgado said. “The technique is what brings everything together and the materials are very forgiving and poetic. What I’ve done for the exhibition requires much time and refining but what we’ll do is landscape involving organic shapes. I think everyone will enjoy the result.”

Delgado said the name of his exhibit, “Inner Immensity,” is based on his wife’s pregnancy and child’s birth three years ago. He said all his work relates to the idea of love and “showing the goodness of things.” In fact, a portrait of his daughter in the exhibit is titled “Triumph of Love.”

“It’s amazing life starts with one cell and grows and there’s such love and emotion for that child,” he said. “I make the analogy of creating from graphite and charcoal dust that with care over time, those very small pieces become something with life that expresses unique feelings and emotion. It’s not just a copy of that person like a snapshot is. It conveys much more.”

Samplings of Delgado’s work are at www.franklindelgado.com.

To learn more than the free workshop offers, Mars Hill plans a $20 class by Delgado March 9 requiring registration by emailing mhcac@maconarts.org.

The free workshop requires no advance notice, though Gard said signing up at the “Free Community Drawing Workshop by Franklin Delgado” Facebook event page is encouraged.

“It’s a great chance to learn from someone like Franklin and to come see what Mill Hill is about,” Gard said. “We want it to be a fun, multigenerational experience.”

Contact Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.